Cuisine: American – Page 2

Shake Shack lands in Shanghai

Famed American burger chain Shake Shack made it to Shanghai opening in Xintiandi just before Spring Festival 2019. This is what we found visiting the joint on a weekend in March 2019. We already experienced Shake Shack in Hong Kong where we enjoyed their smoke burger.

The visit

Shake Shack replaced Pizza Marzano in one of the reconstituted traditional shikumen in the heart of the car-free area of Xintiandi. In my opinion it is a big gain for the area.

It was around 2pm and the relatively small shop was packed. Luckily not much queue and in around 20 minute I got my burger. I was even able to seize a chair.

The delicious smoke burger did not disappoint, but I think the bacon was crispier in Hong Kong. What I like about these burgers is the moderate use of condiments and the spicy backtaste.

They also sell branded merchandising. Not sure it is a good idea to associate your food brand with a pet bowl (pictured above), but it was for sale.

The check

The burger cost 58 RMB, that’s almost 10% more expensive than Hong Kong’s price where it was 62 HKD that at the current exchange rate would be 53 RMB.

They also have the the classic hot dogs, shakes, fries, and concretes (frozen custards, for those who do not fear sugar). The local signature shake is called Strawberry Yu(zu) Garden and is a vanilla frozen custard (can we call it ice cream?) blended with strawberry and, of course, yuzu juice. Will try it next time.

Update

Came back on a Sunday evening, no queue and I tried the exclusive Shake. Yuzu and strawberry are fused well together. I would gladly avoid the whipped cream (and the green tea powder does not add much to the mix).

Where in Shanghai:
Unit 02-03, Building 11-13, Xintiandi, 181 Taicang Lu, near Madang Lu
In Chinese: 新天地北里, 太仓路181弄11-13号, 近马当路
Nearest metro stations: Xintiandi or South Huangpi Road (the latter is closer).
Website: https://www.shakeshack.com/location/shanghai-xintiandi/

Chicken dinner at Al’s Place in Shanghai (closed)

Al’s Diners have been a fixture in Shanghai (there are two but feels like there are more). Al’s Place opened in January 2018 and brought Al’s menu to the fourth floor of K11 Art Mall (a place with also other interesting restaurants like Professor Lee).

The visit

I went to Al’s Place during a busy Saturday evening but I did not have any problem finding a seat.

The menu is full of classic American fare from blueberry pancakes to burgers and also includes some interesting fusion experiments such as teriyaki glazed beef skewers or miso pork belly sliders. But in the end my attention was caught by the roast chicken that they only offer for dinner.

Before sinking my teeth into the chicken I had their tomato soup that came in a huge bowl. Only slightly spicy, it was very good.

The chicken, in this case half, came with a sauce and was indeed very good. I just wish it was “meatier”.

They also had an ice cream counter (yet smaller than the one in Xinle road). Their ice cream may warrant a separate review one day.

The check

In total I spent 133 RMB (around 20 USD). Water was included. I cannot complain, it was reasonable value for money considering the upscale location. Also I found the environment more comfortable than Al’s Diner, at least the one in Xinle road.

I recommend Al’s Place (and Diners) to satisfy craves for American food (sometimes with a twist) in Shanghai.

This venue is now closed, but the other Al’s Diners are still in business as usual.

Where in Shanghai:
300 Huaihai Middle Road (k11 Art Mall), 4/F, Unit 403B
黄浦区淮海中路300号K11艺术购物中心4楼403B商铺

The Cajun Cua experience in Ho Chi Minh City

The Cajun Cua (“cua” means crab in Vietnamese) was probably the first restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City to offer cajun seafood. Cajun is both the name of a rustic cuisine in Louisiana and a spicy seasoning widely used in that cuisine. The Cajun Cua, like many similar restaurants, specializes in a specific aspect of this cuisine: serving boiled seafood (and other ingredients) in bags where it is mixed with certain seasonings.

The Cajun Cua has been around for at least a decade and in 2015-16 became very popular. As it happens in Vietnam, popularity was followed by imitation and other similar themed restaurants mushroomed in Ho Chi Minh City. In my visit in the summer 2019 the fad seemed to have faded away.

The visit

The restaurant is relatively small with a storefront squeezed among the shops of Ly Tu Trong street.

Ordering the main dish – the seafood by the bag – involved two steps: first I made my choices of seafood, then I chose the seasoning; I chose cajun, but other flavors were possible: garlic butter, lemon garlic, basil, juicy. I tried a few of these seasonings in the past and they are all good, full of flavor, but not to the point to kill the seafood taste entirely.

I was also provided a slice of lime to squeeze on a tablespoon of salt and pepper. This is a typical Vietnamese condiment, not related to Cajun cooking.

The preparation can take quite a while. I think I waited half an hour (that is a lot for a restaurant in Asia). But if you are smart, you can do like a group that arrived shortly after me and was served immediately: they had booked their food on the phone beforehand. The chalkboard above illustrates the waiting times.

Above you can see how my bag looked like: it included 250 grams of swimmer crab, 250 grams of green mussels, and 250 grams of prawns.

