After reviewing Ning Hai and Ji Mao Dui Tang, this review is about a third remarkable seafood restaurant in Ningbo. The main location of Shipu Restaurant is in the central district of Haishu (60 Yanyue St.). For this review I visited the branch in Wanda Plaza (Yinzhou district) along with other six people.
The visit
The restaurant is articulated into three levels (2nd, 3th, 4th floor). We headed to the 4th floor for a private room.
As usual for this kind of restaurants, we went to the “seafood room” where we placed our orders picking the fish and shellfish from what was on display.
We ordered a combination of appetizers and seafood dishes. One appetizer was these hot buns with sweet and sour pork for the filling.
A fried fish.
A type of pancakes.
An interesting dish: squid filled with pork meat.
Some rice pancakes with soy sauce.
More cuttlefish.
Scallops with cheese. Too much cheese.
A delicious local dish served braised.
Vegetables.
The check
The total check with a little discount was 880 RMB (125 USD, or less than 18 USD per person). The quality of the food was excellent and the final check made this meal a great value for money.
Where in Ningbo: 999 Middle Siming Road (inside Wanda Plaza, with the entrance from the street side, not inside the mall).
Ning Hai Shi Fu is another of the big names of seafood in Ningbo. Originally from another city called Ning Hai, it has several locations in Ningbo that are usually very busy. I visited their Yinzhou branch with two friends on a weekday and it was jam-packed.
The visit
The restaurant in Yinzhou district I visited boasted a cabinet full of prized Moutai wine, with a lot of bottles from rare years selling for over 1,000 USD each.
My party was given a table in a room with other two small groups.
As usual we went to the room where all kind of seafood and dishes were on display and we placed our orders. All labels were translated into English and prices were clearly indicated. Having a Chinese speaking friend helped a lot, but I think one could manage an order even with no Chinese (if you are not picky about the details of the preparations).
Some watermelon was offered free of charge.
And so were some hot bread filled with sesame paste.
One of the appetizers we chose was preserved cold meat sprinkled with Moutai. I promise you that there was no trace of the prized wine.
Seasonal vegetables.
One of our mains was a tail of a large fish called “rhubarb” that came with purple potato noodles. It looked like a large seabass.
The result was a braised fish in a delicious sauce with noodles. Luckily there was a lot of meat and not many bones.
I insisted on ordering the geoduck (the clam with an overgrown body pictured above on the right).
It came as a sashimi. A large part of the clam was its stomach, which we did not eat.
The stomach was used to give flavor to a soup with rice that we got at the end of the meal.
A very nice dish was rice cakes with squid ink. The rice cakes were soft, like mochi.
We had the restaurant’s home made shrimp cakes that were excellent, with pieces of shrimps discernible in the paste.
We also tried their local abalone (a bit chewy but affordable) in two styles: braised and steamed with a garlic sauce.
The check
The final check was 738 RMB (105 USD or 35 USD per person). We did not pick any super expensive seafood such as king crabs or yellow croaker, but we had more than enough for three people and the final bill was incredibly reasonable. It is another winner if you wish to feast on seafood in Ningbo.
Where in Ningbo: 613 Siming Zhong, Yinzhou. (There are several locations with slightly different menus, this is where we went.) Tip: write “Ninghai Restsaurant” in Didi and double check the resulting address.
Ningbo, a port city in Zheijang province, boasts its own breed of Chinese cuisine and is famous for fresh seafood. There are many great seafood restaurants and the most the famous ones have several branches.
Ji Mao Dui Tang has only two locations and boasts some of the highest quality seafood I have seen in Ningbo and in China generally.
The visit
We were a group of six people and we got a private room without any extra charge. It is pretty normal in Chinese restaurants. I believe there was a minimum spending, but it was so low that it was not even a remote problem.
Like in similar restaurants, in a room there was all the seafood and sample dishes on display. All were clearly priced and an assistant would input our order in a device as I and my friends walked through this room.
There was a lot of prized seafood, including the famous yellow croaker and pomfrets, two of the most sought-after types of fish from the East Chinese Sea.
Peanuts with peppers were complimentary (in Chinese restaurants it is pretty common to be offered a snack free of charge).
We had several appetizers. One was a plate of marinated bamboo shoots.
The restaurant also had a few meat dishes like these sweet and sour spare ribs.
The cuttlefish, soaked in its own ink, was certainly a highlight.
On the vegetables sides, we also had a plate with dried bean curd with black fungus.
