Morton's The Steakhouse Happy Hour

Morton's The Steakhouse is synonymous with American fine dining and prime beef. As a somewhat recent import to Shanghai, it still causes a stir with its quality steaks and high prices, deterring budget-minded diners. However, Morton's has a great happy hour which is not well-advertised on the lifestyle websites in Shanghai (so far). Arriving to the restaurant bar is painless as it is not packed, even during the second half of the happy hour. On the fourth floor of the IFC Mall, patrons are immediately greeted by hospitable staff and a sectioned bar area awaits. The happy hour "mortini" night runs from 17:00-19:00 Mondays to Fridays and includes complimentary filet mignon sandwiches with mustard mayonnaise. There are five martinis to choose from: gin mortini, cosmopolitan, vodka mortini, appletini, and chocolate mortini for just 38RMB each. For the classic martinis, there is a choice to have olives with or without blue cheese. The pours are not skimpy and the martinis are well-mixed.

Morton's claims the prime beef served is never frozen, always served fresh after being aged in a cyro-vacuumed bag. The idea of the care put into their beef will make any carnivore's tongue tingle. After the drink orders were placed, plates of mini filet mignon sandwiches arrive. The bar menu indicates that the filet mignon sandwiches are 120RMB per order should you desire to order it outside of happy hour. The complimentary filet mignon sandwiches make this happy hour an excellent deal because it is like eating a plate of money made with filet mignon. There are four mini sandwiches on a plate with a thin slice of filet mignon between a buttery, toasted, warm bun. The mustard mayonnaise is thinly spread in order to present the filet mignon as the star of this sandwich. The filet mignon is served rare, as a fine cut of beef should be. It was so rare that it even bled onto the bread (pictured). However, the filet mignon was inconsistent as some slices were less cooked than others so your jaw was locked around a chewy piece of raw beef while other slices melted in your mouth against the bun.

Happy hour at Morton's The Steakhouse has to be one of the better happy hour deals in Shanghai. Not only do you get a martini at a great price, but also complimentary filet mignon sandwiches to keep you from drinking on an empty stomach. Fans of the Morton's happy hour only have so long to wait until the rest of Shanghai finds out about their precious happy hour gem.


Morton's The Steakhouse. Shop 15-16, 4/F, Shanghai IFC Mall, 8 Century Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 200120, People's Republic of China. Tel: +86 21 6075 8888. www.mortons.com

Enoterra's Croque Monsieur

Enoterra (formerly Enoteca) updated its food menu and removed the duck sandwich in favor of a croque monsieur (about 68RMB if memory serves as the menu is not online), a French hot ham and emmental or gruyère cheese sandwich. After a couple of bottles of wine, why not try it? The sandwich is huge and a great value for what it is worth, especially considering the relative size of sandwiches in Shanghai. The kitchen will even cut up the croque monsieur to make its sharing easier in a group. The sandwich has an even balance of cheese, ham, and bread. The cheese was perfectly melted and slightly toasted on top, stretching into wires when pieces of the sandwich were removed from its whole. The bread was not soggy from the butter and cheese. The ham completed the sandwich with its slight sweetness. The duck sandwich is still missed, but Enoterra's decadent croque monsieur is not a bad substitute.

Enoterra. 53-57 Anfu Lu (near Wulumuqi Lu) 安福路53-57号, 近乌鲁木齐路, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

McFlurry International - China

In China, the McFlurry is known as 麦旋风 mài xuànfēng or "McDonald's whirlwind." The summer of 2010 saw the introduction of the classic Oreo McFlurry to China (there were only sundaes and ice cream floats before then). It was the only variety available at that time. As McDonald's caters its menu for its local customer base, it was surprising to see no specific flavor had been added for the Chinese palate.

In January 2011, in Harbin, China, the McFlurry for 黑莓酱味 hēiméi jiàng wèi or "blackberry jam flavor" appeared on the marquis for 10RMB. The server advised that you can get a discount for ordering two, which was about 15RMB. The photo of the "blackberry" did not depict the blackberries commonly known in North America, but looked a bit like blueberries. It was unclear exactly which berry this was or if it was native to China. In any case, along with the "blackberry jam," the McFlurry had bits and pieces of Oreo cookie mixed in. This seemed to be an appealing combination: fruity berry flavor with crunchy chocolate cookie bits all mixed in to McDonald's brilliantly white soft-serve. The server eagerly went to work, but was so stingy on the portion of soft-serve dispensed and the scoop of Oreo cookie that the actual serving of McFlurry with "blackberry jam flavor" barely reached the half-way point of the cup. The taste and the flavor of the actual McFlurry made up for its disappointing portion. The blackberry jam did not taste artificial in any way and was not over-sweetened, which gave the dessert a fresh taste. The pieces of Oreo cookie were so tiny, it just added crunch to the McFlurry so that each bite had a different texture. This is an excellent start to unique McFlurry flavors in China.

Il Nascondiglio: Venetian Private Dining

You probably already read about Il Nascondiglio already from Dumplings and Donuts and Sugar and Spiced, but Frenzied Palate still has a say!

Il Nascondiglio - meaning the "hideaway" - was conceived by Fabrizio Pizzioli, the chef, and his partner, Ting, the lovely hostess. They declared Il Nascondiglio to be a project of theirs to show their passion for food and a unique dining experience. SmartShangahi advertised "Venetian private dining" and this night was the first of three test dinners for 100RMB per person. This spot is tucked away up a dark staircase on the corner of Xiangyang Lu and Yongjia Lu. When the door opened, you are bathed in warm light and the preserved interior of an old lane house. Fabrizio and Ting informed us that they also shared the same address as their private dining room. The mismatched antique furniture added charm to the room that also held a two-burner stove and prep area, indicating the food would be prepared right in front of the guests. As it was January, the room was a bit chilly and I was wondering how the hot dishes will stay warm from kitchen to table.


