hoF

It is easy to buy cake in Shanghai, but getting good cake in Shanghai is another story. On a rainy night, hoF beckoned with its promises of chocolate cake and selected cocktails. Food and Wine even lists hoF as a taste to try.

hoF is a small place on Sinan Road, right of Middle Huaihai Road and nestled between a throng of other expat-oriented restaurants and shops. Brian Tan was behind the counter calmly overseeing the barely lit dessert and cocktail lounge and greeting regular patrons with a neighborly "hello." There is a small display case featuring pre-cut portions of desserts, expensive chocolates, truffles, and gelato on one side with a seating area on the other, crammed with people.


The most popular item in the display case recommended by several people surrounding the dessert bar is the Orange Mud Cake with Caramel and Sea Salt (36rmb). It is a simple, moist chocolate cake with hints of orange with a thick layer of caramel on top sprinkled with coarse sea salt and bits of candied orange rind. The orange flavor is not overwhelming, but enhances the chocolate. The sea salt brings out the flavor of the caramel by countering the sweetness.


The Chocolate Caramel Mousse cake (35rmb) had different layers of cake, mousse, and a particularly thick caramel. As a caramel fan, I preferred this cake because the flavor was varied depending on how you cut into the layers with your fork.


The Chocolate Sinan Lu was revealed to be a dense chocolate cake baked in a ramekin with a lovely cherry flavor. On top was a large dollop of what seemed to be marscapone. This specialty plated dessert is only exciting if you want a simple chocolate cake.


The Italian hot chocolate was so thick that it hung onto the spoon. It was not served piping hot as you would get from the hot chocolate in Spain that accompanies the churros at Valor, but was not too sweet and had a subtle hint of chocolate bitterness. The hot chocolate was better consumed with a spoon than sipping since its cooled temperature caused the hot chocolate to solidify.

The desserts were surprisingly reasonably priced, especially in relation to the decor of the place, which usually dictates price in China. This should be the dessert spot to visit in Shanghai.

Drinking Around the Expo

CNNgo posted an article today about doing a pub crawl at the Shanghai World Expo site. Frenzied Palate mentioned such a thing before the Expo even opened! If this is the case, I hope that someone will print a map soon along with every offering and price of each spot at the Expo site to imbibe.

10RMB mojitos? Yes, please!

Shanghai is a city of indulgence, especially in regards to cheap drinks. SmartShanghai had on the listing of Azul 10RMB mojitos from 18:00 until close (though now the restaurant has in writing "until 23:00") on Monday nights. Who cannot pass that up?

The reputable brunch is the usual selling point to come to Azul, but 10RMB mojitos is also a draw. The bartender gave us a laminated menu with the varities of mojitos we could select from including ones with mango and lychee, but we stuck to the classic mojito. The bartender muddled the mint, lime, sugar, and rum in the glass itself before topping it off with some club soda. The mojito was properly sweet, using light brown cane sugar instead of white. It was slightly spritzy, but could have used the tartness known in the lime varieties available in North and Central America. The mint was alright, but such flavor is what you get given the local produce in China. The lime and mint varieties are just different.

Surprisingly, the mojitos were getting progressively stronger with each order. One would expect almost the opposite. Each following lowball glass tasted more and more like rum. These mojitos are worth going out for, even if it was a Monday night. And the drinks are way better than what you would get at Zapatas with their drink special of free beer 10-11pm for guys and unlimited margaritas that taste like lime slushies.

Spring has established itself in Shanghai and made its presence known. Mojitos in warmer weather is perfect to celebrate the season. Now if only Azul had a terraza.

Azul. 18 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu. 东平路18号, 近衡山路. Shanghai, People's Republic of China.