Another appetizer was a dish with asparagus and small prawns.
The braised beef was another highlight. It was extremely tender. I believe it was cheek.
Garlic chives with eel was another interesting dish.
The most anticipated main was a pomfret grilled (this kind of fish is caught wild and has a very distinct flavor and the meat is firm).
The tiger prawns with garlic came nicely arranged.
Since it was hairy crab season we had three crabs. I must say that it was a disappointing choice, there is really so little to eat from these crabs.
A type of razor clams came in a nice casserole.
There was a nice roll with read bean paste.
Another revelation was the battered tofu fish. It was extremely soft and delicate and the frying did not kill the flavor.
The mussels were just spectacular, super meaty!
We got some fruit at the end of the meal that was also complimentary.
The check
We spent 2,713 RMB (386 USD or around 64 USD per person). It was a big check, but there was a lot of quality seafood. The two big ticket items were the pomfret (around 100 USD) and the prawns (83 USD per six big prawns). The three crabs cost around 50 USD. The other dishes were quite inexpensive.
I have been back also other times. The place seems to be always busy, even at lunch time. For two people it is possible to dine, for a single diner it may be more challenging to find the right dishes, as they are mostly designed for sharing.
Where in Ningbo: Bai Zhang Dong Lu 909, Nong 1-3 Hao.
All day brunch is a thing in China, or at least in Ningbo thanks to an eatery called Little. At time of posting there are two locations in Ningbo and a third one is planned. I spoke to the owner, a young local woman, who studied in the UK and brought home the passion for brunch food. She is part of this wave of young Chinese bringing Western food in Ningbo (see La Pizzeria Echo and the Meating Room for similar stories).
The visit(s)
The shop that I visited is located in Yinzhou, in the Southern part of Ningbo, near Wanda Plaza.
The venue is intimate and has a tasty decor. There are two levels in a peculiar zig-zag white building.
In one visit I had their breakfast platter that was quite nice with bread, scrambled eggs, two sausages, mushrooms, and cheery tomatoes. Some butter for the bread would have been nice.
I had also their fried chicken with waffles that was particularly good. The fried chicken retained a juicy texture inside. A very good execution of this hipster dish.
They also have an extensive drink menu. Pictured above a non-alcoholic sangria that I enjoyed.
On another occasion I had their salmon Benedict eggs that were not only nicely presented, but also delicious with some extra melted cheese on top.
Their seafood risotto is not too big and a good complement. The risotto is infused with squid ink and comes with some cubes of salmon, a meaty prawn, and a mussel.
I also tried their tiramisu French toast that was a bit below my expectations, maybe because of the choice of bread.
The check(s)
The first visit (two courses and the sangria) cost me 132 RMB (around 20 USD). The second visit (two courses and a dessert) cost me 175 RMB (26 USD). The dessert could have been shared between two people.
The dishes are reasonably priced (considering the premium at which Western food is sold in China) and the quality was excellent. It is a place where I am always eager to go back and try more dishes.
Where in Ningbo: 39 Linyu Road, Yinzhou (a few blocks north of Wanda Plaza) – This is the shop I visited. 52 Leigongxiang Road, Yinzhou (near the Sheraton hotel). For Chinese information see Dianping.
When you ask where to eat a good pizza in Ningbo, especially in the Southern part of the city, La Pizzeria Echo comes up often as a recommendation. There are two young Chinese gentlemen at the helm of the store. One of them studied engineering in Italy, another one understudied an Italian chef for a few years, before joining forces to open this pizza parlor.
The visit(s)
The pizzeria recently re-located to Taikang Middle Road, opposite to the Academician Park.
The pizza is indeed quite good. It is thin pizza with crispy borders. One issue is that they tend to burn, like in the example below of their namesake Echo pizza:
They also have other dishes, like Italian sandwiches (panini):
For an extra fee, each pizza can be made in a “calzone” (a type of rolled pizza):
Finally a “fried appetizers” basket:
The check(s)
The Echo pizza (with a rich toppings) was 92 RMB or 13.66 USD. The calzone was 10 RMB more. Simpler pizzas are a bit cheaper. Most sandwiches are less than 9 USD.
Overall it is a honest offering and when not burnt the pizza is good.
Where in Ningbo: Middle Taikang Road, opposite of Academician Park.