When introducing the menu, Fabrizio said he went to the local markets earlier that day to find what was fresh and available before constructing the menu which was emailed out later that afternoon. First appetizer was the bruschette classiche or classic bruschetta served on communal plates. Everyone politely waited for wine to be poured before indulging in the first course. The bread was toasted and had the aroma of cut cloves of garlic rubbed onto its surface. The size of the tomatoes cut was large enough to ask the mouth to open a bit wider than normal, but was still juicy. The second appetizer was the "rotolini di melanzane ripieni" or aubergine wrapped around halved grape tomatoes and ham. The aubergine looked nicely grilled, but for some reason lacked any distinguishing flavor. It would have been better served freshly grilled to contrast the raw tomato and cool ham.

The first main dish was the farfalle al funghi al gin or butterfly pasta with mushroom and gin. The mushrooms were sauteed with gin and thrown into a creme sauce before the pasta was placed on top to finish cooking. Fabrizio went around to each guest's plate to freshly grate cheese atop. As the favored porcini mushrooms were not available in Shanghai produce markets, king oyster mushrooms were used instead, still maintaining that earthy flavor. The sauce was creamy and light. The consistency of the creme sauce did not allow the farfalle to become a solid mass when cool as the chilliness of the room did not permit the dishes to stay warm for more than five minutes.

The second main dish was the arrosto di manzo or "beef in melting sauce," which was accompanied by "patate in tecia" or "typical potatoes," "piselli triestini" or "typical green beans," and "peperonata" or "red bell pepper sauce." The beef was incredibly tender and fell apart easily with the introduction of the fork as a cutting utensil. It carried a lot of flavor from the sauce the beef cut was cooked in showing the whole day of preparation the beef dish required. Fabrizio marinated the beef in the morning puncturing holes in the cut to ensure the flavors would reach deep inside the layers of flesh. The accompanying sides added texture to the beef, but, again, were cold on consumption. Fabrizio also offered extra bottles of wine (at an extra price) to supplement the glass that came with the meal.

"Palancinche" or sweet crepes made to order concluded the meal. Each diner had the option to have the crepe rolled or folded into a triangle with either jam, chocolate (Nutella), or plain filling (butter and lemon). The crepes were cooked in front of the diners allowing the chef and hostess to converse with the diners about the meal and life in Shanghai in general.

The dining experience at Il Nascondiglio was thoroughly enjoyable and intimate allowing the diners (as well as chef and hostess) to share conversation and enjoy Italian food. It is great for diners wanting to avoid interruptions and have the night completely catered to their needs. The drawback of the dinner was that most of the dishes ended up being cold on the plate, most likely from the common etiquette of waiting for everyone to be served before taking the first bite. And why was there an overflowing punch-worthy size bowl of farfalle on the prep counter? Was that for the following night? Another item for consideration is that the dinner was advertised as "Venetian private dining," but there was little in the menu that was characteristic of Venetian cuisine such as polenta, risotto and seafood. Is private dining particularly a Venetian culinary tradition or is the meal itself supposed to reflect not just Italian, but Venetian food? Perhaps when Il Nascondiglio moves past its guinea pig stage will we come to learn if "Venetian" applies to the dining experience or the food itself.


Il Nascondiglio. 311 Xiangyang nan Lu (near Yongjia Lu), 襄阳南路311号，近永嘉路, Shanghai, China. Tel: 02134612036. Mob: 13166014282.

Huevos Brunch at Maya

Most brunches in Shanghai run closer to the range of 100RMB per person. Maya advertises a "Huevos Brunch" with everything listed on the brunch menu under 50RMB. The deal sounds really good, especially if you are not in the mood for a pricey brunch buffet.

The free-range egg dish selected for this brunch was the Pan de Maiz Huevos Benedictos (50RMB) or poached runny eggs over chorizo with a corn muffin and red pepper hollandaise. The eggs had perfectly cooked egg whites and yolks that slowly oozed out. The corn muffin was an excellent vehicle to soak up the red pepper hollandaise sauce and egg yolks. The hollandaise sauce had a bit of a smoked tinge of flavor from the red pepper making it a good match for the chorizo and the heavy, filling texture of the corn muffin. The roasted potatoes were also a great match for the dish as its cut edges were caramelized, soft on the inside, and nicely seasoned overall. The dish looked small, but was incredibly filling.

The best looking dish - at least for value - on the brunch menu was the Huevos Divorciados, a vegetarian dish, with green and red chili sauce, refried beans, cheese quesadilla, sour cream and salsa (45RMB). The Maya Mary (50RMB) was served in a low ball glass with plenty of rice and little kick. The brunch also includes bottomless sangria and margaritas for 125RMB and 150RMB, respectively (to be sampled). Advertising menu items as 50RMB or lower is the hook, but with all the other brunch items such as drinks and perhaps even an appetizer of guacamole and chips (50 RMB) while you wait, the bill adds up fast.

Maya. 2/F, Grand Plaza Club House, 568 Julu Lu (near Shaanxi Nan Lu), Shanghai, People's Republic of China. 巨鹿路568弄 四方新城俱乐部2楼，近陕西南路. www.casanova.com.cn/maya.