McFlurry International - China 2

Is there a significant difference between the McDonald's in Harbin and Shanghai (both are in China)? At least the quality? There should not be. It is McDonald's - taste that you can count on which makes you keep lovin' it. McDonald's in Shanghai is offering two McFlurry (麦旋风 mài xuànfēng or "McDonald's whirlwind") flavors: strawberry with Oreo and chocolate with Oreo. For 10RMB, the McFlurry strawberry with Oreo bits was a scant serving filling barely half the cup. The proportion of strawberry to Oreo to soft serve was appropriate, but the flavor was not. The strawberry flavor tasted a bit musky and artificial. Even after several martinis at Morton's The Steakhouse, the taste of the McFlurry was still left a skunk-like aftermath in your mouth. With such great experiences with berry flavors in northern China and the Balkans, one could only wonder where the strawberries were sourced from.

Morton's The Steakhouse Happy Hour - Volume 2

The happy hour at Morton's The Steakhouse was so good the first time that it is no surprise another visit was made. Word must have gotten out to the Shanghaiers because the bar area was absolutely packed shortly after the happy hour started at 17:00.

This time seats were taken at the bar to watch the bartenders in action and perhaps get a quicker order of those 120RMB plates of filet mignon sandwiches. The best thing is the sandwich plates were seemingly unlimited. All you have to do was smile and ask the server or bartender to put one more order in for you and the next thing you know, another plate of delicious beef between four fluffy, buttery warm buns with a bit of horseradish sauce were smiling back at you. The "Mortinis" were still tasty and made to order. The bartenders this time did not ask if you would like regular or blue cheese olives in your Mortinis as the servers did the first time. However, they still heeded your requests for the right olive and if they forgot, you got another toothpick-full added to your drink.

The kitchen had taken a little more care in cooking the filet mignon for the sandwiches. The meat was still rare, but at times, it looked like the cuts were on the verge of being cooked medium-rare. At least the awkward chewiness of the meat was avoided so as not to interrupt the flow of the happy hour. Mmm...so good. After about three 38RMB martinis each and multiple sandwiches, the happy hour leaves one feeling full, and happy with a relatively unscathed wallet.



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

Chewy Sugar Cookies #2

Browsing through baking recipes online, it was determined that in China "complicated" i.e. "expensive" ingredients should be avoided. The basics are cheap: flour, butter, sugar, baking soda, eggs, etc. "Complicated" ingredients are also hard to find and expensive at popular markets that cater to Westerners like City Shop. Good vanilla extract is always worth the monetary sacrifice.

Sugar cookies are a guaranteed bet on a minimal use of ingredients. It is down to a good recipe to produce a good cookie. These cookies are a little chewy and a little cake-y with a crisp edge. Its simplicity and variety of textures made it a hit.

Some substitutes were made. Instead of 1/4 cup of light brown sugar, 1/8 cup dark brown sugar + 1/8 cup granulated white sugar was used. The eggs in Shanghai also tend to be slightly smaller than the "large" eggs sold in markets in the United States and London.

Chewy Sugar Cookies #2 (adapted)
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup coarse sugar

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream together butter and sugars. Beat in vanilla extract and then the egg. Beat in flour, salt, and baking soda. Using a cookie scoop or rounded teaspoons, drop balls of dough into coarse sugar to cover them. Place sugar-coated cookie dough balls on baking sheet about 1 1/2 inches apart. Do not press the balls down. Bake 8-10 minutes, turning pan mid-way through baking.

Tomato Basil Soup

Although it is already March, winter seems to be dragging on, which leads to the comfort of the day: soup. With the purchase of a new and now broken blender (after less than 5 uses!!!), soups are the best use for it during winter months.

This Nordstrom Tomato Basil soup was eye-catching, particularly by the mention of carrots giving the soup a particular sweetness. Knowing that this recipe was written for a Western audience, more so in the States, the predicted outcome of the soup was unclear due to the size of the vegetables sold in Shanghai.