Awfully Chocolate is a chain of dessert and cake shops founded in Singapore back in 1998 by Lyn Lee, a young lawyer, and her boyfriend (both with no business experience in the food and beverage industry). They have over a dozen shops and cafes in Singapore (including a restaurant) and have franchised their business in other countries. After false starts in Taiwan and Hong Kong, they seem to have found a very strong partner in Mainland China. At the time of posting, Awfully Chocolate stores are all over China, mainly in shopping malls.
What is interesting about their concept is that it, uncompromisingly, is all about chocolate. They started by selling a single type of chocolate cake at the origins and now they have a wide range of chocolate products: from cakes, to beverages, ice cream, pralines, etc.
The visit(s)
The picture shows the storefront of the shop in Wanda Plaza in Ningbo (now closed). Some shops have tables, some others do not (like the one at IFC Mall in Shanghai, just for take-away orders). They had a particularly large cafe in Ningbo near the central Tianyi square (now closed).
A very good introduction to their cakes is the super-stacked chocolate cake that is inspired by the traditional Southeast Asian Lapis Cake. According to their website, “each cake layer is baked one at a time, so a completed Super Stacked cake with six layers of cake and six layers of fudge takes almost four hours to complete”. I have the impression that they have reduced the sweetness of their cakes for the Chinese market over time (I remember them sweeter just a couple of years ago, but I could be mistaken).
For something even more massive, their cupcake is an interesting creation. Most of the mass is actually “solid” chocolate topping the soft layer.
I also recommend their hot chocolate. In the picture above a cold chocolate beverage (60%) with chocolate bits. Unfortunately this one was not very good, the hot beverages are way better.
The check(s)
The super-stacked chcolate cake was 29 RMB (4.3 USD).
The cupcake was 4 RMB more expensive and along with the cold chocolate was 68 RMB (10 USD). These prices are comparable to Starbucks in China.
Where in China: Check their website for store locations. (Ningbo locations as to mid 2020 were all closed. The list on the website may not be up to date.)
In Ningbo, near In City shopping mall there is a cluster of Japanese restaurants. Some are really mediocre, but there is a group of eateries that stands out. They are located in the building pictured below: there is a yakiniku grill, a more formal kaiseki restaurant, and the omakase restaurant reviewed here (it is the located on the right corner near the entrance). On the left, not pictured, there is a good yakitori place called Bird Land. They all belong to the same owner.
The visit
The restaurant is the classic “hole in the wall”: it can host 9 guests around the counter. Two chefs were incessantly busy preparing sushi. I have been a couple of times for dinner.
I was welcomed with some inconspicuous marinated seaweed. Not sure whether it was meant as an appetizer or just a side dish.
The first dish was two pieces of sashimi: sweet shrimp and a white fish that looked like tai. All dishes were attentively garnished.
Then again a piece of white fish lightly seared.
The first piece of sushi was a large surf clam, very tender.
Then from the kitchen, I was served a piece of grilled fish, cod.
Next, Atlantic horse mackerel (aji) sushi.
A nice piece of o-toro with a tea scoop of sea urchin (uni), lightly seared with the blow torch.
A large scallop.
A maki roll with a generous portion of sea urchin.
An egg custard with salmon roe. It was very good.
A
A raw shrimp topped by sea urchin,
Salmon sushi.
A piece of wagyu beef sushi, the meat was seared with the blow torch.
Another white fish (maybe flounder).
There was a rice dish with foie gras.
Towards the end I got the classic miso soup.
The last dish was a serving of panna cotta.
The check
The omakase has a fixed price of 388 RMB (57.6 USD). It included 12 seafood dishes, a rice dish, a egg custard, the miso soup, and the dessert (that’s less than 25 RMB per dish and I am not counting the seaweed).
The omakase included top ingredients, they did not shortchange in me in any way. It was reasonably authentic and all seafood was excellent. It is a great little eatery.
It is also possible to order additional dishes a la carte.
Koko is the Japanese restaurant on the 5th floor of the Sofitel Wanda in Ningbo. The menu is available both a la carte and as a buffet (unlimited orders from the menu). See the review of the weekend buffet at Le Bistrot for another Sofitel restaurant in Ningbo.
The visit
I went to this restaurant a few times choosing the buffet option (it is just much more convenient).
My first order is usually a sashimi platter with salmon, swordfish, shrimps, ark-clams, mackerel, tuna, seabream.
Grilled oysters with cheese.
More tuna sashimi.
Miso soup.
Abalone.
Sushi set. The sushi is quite bland. I guess it is the rice.
Sushi with scallops.
