glo London Shanghai Gastro Grill

After spending some time in London and appreciating its gastropub culture, I was curious to see what glo London would bring to China with its ambitious plans of a bakery cafe, gastro grill, lounge bar, rooftop barbecue, and pizza delivery all under one roof. I managed to get in on an invite to sample the food from the gastro grill before the soft opening (Shanghai loves soft openings). The tables were barely arranged and the bakery cafe on the first floor was still being put together. glo London was barely open and being so new, there should be some understanding that the wait staff may still need a little extra training and the kitchen is still working out a few kinks.




The starters had the most international flair out of all the sections on the menu. However, its size and portion were not very impressive, especially compared to the price. The Satay Chicken (60RMB) made from char-grilled chicken breast marinated in spicy peanut, chilli, and coconut sauce was tender and moist with a hint of sweet flavor. The lovely marinated taste was reflected in its equally appealing yellow color. The Chargrilled Lemon Honey Tiger Prawns (85RMB) marinated in special honey marinade was the most disappointing out of all the starters. The prawns were not even tiger prawns! Maybe the kitchen ran out of tiger prawns and neglected to tell its patrons that the tiger prawn species would be substituted for another that evening? Who knows. The grand opening should at least see real tiger prawns. The marinade on the prawns was good, but the prawns were a tad dry as if left on the grill for a few seconds too long. The Duck Confit Samosas (65RMB), a trio of spiced duck samosas served with apple ginger chutney, were also very flavorful and moist. The accompanying apple ginger chutney added a soft and sweet bite to the spiced duck. The wrapper was a bit limp and could have been a touch crispier though. The Chilli and Corriander Calamari (65RMB) lightly-dusted and pan-fried with fresh chilli, garlic, corriander, and soy sauce served with lime and sweet chilli sauce was of average quality. The calamari came out hot and only featured rings cut from the mantle. The dish would have been more interesting if the tentacles were also used. A good squeeze of lemon made the calamari that much better. The Crab Croquettes (70RMB) was made from hand-picked crab meat mixed with freshly chopped herbs, onions, garlic, chilli, and creamy potato accompanied with lime and sweet chilli sauce. It easily could have been the best starter from the meal as the bulk of the croquette was crab meat instead of filler. The onions, galric, chilli, and potato in the croquette were not overpowering the main feature of the dish - the crab meat.




The mains were significantly better in terms of price compared to size and quality. The selection leaned more toward an American menu with a few popular English choices such as the curries. The half slab of Hickory BBQ Baby Back Ribs (145RMB) is slow-cooked in a hickory oak burning smoke pit and finished on the chargrill before getting smothered with homemade bbq sauce. The ribs were actually full-sized pork ribs and was a massive portion. The meat was incredibly tender and slipped easily off the bone. There was great caramelization on the meat underneath that sweet barbecue sauce. Like most of the mains, it was served with hand-cut steak chips, battered onion rings, roasted cherry tomatoes, chargrilled mushrooms, and crisp mixed leaves. With the size of the mains, the steak chips and onion rings were almost unnecessary filler. The texture and taste of the mushrooms was more marinated than grilled. Half of these sides (the mushrooms and juicy cherry tomatoes) almost did give me the impression of an English breakfast. One diner was disappointed with the size of the Chargrilled Honey and Coriander whole Sea Bass (180RMB) marinated in coriander, cumin, ginger, Manuka honey, and fresh chillies. The fish was small, but tasty, especially with the marinade creating a barely there crust on the skin of the fish. The beef fillet (238RMB) raised some eyebrows because it did not taste like a solid beef cut, but rather marinated in soy sauce (manuka honey marinade), which masked the flavor of the beef. Also disappointing was the London-Style Chicken Tikka Curry (110RMB) with tender chicken pieces in tikka sauce flavored with fresh garlic, cardamom, coriander and fresh chilli. The curry was put in a bread bowl and served as a platter with poppadoms, kal cucumber, toasted coconut, and apple ginger chutney. There were too many grain products to go with the curry so you were getting more full from the papadoms and bread than the actual curry. The Parma Ham Pizza (115RMB) had tomato, torn buffalo mozzarella, olives, and marinated mushrooms slow-roasted in garlic and herb oil finished with slices of Parma ham, fresh rocket leaves, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. The crust of the pizza is thin, crispy and oval-shaped barely fitting the board it came on (with accompanying pizza cutter for a more hands-on experience). The marinated mushrooms were the same as the ones served as sides on the grilled mains and fell off the thin slices too easily. The Parma ham and rocket was abundant in every bite. When glo London rolls out its pizza delivery service, this would be something to look forward to. After all these mains, our party of five was absolutely stuffed.


