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.

Big Bamboo Pizza + Beer Monday Night Promotion

Mondays are becoming the night in Shanghai to get over the workday blues with dining promotions although the work-week is barely 8 hours old. At Big Bamboo, the Monday night special is pizza and a pint of beer for 58RMB from 18:00-02:00. At 20:00, the bar is filled primarily with middle-aged men taking advantage of the deal and already in need of an after-work pint. The servers are quick to seat you and receive your order. The pint of beer is standard Budweiser or Carlsberg on draft. Looking at the regular menu, all the pizzas are listed at the same price, so selecting one pizza over another will not mean that you are getting more value from the pizza through this deal. Thus, there is no feeling of satisfaction from beating the system by ordering a more expensive pizza. Feeling a bit hungry, we ordered the Chicken Pesto (chicken breast, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, broccoli, feta cheese with tomato pesto sauce and mozzarella cheese) and Mediterranean (spinach, black olives, peppers, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese).

The pizzas promptly arrive and were larger than the server described them (about 12-inches). The crust was extremely thin and crispy, even able to hold the weight of the chicken without folding. The Mediterranean pizza was not impressive. The nobs of feta were generous, but the black olives were sparse. The remainder of the vegetable toppings looked and tasted more like an attempt at pico de gallo. The chicken pesto was slightly better as the chicken was cooked through, seasoned and not dry. There was not as much feta as the Mediterranean though. The pesto tasted non-existent with no hint of extra-virgin olive oil, basil, and pine nuts. The only green splash of color came from the broccoli. The mozzarella cheese on both was just enough to cover the pizza, but almost disappearing in the pizza. Overall, the crust is the best part of the entire pizza. At least a pint was served with this deal.

Big Bamboo. 132 Nanyang Lu (by Xikang Lu), Jing'An District, Shanghai 200040, People's Republic of China. 海市静安区南阳路132号. www.BigBamboo.cn

Momofuku Milk Bar Compost Cookie

When I heard that a friend planned on bringing me back one of the infamous Momofuku Milk Bar compost cookies from the United States to China, I was absolutely ecstatic. The Momofuku compost cookie created by Christina Tosi held promises of sweet, salty, savory, and decadent all rolled up into a cookie. It is made of pretzels, potato chips, coffee, oats, butterscotch, chocolate chips, butter, unbleached wheat flour, sugar, brown sugar, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, graham crumbs, pretzels, potato chips, glucose syrup, eggs, whole oats, cream, milk powder, coffee grounds, salt, leavening, and vanilla. The milk powder is an interesting addition, but its distinguishing properties in a cookie is somewhat of a mystery.

Granted its enjoyment would not occur until a few days after its delivery, anticipation was still building. My friend gave me one lone cookie enclosed in cellophane. Having read a recipe (among the many variations) on how to make my own compost cookie, I started to think the calories alone could be a meal in itself. The first bite was one of buttery decadence. There is so much butter in this cookie, your teeth and tongue could feel its baked texture and presence. The cookie was also incredibly sugary with the slightest hint of coffee. There were small bits of saltiness from the pretzels (the crunch from the potato chips probably baked away), but the cookie was overall sweet. Almost too sweet. The compost cookie was still very tasty. My stomach could have managed another one had there been one available. Now, if only I could sample a compost cookie fresh out of the oven...

**The cookie photos may not be of the entire cookie, but the excitement from the idea of its consumption may have caused a lapse in memory.**

Momofuku Milk Bar. Multiple locations in New York City. www.momofuku.com/milkbar

Bistro Burger Dissatisfaction

Another burger, another year. It is safe to say that it has been about a year that I have consumed a burger and, coincidentally, I returned to the same place - Bistro Burger, another Eduardo Vargas establishment. The first visit was a blurred memory of dissatisfaction after trying the signature burger and the "protein-style" version. This last visit is another reminder of the disappointment I first felt.