There was also some speculation on the recipe calling for heavy cream when only whipping cream is available in storage boxes. Whipping cream has less fat than heavy cream, 30-36% milk fat and 38-40% milk fat, respectively. The USDA regulates how much fat must be in certain dairy products sold in the US. What they are called has to do with fat content, not additives like carageenan. By law, to be called "heavy cream," a cream must have at least 36% milkfat and can have more. "Light whipping cream" must have at least 30% but less than 36% milkfat. "Light cream" (sometimes called "coffee cream") must have at least 18% milkfat, but less than 30%. "Half and Half" must have at least 10.5% milkfat, but less than 18%. The difference between using heavy cream and whipping cream in this recipe differed by a few milkfat percentages, but not so much to completely alter the soup. This is cooking, not baking.

The soup turned out to be really warming and slightly sweet. Fresh basil was used instead of dried.

Tomato Basil Soup (adapted)
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large carrots peeled and diced(mine yielded about 450g)
1 small to medium onion, sliced
3 cans of 400g peeled tomatoes
2 cups water or chicken or vegetable stock
1 small bunch of fresh basil, finely chopped (reserve some of the fresh basil for garnish) or 1 Tablespoon dried basil
250ml or 1 cup heavy cream

In a heavy saucepan, heat olive oil on medium-high heat until shimmering. Add carrots and onions and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add basil and cook until vegetables are completely soft, about 5 minutes more. Add tomatoes and liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30-45 minutes. Allow the soup to cool somewhat before puréeing in a blender or food processor, doing so in batches if necessary. Return the soup to the pot and add cream over low heat, until desired texture is reached and the soup is heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Jimmy's Kitchen

Beginning 87 years ago and finally coming back to Shanghai after 63 years is Jimmy's Kitchen, China's oldest Western restaurant with a selection of British and Continental classics. At the invitation through a connection, we were invited to attend a tasting at the restaurant before its soft opening. The entire meal was free and all we had to do was give feedback on the food and bring our own wine for the meal. How can you say no? The email indicated it was a fine dining establishment that lingered on timeless glamor. Jimmy's Kitchen is located on the first floor of the Old Jin Jiang Hotel.

Going up the stairs of the Jin Jiang Hotel, the restaurant shows little indication of its existence aside from strong gold lettering on dark wood paneling. The wine storage room is the first sight upon arrival, glowing blue. The restaurant has a timeless ambiance with its dark wood panels, leather booths, and elegant decor. There is a small bar to wait at with a view of the beef aging room. Peering through the thick glass, large slabs of meat sit on racks just waiting to be cut. The staff are warm, greeting you like old friends, taking your coat, showing you your seat, and being aware of every detail to make the experience more comfortable and accommodating.

The server informed us that anything on the menu was available for ordering except for the Wagyu beef and lobster. The oysters were also out of stock on this particular evening. No matter though. The menu is full of options to choose from, including an assortment of curries (none of which were tried on this particular visit), meat for the broiler, and Jimmy's classic dishes. The Baked Alaska on the dessert menu also seemed to be tempting although it was already assumed by this point there would be little stomach space for something sweet. The host reminded everyone to send feedback later instead of immediately after each course as not to interfere with the enjoyment of the Jimmy's Kitchen dining experience.



One of the soups the server and host recommended was the lobster bisque (68RMB) with garlic baguette croutons, "rouille" sauce, and Gruyere cheese. The roux used to thicken the bisque was well-browned, giving bisque a deep brown color. However, the actual bisque was not thick at all despite the splash of sherry. It still had a chalky taste from the flour. The best part of the bisque were the little chunks of lobster hidden at the bottom of the bowl. The traditional French onion soup (58RMB) topped with country bread and melted Gruyere cheese was really good. The crouton and bread pieces were abundant, soaking up almost all of the soup. It would have been better with a bit more broth so it actually looked like a soup. The broth had a rich, deep flavor and the cheese melted beautifully in the soup. The caesar salad (68RMB)of romaine lettuce, candied smoked bacon, anchovy dressing and shaved parmesan looked better than it tasted. The dressing lacked the nuttiness that anchovy is supposed to convey, perhaps from its minimal presence. Dressing usually makes the salad and brings together its parts, but not in this case despite the excellence of its individual parts. The gourmet salad (118RMB) consisted of mixed lettuce, duck leg and gizzard confit, smoked duck breast, duck "foie gras" mousse, roasted pine nuts, shaved black truffle with sherry and port wine vinaigrette. The salad featured more meat decadence than salad, making the dish a bit too salty although its presence alone was impressive. The individual meat parts were rich, fatty, and luscious so a salad leaf lightly coated in vinaigrette cut into the heaviness with a fresh bite.