And then came out the desserts. With all the food from the first two courses, it was a surprise there was any room for dessert at all. The Jam Roly-Poly (50RMB) is labeled as "an old-time favorite" traditionally hand-rolled sponge cake smothered in raspberry jam and covered in custard. The custard really came in a gravy boat instead of covering the layered sponge cake. It was light, the sponge cake a tad dry, and the jam flavor barely there. The Hot Chocolate Brownie (60RMB) referred to as the "ultimate pudding for chocolate lovers with a fudgy texture" and chocolate chip topping served with honeycomb ice cream and fresh whipped cream was more a dry cake than brownie. The brownie fell apart for the lack of any fudgy texture to hold it together. The chocolate flavor was actually more on the bittersweet side than too sweet, but the consistency of the brownie destroyed the whole dessert. More familiar to an English dessert palate is the Bread and Butter Pudding (50RMB) mae from baked bread pudding with raisins (none of which were present), nutmeg, and vanilla pod served warm covered with strawberry jam and custard. The bread pudding was dense and too dry as if the moist quality of a good bread pudding would soak into the bread by the custard alone. It was not. The bread pudding was baked to a golden brown and the light custard could barely hold on to its gleaming surface.

Everyone was left with stomachs bursting from all the food that was shared and consumed. Overall, the food came in large portions (aside from the starters) and was incredibly filling. The mains from the grill and especially the pizzas are better choices for eats. The drinks were plentiful as well and ranged around 60RMB, which is average for its location in the former French Concession. While being a London-based chain, the majority of the menu was more reminiscent of an American casual restaurant and respected its serving size as well. The glo London Gastro Grill brought over more the chic atmosphere infiltrating the Square Mile's modern bar scene than a gastropub ideal with more English favorites. A return visit is likely in the future to sample the brunch and Sunday roast. The simple and clean interiors of glo London with its wide dining selection would definitely attract the roving expat in Shanghai.

glo London. 1 Wulumuqi Lu (by Dongping lu) / 乌鲁木齐路1号 (近东平路), Shanghai 200031, China. Tel: +86 21 6466 6565. glolondon.com

Origin in Tianzifang

Among the numerous restaurants and shops in Tianzifang, Origin strives to set itself apart with "seasonally fresh cuisine." It sits along one of the busier lanes shooting off Jianguo Zhong Lu with two small outdoor tables on either side of the ground floor entrance on a nice day. The space is airy and bright making use of large exposure to natural light. There is a bar to sit at and few inside tables on the ground floor with more seating on the second floor as well as a small outdoor area. On the third floor, there is also a very small area that may be reserved or taken for a more intimate affair. On warm days, the windows are easily opened to allow for a natural circulation of air instead of cranking up the air-conditioning unit. The whole ambiance expressed the ideals of the cafe wanting to get back to the basics of what is fresh and natural.

Lunch time and brunch seemed busy with people passing through Tianzifang enjoying anything remotely relating to warm, temperate weather in Shanghai. The cafe was filled up quickly and easily. Service seemed to be a bit slow as the window into the kitchen revealed only one guy taking care of everything. The service staff at least tries to be helpful when they can.