Scouring the menu, few of the burger options jumped out as something unique or comforting. Bearing witness to countless false promises made by various menus in China, expectations were already low. The burger selected (another seemingly insignificant, yet important memory for the food blog) arrived with a bit of arugula salad and was topped with grilled onions. The bun had a fluffy appearance and was warm. However, the entire burger was poorly constructed. The hamburger itself did not stay together well, falling apart instead of being a cohesive mass of beef. Each bite into the burger resulted in more contents of the burger falling apart or off, preventing me from having the perfect bite with the right balance of all the ingredients. Having been seated with intense hunger pangs to accompany me, I could barely finish half the burger. It simply was not satisfying. Another year, another Bistro Burger disappointment.

The fries were served hot out of the fryer and were pretty tasty after an introduction to salt and black pepper. The consistency of the fries was good - crisp on the outside with a soft center. The milkshakes were not bad either. The server brought out the metal cups each milkshake was made in so there was slightly more milkshake per glass serving. The milkshakes could have benefited from more ice cream and less milk, as the texture was on the thin side.


Still not the best burger in Shanghai, but the fries and milkshake may be worth the snack.

Bistro Burger. 1/F, Mansion, 291 Fumin Lu (near Changle Lu), Shanghai, China. 富民路291号1楼,近长乐路

New Year's Eve Tasting Menu at Madison

If you were in any city aside from Shanghai during Christmas, it is highly doubtful you would even know Christmas was near if not for the calendar and colder weather. Trying to make the best of something celebrated elsewhere in a country not accustomed to recognizing it makes it a challenge. Why not then go balls to the walls with a fancy meal to celebrate a Western religious and cultural holiday tradition? Out of all the restaurants in Shanghai, Madison has left the greatest impression (though Avalon might have been up there if Hilary Ambrose did not leave), so why not try a holiday meal there? Austin Hu told us what he had in the works in early December, something slightly closer to home sounded great. There were two menus to choose from between 8 courses and 5 being set at 688RMB and 388RMB respectively. The set menu for each was about the same, but with the smaller 5-course dinner, out went the Smoked Trout - Housemade Trout Caviar, Pickled Water Celery, Chestnut Chips, Foie Gras Ravioli - Braised Goose Leg, Cranberry Compote, Hazelnut Crumble, and Yogurt Panna Cotta - Plum Compote, Prosecco. As much as the 8-courses tempted the stomach, the wallet (and waist line) was not having it.

I would also like to say as much as I am opposed to taking photos with flash in a dining room, the camera being used was not up to par for the task so concessions were made. Hence, the hodgepodge of flash and no-flash shots.

First off was the Warm Cauliflower Flan with Chinese Caviar served in a shot glass and a little metal spoon (note this is not a "mother-of-pearl" spoon to avoid giving the caviar a metallic tinge, but this should not be something to complain about given the circumstances). The origins of the caviar was not made clear aside from the indication that it is "Chinese," but not even the sort of fish it was harvested from was known. The flan was light and delicately sweet, hinting only of cauliflower. The caviar was delightfully salty, slightly acidic, and bitter, cutting into each creamy, warm bite of eggy flan in a way that will widen the horizon of the palate.

Next we were served the cured kampachi with hawthorne jelly and decorated with purple gynura leaves. As soon as the dish is set down, truffle aromas permeate the air. It was similar to the cured fish from Goga (Brad Turley's restaurant in Shanghai). It was not a heavy dish being cool and not over-seasoned to emphasize the cured kampachi and also anticipating the other courses to come in the meal. The Hawthorne jelly gave it a slightly sweet taste, bringing out the fresh sweetness of the fish.


Prawns had a saffron-vanilla sauce and rested on Chinese watercress. It was only one moderately sized prawn, which made you wish there were two instead of one. Following the cured kampachi, the saffron-vanilla sauce continued the slightly sweet savory palate. Perhaps this sweetness permeating the entire menu is an ode to the fact that the restaurant is in Shanghai and also is celebrating the Shanghainese sweet-tooth. Cutting into the prawn, watercress, and other roasted vegetables in the dish, I carefully put each equal-sized piece on my fork with a swirl in the saffron-vanilla sauce to get the perfect bite.