The baked escargots (118RMB) with garlic and herb butter served on creamy mash were really tender and carried the strong flavors of the garlic and herb butter. The creamy mash they sat on was also really smooth and incredibly buttery. Some parts of the mash had great caramelization from cooking with the escargots creating a nice texture. The home-cured Norwegian salmon (128RMB) was thinly sliced with vodka, honey, pommery mustard, capers, fresh dill and Spanish onion accompanied with horseradish sour cream and toast. If you took the end of the salmon slice between the tines on the fork, you could roll up the entire piece including the onion to create a magnificent bite with all the flavors sitting on one fork. The horseradish sour cream and toast were almost unnecessary because the cured salmon was already good on its own. A thin layer of horseradish cream did give the salmon some heat despite it being a cold starter. The Baked Seafood "Vol Au Vent" (138RMB) with shrimps, scallops, mussels and clams in white wine and saffron cream and green asparagus were slightly sweet. The pieces of shrimp and mollusks were large and not overcooked. The white wine and saffron cream was light and the flavor not too strong, highlighting the seafood flavors. The classic poached prawn cocktail (128RMB) with iceberg shred, apple julienne, crisp cucumber, tomato Armagnac, and aioli. The prawn tails were quite large and the salad was crisp and fresh. We also ordered the pan-seared foie gras (148RMB), which had a crusty caramelization layer on the outside. The foie gras was lovely, smooth, and buttery easily melting in your mouth, though the piece showed hints of being in the pan a tad too long. If foie gras is cooking on a pan for a significant amount of time, it may shrink and melt away altogether.





The highlights of the night were the selections from the broiler. The cut of meat is broiled to a desired temperature and came with a potato and vegetable side order of your choice as well as a selection of sauces. After the steaks came out, a server arrived with a tray of sauces and mustards and asked if diners wanted to try more from the selection. The tenderloin (338RMB) was very tender and juicy as was the New York cut strip loin (308RMB). The mashed potatoes were seasoned with white pepper, which I am not particularly a fan of. The sauteed mushrooms were really good and meaty. The green peppercorn sauce tasted more like a standard A1 steak sauce being slightly sweet and not so peppery. The truffle sauce and blue cheese cream were both thick and flavorful, complimenting the steak well. The fish dishes were not very impressive. Both the lemon sole and salmon were slightly overcooked and a bit dry. This could be due to the fish sitting under the heat lamps in order for all the main courses to be served at one time to the table. The flavors were there, but the fish texture was not. Jimmy's Classic Corn-Fed Chicken Kiev (148RMB) filled with garlic and herb butter served with mashed potato and seasoned vegetables was also well-received. The crunchy outside and moist meat absorbed the garlic and herb flavors nicely.