Out of the sandwiches, the sweet potato and goat cheese sandwich (48RMB) on foccacia with arugula jumped out. It was a mix between sweet potato mash or really soft sweet potato on delicious bread and a thin, minute spread of goat cheese. This disappointed the expectation there would be a nice, thick layer of tart goat cheese to offset the sugary sweet potato. The fresh arugula and sliced tomato was not already in the sandwich, which was to be assembled at the diner's discretion. The continental breakfast was filling with its assortment of toast, eggs, roasted baby tomatoes, yogurt, cold cuts, jam, butter, and brie. The filling parts of the breakfast were the pieces of toast and large cup of yogurt and skimpy on the eggs and cold cuts.



Also unfotunately small was the sausage plate (about 98RMB). The link of sausage was unfortunately small (the photo may deceive you of its size) as well were the two weak slices of streaky bacon sitting atop some potatoes. The eggs were alright. The breakfast plate also lacked toast to carry the meat and eggs on. Its cost definitely did not match what was presented on the plate. The banana pancakes showed some promise with a full saucer of syrup. Each pancake was large and fluffy with bits of real banana in the batter (more would have been better!!!). The plate also came with a large serving of yogurt and a few pieces of fresh fruit. The smoked salmon eggs benedict (at a whopping 98RMB...It turns out the online menu has not been updated in any way to show price changes) showed some promise. The base bread was amazing, thick, soft, and crusty. If English muffins were not available, this bread would have been the next best thing. The servings of smoked salmon were on the skimpy side, but the addition of greens was much appreciated to bring a fresh zing as well as color to the dish. The eggs were nicely poached and gooey on the inside, though close to being set. The hollandaise sauce was buttery and on the thin side, leaving a small wet coating on the poached egg. Each eggs benedict had 2-3 capers on top. The dish has so much promise, but the let-down of a scant slice of smoked salmon and runny hollandaise sauce makes the smoked salmon eggs benedict fall flat.


The smoothies and freshly-made juices were very good. The pear juice was served cool and was not over-sweetened. The papaya smoothie (36RMB) was thick and large. The fruit was not underripe and the smoothie not too icy. In this regard, Origin is using the fruits of the season.

Origin in Tianzifang has a great atmosphere for a fresh bite to eat or drink. Like most places in the immediate vicinity, the prices are a bit high for the little that you get as rental prices in Tianzifang are on the rise.

Origin. House 39, Lane 155 JianGuo Zhong Lu (by RuiJin Lu), 建国中路155弄39号（近瑞金路）, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. www.originsh.com.

The Alchemist Brunch Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Brunching around Shanghai gives you an opportunity to see what is trendy and popular in main choices. The smoked salmon twist on classic eggs benedict is revealing itself as a hot brunch item.

A friend had recommended the smoked salmon eggs benedict at The Alchemist, so a visit was made for the sole reason of trying it. The smoked salmon eggs benedict (98RMB) came with asparagus and a roasted tomato half. However, as good as the eggs benedict looked, the overall execution fell flat. The base of the eggs benedict was not even an English muffin, but a piece of untoasted sliced bread cut into a circular shape. The smoked salmon atop the bread was well-portioned for the serving. The poached egg was slightly overdone to the point that the egg yolks were set, though not cooked all the way through. Actually, during this particular visit, all the eggs that should have ooey gooey centers had set yolks compared to the first visit for The Alchemist weekend brunch. The hollandaise sauce was lovely and light, though personal tastes for hollandaise in warmer weather would prefer a bit more lemon for a fresher zing. In any case, the smoked salmon eggs benedict showed promise. If only the disappointing cut-out of sliced bread was replaced with something more worthy of carrying smoked salmon, hollandaise, and runny poached egg.

One item of note...With the higher cost of food in Shanghai, this dish has gone from 68RMB to 98RMB across the board ie in several other restaurants. What exactly is driving the price so high? Smoked salmon eggs benedict is definitely worth a weekend brunch indulgence, but for that high of a price tag?

The Alchemist. Sinan Mansions, Block 32, 45 Sinan Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu 思南路45号32号楼，近复兴西路. Shanghai, China.