A traditional American Christmas meal is not complete without the holiday goose. However, Austin Hu did not present the table with an entire goose, but rather a sliced pan-roasted goose breast with sunchoke puree, braised treviso, and truffle vinaigrette. The goose tasted game-like and rich, warming the senses as well as filling the stomach. Using goose instead of other fowl made this course taste more decadent only for its more rare use in Shanghai and everyday meals because of its rich flavor and fattiness.

Before the dessert course, there was a long break. The server asked if we would like coffee or tea to accompany our dessert or act as a digestif.

The dessert was a peanut butter chocolate opera cake with raspberry ice cream. The raspberry ice cream was more a sorbet than ice cream for the clear lack of silky dairy texture. The cake served at room temperature was not undercooked or too dry. The tartness of the raspberry balanced the richness of the chocolate.

Compared to the other courses in the meal, the cake was relatively large and you would almost say the portion was generous. If your stomach was not full from the small tastings, the peanut butter chocolate opera cake will definitely fill any voids left. A fellow diner had stated before the meal that everything was delicious, but so small. After consuming the incredibly rich cake, that same diner was decidedly full almost as if to say that the cake served the same function as rice at the end of a meal.

The Christmas Eve meal was thoroughly enjoyable. Eaten in small bites, the entire meal could be found as filling as the diner is meant to relish in the flavors and not find gluttonous satisfaction in a large volume of food. As a pillar of American fine dining in Shanghai, I would have hoped for more takes on classic American Christmas dishes than bringing in the fusion of Chinese culture. Though, being in Shanghai, the menu represented the finer touches of each.

Ethics of Foie Gras

I just read this fascinating article on Serious Eats by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt on "The Physiology of Foie: Why Foie Gras is Not Unethical." For those skeptical to the idea of force feeding, a friend's impression of a Moulard duck during the gavage process struggling and shaking its throat did not help. A visit to a La Belle Farms in Hudson Valley cleared up a lot of hearsay and answered questions. At this farm, the ducks were found to look healthy and live comfortably. A lot of emphasis was placed on how humans must avoid anthropomorphizing the animals as the physiology of the animal may differ greatly from that of a human. One should also take into consideration the origin and the process of animal products when making purchases to support a good farm instead of a bad one or making generalized judgements based on the worst. Take some positive steps in consumer behavior to encourage change in standards. I was quite taken by this article and found it fascinating as a person appreciative of foie gras and curious about the process of producing a high-quality product. This is definitely worth a read and consideration.

Speaking of foie gras, does anyone know where one can find a whole, prepared lobe of foie gras in Shanghai for retail sale?

Madison Brunch - A Locavore Delight

Brunch is a weekend institution. It is not breakfast and it is not lunch. It is a way to spend time free of work responsibility and sharing conversation with friends over a comforting meal. Brunches are best when lazy requiring no set beginning or end, though dimming light is an indicator that perhaps Sunday dinner should have already started. In Shanghai, brunch tends to span between the hours of 11:00 to 15:00 accommodating the late-risers, church-goers, and everyone else in between needing midday nourishment. The options in Shanghai are endless, with the hotel brunches pushing their more expensive buffets in every free expat magazine. The majority of other brunch options involve a set meal with 2-3 courses, coffee or tea, and a pastry. Seeing the menu at Madison, everyone who had not brunched there before was surprised to see that there was no set meal option on the menu. With a decent-sized group ordering a myriad of items off the menu, the cost per person was actually less than the set menus of popular brunch spots, like Azul, which is right downstairs. You would expect the complete opposite when ordering a la carte!

All the egg options had a great twist to them, though we neglected to try the deviled eggs. My indifference to the choice probably came from the fact that I know of university students who have made their own in their dining halls. The scotch eggs were completely devoted to duck. The duck eggs were encased in duck sausage and had a healthy dollop of whole-grain mustard and rocket on top. It was cut into quarters, which made it easy to share. The scrambled eggs were a favorite. The eggs were not dry nor runny with all sorts of mushrooms and served on top of a puff pastry round. Immediately when the server puts the plate down, you need to attack as the pastry would go soft from the wet egg on top. There was also a hint of truffle oil in the scrambled eggs. The eggs Benedict came out with a healthy serving of hollandaise sauce over pig trotters and muffin. The shredded pig trotters were compacted into a flat disk that flaked apart nicely when cutting into the egg and the bread it sat upon. The hollandaise sauce was thick and not too acidic, complimenting the pig trotter.