Dessert was also another highlight of the night. After all the savory dishes, food comas were setting in and espressos were ordered. The espressos came out first and were brewed nicely with that creamy top that a good espresso should have. Jimmy's baked Alaska (suitable for 2)(108RMB) was huge and could have easily fed four people. Cake, vanilla and strawberry ice cream were encased in fluffy meringue dotted in fresh berries and was set aflame upon arrival to the table. The edges of the meringue browned and emitted a toasty aroma. Warm on the outside and cool on the inside, the baked Alaska was light and delicious. Jimmy's Famous Satellite (88RMB) is vanilla ice cream encased in Gran Marnier soaked sponge lightly battered and fried with vanilla anglaise and raspberry coulis. It looked like a giant fried dough ball and was also set aflame upon arrival. These desserts both had a contrast of hot and cold parts and were both light and satisfying. The house-made lemon tart (68RMB) with campari and blood orange granita was average. The lemon flavor had a candied taste and was reminiscent of the lemon meringue tarts served at university campuses in the United States, but with a firmer consistency. The blood orange granita that went with it tasted like medicine. The warm chocolate fondant (78RMB) with lava flowing center and pistachio ice cream was popular with the ladies at the table. It was nice to see a "molten chocolate" dessert paired with something other than a raspberry or berry-based sauce, sorbet, or ice cream. The pistachio ice cream was nutty and not too sweet. There was no indication where the pistachio ice cream was sourced from, but I am curious to know. The passion fruit and coconut meringue parfait glace (68RMB) with a rainbow tropical fruit ceviche was light and creamy. The fruit ceviche was probably the best part of this dish. The passion fruit flavor was quite subtle and could have had a stronger presence.

After the meal, everyone was very happy to be invited to this tasting while at the same time groaning from full bellies. The meal had some hits and misses, but this is to be expected as Jimmy's Kitchen is trying to perfect its menu before its soft and grand openings. The management was eager to hear the feedback both good and bad, which shows an understanding that there is always room for improvement. The dinner was a nice, long evening lasting from 19:30 to 23:30. As the dining room was completely full and service was running a bit slow, there was plenty of time for lots of wine and good conversation. The final bill without drinks was considerably more expensive than your average Western meal in Shanghai, but there are definitely some items worth checking out as well as an ambiance that made some diners feel like they landed in an episode of Mad Men. We are all looking forward to seeing how Jimmy's Kitchen progresses after its opening.

Jimmy's Kitchen. 1/F, Jin Jiang Hotel (Cathay Building), 59 Maoming Nan Lu (by Changle Lu), 茂名南路59号1楼 (近长乐路). Shanghai 200020, People's Republic of China.

Pi Day Pear Tart

3.1415926535...March 14th has not been the same since the induction of Pi Day. Although it is a mathematical constant, Pi Day is also a great excuse to bake a pie (or tart). Given the limited availability of reasonably priced goods, the Pi Day pie / tart had to be made with limited ingredients to produce the finest result. Also, one of the potential Pi Day pie / tart eaters has an aversion to egg so none could be used in any part of the recipe. Hence, the Pi Day Pear Tart. It is simple, attractive, and incredibly tasty.

The pear-poaching and tart recipes came from David Lebovitz, both by a chance Google search. The tart dough recipe was quite impressive, allowing the baker to feel like a chemist as the hot, liquid mixture of butter, oil, sugar, salt, and water hissed and foamed at the addition of flour. The dough held together extremely well and produced a lovely, firm tart shell. After trying this method out, there is no need for cutting cold butter into flour anymore (this will eventually be mastered for that flaky pie crust). Even on the first try, the tart shell came out perfectly golden and without any cracks.

The resulting pear tart looked very pretty from its design of concentric pear slices and glistening surface. The pears used could have been more ripe and sweet as the ones available were relatively flavorless. Overall, the pear tart was a success being not too sweet and subtly elegant.

Poaching Pears (adapted)
1 quart (1 liter) water
1 cup (200 g) sugar
4 large pears; peeled, cored, and quartered

In a large saucepan, heat the water and sugar until warm and the sugar is dissolved. Add any of the additions that you wish. Slide in the pears and cover saucepan partially. Keep the liquid at a very low boil and simmer the pears until cooked through, about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the pears. Remove from heat and let the pears cool in their liquid.

(I did not have enough sugar. The original recipe called for about 256g sugar, but only about 200g was used.)