Scallops grilled with cheese. A lot of cheese.
Grilled fish.
Some tempura.
Pan-seared goose liver.
Grilled salmon.
Some final dessert.
The check
The buffet has several costs depending whether you include or not a few high-end dishes. The cheapest is around 320 RMB for lunch (47 USD). After a 15% discount, I spent 261.8 RMB (39 USD). I wish the dishes were more tasty and probably I would be there on a regular basis. Also, on a couple of occasions I had some stomach problems afterwards… so I stopped going.
Where in Ningbo: Sofitel Wanda Hotel Ningbo, 5F 899 Si Ming Zhong Road Yinzhou District In Chinese: 四明中路899号 Information for booking (advisable on weekends and evenings).
Nothing glamorous about this weekend brunch buffet, but it is very cheap and some of the food is excellent. I suspect it is a loss leader for the hotel. The buffet for lunch is only available at weekends starting at 11.30am.
The weekend brunch buffet is held in the second floor restaurant, calle Le Bistrot. Here’s a round up of what is available:
Random hot dishes (braised pork, vegetables, and so on).
Salads.Other appetizers.Grill corner, they prepare skewers, beef steak, some small white fish on demand.Some of the dishes coming from the grill.The roast meat usually features pork (never beef!).Chinese noodles corner.Some fruit.Some cheese.More hot dishes.This is my favorite corner: fresh sushi and sashimi including tuna (the rolls have random ingredients…).More fresh seafood, some small prawns, crabs, mussels… Drinks.Ice cream counter. The dessert buffet features classics like Opera Cake and more creative sweets. It is excellent, they must have a good pastry chef.Coffee. Bread and soft-serve ice cream.
The check
Ok, I am cheating a little bit, I have a discount eating at this buffet and my final check is 100.8 RMB (or exactly 15 USD). It is as low as it can get for a five star buffet.
However, even the full price, 168 RMB (25 USD) is still pretty cheap.
It is not a fancy buffet, but the selection is extensive and there are actually some excellent choices. The sashimi is fresh and the dessert corner sports many great cakes.
Where in Ningbo: Sofitel Wanda Hotel Ningbo, 2F 899 Si Ming Zhong Road Yinzhou District In Chinese: 四明中路899号 Tip: online booking is possible, but not necessary.
Jujube Tree (枣子树) – Vegetarian Lifestyle is a chain of vegetarian restaurants with several outlets in Shanghai, two in Ningbo, and one in Chengdu. I think that good vegetarian cuisine is a must-do food experience in China.
The visit
I went to the newly-opened (January 2019) outlet in Ningbo neart the Moon Lake park.
It is a relatively small restaurant. On a random weekday, it was half full by the time I left at around 7pm. The venue has some nice tables for groups:
The menu was available on a tablet device and every dish was pictured and the name was provided both in Chinese and English (with quality translations). I ordered and the first three dishes arrived after a couple of minutes including complimentary nibbles (pictured above). I guess they were “ready-made” in the kitchen.
This is one of those vegetarian restaurants with dishes resembling meat. One of the first dishes I got was a “vegetarian sausage”. It was really close to a real sausage both in terms of look and texture. It was good.
Another dish was tangerine-flavored king oyster mushrooms. I did not know this kind of mushroom and I did not like it because it was too gummy.
The third “appetizer” was mashed Chinese yam with green pea paste on top. The texture resembled mashed potatoes and the combination between yam and green peas was quite good.
A very good dish was skewers of deep-fried lion’s mane mushrooms with hot peppers. It was a nicely spicy dish, that reminded lamb skewers. (Four pieces pictured, but it was five.)
I also had a double-boiled matsutake soup with bamboo fungus. Despite being one of the most expensive dishes of my dinner, it was quite bland and I could not distinguish the matsutake flavor.
The check
Total check was 214 RMB or 32 USD (prices on the menu were net, with no service charge). Most dishes that I had were suitable for sharing between two people.
While not cheap by Chinese standards, I would classify the restaurant as mid-range, as opposed to fine vegetarian dining like Wujie and Fu He Hui.
My impression on the dishes I had was mixed, but they have a very extensive menu and I would not mind trying more.
Where in Ningbo: 1F, block A, Xinhuitiandi, 568 Zheming Road, Haishu district In Chinese: 宁波市海曙区镇明路568号新荟天地A座1楼(星巴克旁) Check their website for a list of locations: http://www.jujubetree.com/shop.aspx