Other highlights on the menu included the incredibly creamy Chili Biscuits, house-cured pancetta, potato pancakes with sweet house-made catsup, and the breads (chocolate bun and cinnamon bun). One good thing about the rolls were that the buns were cooked all the way through and you were not left with a doughy mess on the inside. Not so impressive were the beignets, which were more fried donut holes than the pillows of dough doused with powdered sugar from Cafe Du Monde an American commonly associates with the word "beignet." Being an American fine dining establishment, a refined take on the classic donut with chocolate, berry, and cinnamon dips could be forgiven, but to call it a beignet is something I do not agree with. The French toast with yogurt and berry was good, but not an outstanding point on the brunch menu. To top off an already slightly sweet meal, we recieved a s'mores and pb&j trifle. The s'mores trifle had bits of chocolate cake, thick marshmallow creme, chocolate pudding, and a giant graham cracker cookie stick. The pb&j trifle had their wonderfully creamy and rich peanut ice cream, berry, and creme with toast sticks as garnish to complete the "sandwich concept." Sprinkled on top of both were what seemed to be crushed pistachios with a sort of medium-ball sugaring.




The brunch at Madison is really good, especially for the quality you get for the price. Taking into consideration the locavore trend in Shanghai is barely beginning, it is nice to see Austin Hu leading the pack. Madison is by far the best brunch in Shanghai when it comes to an American standard.

Madison. 3/F, 18 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu. 东平路18号, 近衡山路. Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

The Alchemist: Feeling Like a Stumped Scientist

Before its grand opening, I went with a couple of friends to check out Kelley Lee's newest venture, The Alchemist, which is focused on creations exploring the bounds of molecular gastronomy. Outside the kitchen, all the creations are overseen by Ryan Noreiks, from Brisbane, Australia. The atmosphere is swanky, cozy, and not so loud making it ideal for after-work drinks, conversation, or a date. The chandelier created out of spoons is a unique touch and gesture to experimentation.

The Hong was the first drink I ordered made of Tanqueray gin, quinquina dubonnet, rhubarb bitters, and grapefruit air. It came out in an elegant bowl-like vessel and a large atomizer (think giant perfume bottle) accompanied it. The server spritzed the drink with this "grapefruit air" before disappearing. The presentation was impressive and fun. It was a lovely take on a bramble and not so overpriced for a molecular cocktail. I also enjoyed the Dark Mystic, which tasted like a Christmas explosion from the chocolate and warm, spiced bite. However, when the Yangtze River cocktail came out, we immediately became confused. The table was also expecting a foie gras order with the knowledge that its presentation may be deceiving. With all the vials, vessels, cups, and bowls that the drinks were being served in, without experience you are unsure of what to expect. The Yangtze River take on a Long Island Iced Tea came out in two parts: 1 cup of alcoholic sorbet and an espresso cup of tea. We stared at it for a while wondering if the foie gras was hiding under a pear compote. Only until Kelley Lee came out we realized that it was not a foie gras concoction, but the cocktail. Oops. Only later did the foie gras plate come out and the sugared bits glittering on the plate were the candied bacon. Another issue arose when the fish tartar was presented with a large vial of gaseous liquid. Were we supposed to pour the whole bottle over the raw fish? Only when Kelley Lee came out again was it explained that the dry ice in the chardonnay made a gas to "perfume the dish." Without instruction, we could have ignorantly destroyed the dish. The transition from presentation to consumption could be eased if only the servers were better trained at this point to explain how everything is consumed immediately upon arrival to the table.

The experience at The Alchemist was fun, interactive, and highly entertaining. As a patron, you feel more involved with the food and drinks wondering what it is and how they did it. It is a place that food enthusiasts will enjoy and a place to impress your friends.


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