French Tart Dough (adapted)
90 g (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used canola)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
150 g (5oz, or 1 slightly-rounded cup) flour

Preheat the oven to 410º F (210º C). In a medium-sized ovenproof bowl, such as a Pyrex bowl, combine the butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt. Place the bowl in the oven for about 15 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and starts to brown just around the edges. When done, remove the bowl from oven (and be careful, since the bowl will be extremely hot and the mixture might sputter a bit), dump in the flour and stir it in quickly, until it comes together and forms a ball which pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (23 cm) tart mold with a removable bottom and spread it a bit with a spatula. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, pat it into the shell with the heel of your and, and use your fingers to press it up the sides of the tart mold. Reserve a small piece of dough, about the size of a raspberry, for patching any cracks. Prick the dough all over with the tines of a fork about ten times, then bake the tart shell in the oven for 15 minutes, or until the dough is golden brown (10 minutes for a golden, partially cooked tart shell as the crust edges may get too brown in the second baking). Remove from the oven and if there are any sizable cracks, use the bits of reserved dough to fill in and patch them. Let the shell cool before filling.

Pear Tart
1 tart shell
4 large poached pears
Apricot jam or preserves

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Thinly slice pears and arrange whatever decorative design you like in the tart shell. Make sure that the layers of sliced pear overlap. Put in oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. The tart crust should turn a deep golden brown. Remove tart from oven. Bring to a boil apricot jam with two tablespoons of water in a saucepan to create a glaze. Spread glaze over the surface of the tart using a pastry brush.

B Real Banh Mi

Still in its soft-opening stage (so the sign says on the window) since November 2010, B Real is the Vietnamese sandwich sister shop to Pho Real across the street. Pho Real has already disappointed not once, but twice, but perhaps will still tempt a visit later in the year. In any case, B Real promises authentic Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches in a stylish and casual shop. Banh mi is commonly made with pickled sliced carrots, cucumber, cilantro, hot peppers, mayonnaise, pate, and meat all placed in a crusty, French-style baguette.

The B Real location is small, brightly lit, and clean from the light-colored wood and white paint. The walls are lined with mini-polaroid photos, Vietnamese coffee, and cans of condensed milk. There are bars and stools to eat at, though B Real also does take away.

There banh mi options are limited to grilled pork, grilled chicken, or combination meat. With the soft opening discount, the combination option is 36RMB (at a 20% discount), which is well-priced for a sandwich, especially in the French Concession. The person at the counter continually asked if I wanted a drink to go with the meal each time I changed my order. This happened about four times and the answer was always, "no." From the drink refrigerator, it looked like the options extended further than Coca-Cola to sodas made with lychee or guava.


The sandwich came out accompanied by a salad with thinly sliced vegetables doused in a mayonnaise dressing. The pickled vegetables gave the salad a bite, but otherwise was not very interesting. Before consuming the banh mi, B Real offers three signature house-made sauces that may be added to the sandwich: B1) Vietnamese Lime Honey Mayonnaise, B2) Vietnamese Garlic Sriracha Mayo, and B3) Home-made Passion fruit Hoisin Sauce. Out of the three, B2 was selected. The sandwich was served with a garnishing of cilantro and chopped red chilis as well as heavily seasoned prawn crackers. From the looks of the sandwich, the "combination meat" was more grilled pork with a few slices of ham. There was also a thin layer of pate, mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, and lettuce. The baguette was warm, crusty, and not hard. It looked good, but was lacking balance in its flavors. The pork was marinated and brought a sweet touch to the sandwich, but was not balanced out by the saltiness of the pate (or lack thereof). The pickled vegetables brought a nice acidity and fresh crunch, though the sandwich could have used a little more. Even with the chilis, there could have been more heat. Basically, the banh mi was primarily meat and bread and could have done with a tad more vegetable.


After the soft-opening period, B Real could be visited again as it works out the quirks in its sandwiches. Now, if only the 20% discount was available after its soft opening would B Real be a hot lunch spot.

B Real. 185 Fumin Lu (by Changle Lu), 富民路185号(近长乐路), Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

French Comfort at Franc

At the back of Ferguson Lane sits a lovely French bistro called Franck. The decor of the restaurant is decidedly French with a cozy, candle-lit feel. Franck is known in Shanghai to be one of the best if not the best restaurants for French food. Now, we must emphasize this is about French food and not service, which has received mixed reviews. In any case, an invitation to dine at Franck could not be refused.