Weekend Brunch at The Alchemist

Spring means temperate weather, sunny days, and the hopes that it will last a while before the wretched heat in Shanghai. Popular for its molecular gastronomy cocktails, Kelley Lee decided to expand the appeal of The Alchemist by offering a brunch starting on a particularly lovely early spring day. Inside tables were void of people as most diners opted to sit outside to soak in the sun. The brunch menu featured 3 set specials: Brunch Set A - 1 brunch item with choice of drink +30 RMB; Brunch Set B - 1 brunch item with choice of drink & brunch buffet +50 RMB; and Brunch Set C - brunch buffet with choice of drink 100RMB. The drink choices include coffee, tea, juice, sodas, sparkling Chandon, mimosa, red wine, white wine, Bloody Mary, and cocktail of the day. Attentive staff was on hand to take your food and beverage order and make sure everyone was comfortable sitting outside. It was the first run of the brunch, so we just must be honest with the experience.

It did not take a while for the food to come out. Each table had a bread basket to pick at in the meantime which had a few slices of white bread, squares of rosemary and olive foccacia, and a sweet muffin. If you ever tried the brunch at Azul, the muffin looked and tasted like it came from the same supplier. If the brunch buffet was part of the set, you could walk inside and help yourself to the plates of Mediterranean-influenced antipasti, meats, fruits, and salads. The yogurt served at the buffet came with unfiltered honey. However, the runny yogurt tasted like the regular plain yogurt you can find at the local supermarket or convenience store and was not anything special.




A few brunch and non-brunch items were ordered. The Farm (58 RMB) was a dish of grilled asparagus, slow cooked farm egg, parmesan cheese, and hollandaise sauce. You broke the yolk of the runny egg (the yolk was a bit more solid than gooey) to mix with the parmesan and hollandaise, creating a rich sauce that went well with the crispy asparagus stalks. The dish was really wet, but at least the bread basket had pieces of country bread to soak it all up. This item was on the small side to really be considered a brunch main. The Soft Scramble on Toast (88 RMB) was soft scrambled eggs with fresh herbs & roasted bell pepper-tomato coulis with a side of chorizo sausage and potatoes. The scrambled eggs were definitely not wet and cooked through all the way. The combination of flavors was comforting and slightly on the sweet side. The chorizo was mild and tasty, though the potato was underwhelming and slightly undercooked. The Caramelized banana-wheat pancakes (48 RMB) were wheat pancakes made with toasted wheat germ and served with coconut cream. This was a highlight breakfast item. The caramelized bananas tasted like it was cooked with a good knob of butter and some rum, which made this terrific sauce to go with the pancakes so maple syrup was almost unnecessary. No one could really taste the coconut in the cream, but there were enough bananas, cream, syrup, and pancakes to create several perfect bites where every component was represented. The Croque Madame (98 RMB) had thick sliced grilled ciabatta, jamon iberico, fried farm eggs, bechamel, and Gruyere. Cutting into the egg, the gooey yolks spilled over in this bright orange mess over the entire croque madame. The jamon iberico was a little difficult to cut into, but offered a nice salty bite to the dish. Burgers were also an evident feature on the brunch menu with The Alchemist Burger (138 RMB) being the most decadent. The large burger is made with 100% Australian ground beef layered with seared foie gras, caramelized onion, truffle-balsamic glaze, and crispy bacon and served with skinny fries with braised oxtail gravy.

Some criticisms include some confusion on the wording of the set menu deals. For example, for Brunch Set B, would you pay the price for the brunch item and drink and an additional 50RMB for the brunch buffet OR is the drink and brunch buffet equal to 50RMB? With the way the bill was printed, it also looked quite confusing. Perhaps better wording could have cleared this up. Also, individual pricing of each drink was not listed on the menu, as if to suggest diners are not mindful about the costs associated with the drink. The brunch at The Alchemist was a great value for standard Western brunch fare. It was also nice to lounge on cushioned garden furniture to digest after the meal. A return visit is a must to try the smoked salmon eggs benedict to see how they stand up next to the plate at Kabb.

The Alchemist. Sinan Mansions, Block 32, 45 Sinan Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu 思南路45号32号楼，近复兴西路. Shanghai, China.

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.