Walking through the doors and past the red curtains, there is a little store seamlessly integrated with the decor selling cheese, meats, and other goods and a small waiting area on the left. The bistro extends further back revealing a bar and a wine room. The dining room has a quiet murmur of Chinese and expats alike taking time with their meals.

The server arrives with two menus written on blackboard: one for the starters and another for the mains. This gives the impression that the dishes are seasonal and based on availability, a sign of freshness.


From the selection of starters, the "tomate, mozzarella di bufala" (140RMB) and "la grande charcuterie" (290RMB) was chosen. The first was presented as a large ball of fresh mozzarella and a cluster of fresh, incredibly ripe tomatoes with pesto and balsamic reduction. It was quite rustic to cut into the juicy tomatoes and fresh mozzarella and sliding it in the sauce of choice. The portion of mozzarella was not equal to the tomatoes given, which lowered the mozzarella to tomato ratio per bite. The la grande charcuterie was quite generous with cured meats piled on the wooden board with a large slice of the house-made terrine de campagne, a heaping of caramelized onions, and a thick slice of foie gras which became even more buttery as it reached room temperature. About four types of thinly cured meats were counted. All this was accompanied by imported butter and warm, crusty bread. The board of meats was magnificently satisfying. With six people reaching for this board, most were already feeling full before the mains arrived.

As there were six eating, the table decided to order all but the most expensive entree, the côte de boeuf (Australia) at 640RMB.



The best dish for most was the poulet rôti (180RMB) or roasted chicken, which covered mushrooms and rested on a cloud of potato pureé surrounded by jus with a few pods of blanched green beans and accompanied by fries. The chicken was moist and tender regardless of which angle it was cut from. The mushrooms and mashed potatoes were buttery and melted against your tongue. This dish is what many would think of when the idea of comforting French bistro cooking comes to mind. The fries were disappointing as they were nicely roasted on the outside, but a bit raw on the inside, revealing that these fries were cooked only once instead of twice. The lotte à américaine (200RMB) was a white fish cooked in a creamy orange sauce that tasted of French cognac and had a sweetness of saffron. The sauce was flavorful and carried the moist fish well. Another memorable dish was the pigeon feuilleté (220RMB), which was encased in a thin layer of puff pastry (or what looked like a few layers of phylo dough) and stuffed with foie gras and spinach (which was not evident after cutting the pigeon in half). The pigeon was indeed gamey and the foie gras carried the deep flavors even further. The thin layer of pastry covering the pigeon added a slightly crunchy texture to the tender meats. The dish was supposed to come with a pot of mushrooms as was seen earlier on another table, but never did arrive.



Out of all the plates that received the most hype, the tartare de boeuf (160RMB) did not live up to its reputation. The beef did not melt against your tongue as easily and was a bit chewy. Another disappointment was the seliole grillée (220RMB) or grilled monkfish (the English term for "seliole" was not clear). The flesh of the fish tasted, well, fishy. The ratatouille the monkfish was served with was not as thinly sliced as one would like, but it did still have a nice rustic texture to it. The selle d'agneau rôtie (220RMB) or roasted lamb was and accompanied by lentils. The lamb was cooked rare and was moist all the way through, but the lentils added nothing more than texture to the star of its dish.


For dessert, everyone shared the nougat glacé and crème brûlée. The nougat ice cream had large bits of hard nougat and almonds with in the ice cream and drizzled with a fresh berry sauce. The crème brûlée was served in an extremely shallow ramekin. The custard was more milky than custard in taste and was a bit runny. Though, no one can deny they love a crispy sugar topping.

The dinner at Franck left you cozy and comfortable with service that was not intrusive, allowing you to simply enjoy the experience of eating good food. The French in Shanghai are right to call Franck among the best to represent their nation's gastronomic fare.

Franck. Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Lu (by Hunan Lu) 武康路376号 (近湖南路), Shanghai, People's Republic of China. www.Franck.com.cn