All the seafood was very good. The bag also came with a piece of corn and a mini slice of sausage (it would have been nice to have more, you can order extra though). I also had a baguette to dip in the leftover sauce after finishing the seafood.

Finally, I had a portion of chicken wings with cajun seasoning. Quite nice if you like spicy food.

The check

Final check was a little over 1,000,000 VND (or 44 USD). Probably there was enough food for two people with a normal appetite. While it is pricey as compared to standard Vietnamese food, you can enjoy some good seafood without breaking the bank.

I have never been in Louisiana and I cannot speak about the authenticity, but overall the experience and the quality of the food is good and it is a nice option for seafood-lovers.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
267 Lý Tự Trọng – District 1
(They also have a location in District 7, in Sunrice City, where I have never been.)

Smoking good smoked meat at Tock’s in Shanghai

This is Shanghai: with its thriving expat community it can offer food from all over the world. So no surprise if one of my little pleasures when I visit Shanghai is eating mouth-watering smoked meat Montreal style at Tock’s.

A view of the storefront on Henan Middle Road, now closed.

The visit(s)

I have eaten at Tock’s only a couple of times in the second part of 2018. I wish I had more chances.

They have a Western styled environment including some booths (the staff is so kind to let me sit in a booth when I go there very early and there are not too many customers).

Apparently the Canadian Prime Minister visited them.

The highlight of their menu is smoked meat. They have beef (that can be ordered lean, medium fatty or fatty) and duck. The 3 meat platter is a great way to sample the offering. I like all of their smoked meat. Maybe surprisingly I will say that the smoked duck is their winner, it really has a deep flavor!

Tock’s is also the place where I can have a Reuben sandwich time to time. The medium one is enough to satisfy an hungry customer like yours truly.

The checks

The checks above show that a visit won’t break the bank. The big platter is 98 CNY (14.50 USD) and the Reuben medium is 80 CNY (12 USD).

Overall I find Tock’s a nice food experience and reasonable value for money.

Where in Shanghai:
221 Henan Zhong Lu.
Address in Chinese: 请带我去河南中路221号
Closest Metro station: East Nanjing Road.

The location I used to patronize as to early 2020 is closed. They have another location in Fengsheng Li, but I have not tried it.

A perfect filet in this American steakhouse in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

This was my Christmas 2018 lunch! I had found that in Taiwan there were some outposts of an upscale American steakhouse called Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse (the strange name came about because the new owner, Ruth, had to relocate the restaurant due to a fire but for some reason she could not use the old name in the new location, so she just added hers in front). This seemed like the right place where to satisfy my hunger for a steak in Kaohsiung,

The visit

I headed to the steakhouse directly from the high speed train station using the metro. It is very close to a metro exit (number 2, City Council Station), but it was not so easy to find because the restaurant was located on the 25th floor of a nondescript building; there were no signs clearly visible and at the time of my visit the ground floor was vacant, so it may be easy to miss. But eventually I made it.

The dining room was elegant, with both tables and booths. Not many people on Christmas Day.

A waitress took me to my assigned booth not without letting me know her name (a classic American touch). I was promptly served the bread, still warm, and the butter.

I started with pan-seared tuna (I would say tataki style). Quite good, but the sauce was probably too spicy.

The this monster came: a 310-gram corn-fed USDA prime filet beef. It was perfectly cooked medium rare. The steak was served sizzling on a plate 260 degree hot with a light layer of butter. When it arrived it was really sizzling and it helped keeping the steak warm.

I can only say that it was one of the best steaks had in my years in Asia. Probably the best. The filet was splendidly tender and the big chunk was perfectly cooked (it is not so easy to cook this cut of filet).

Also had mashed potatoes as a side, which I finished, even if it was a large portion.

The check

Total check was 2805 NTD (or 91 USD). The steak alone was 1947 NTD or 63 USD. As compared to Mainland China this was a bargain. And this was one of the priciest cuts in the menu. Taiwan really maintains reasonably priced restaurants.

A great meal, highly recommended. They are also in Taipei and Taichung, where I suspect you would find exactly the same service and menu.

Where in Kaohsiung:
No. 211, Zhongzheng 4th Rd, Qianjin District, 25th floor.
Could not find online booking options, but you can call: +886 7 241 8888.

One of my favorite brunch spots in Hong Kong: the Blue Butcher (closed)

The Blue Butcher has in my opinion one of the best deals for brunch “semi-buffets” in Hong Kong. The idea of a semi-buffet is quite good: a nice spread of appetizers, desserts and other more or less substantial snacks and a menu from which to order one or two mains.

The Blue Butcher on weekends has a spread that is really difficult to beat in terms of quality. In addition to this, you get to choose a main dish from a list of five options and a cocktail.

Coincidentally, they are operated by the same company owning Mott 32.

The visit

In 2018 I have been to the Blue Butcher twice, the latest visit in December 2018. If I am staying in West Hong Kong it is a must. I usually book via phone or their website.

They have a bar/lounge area downstairs opening on Hollywood Road, while the brunch is served in the main dining room upstairs. It is a spacious and comfortable space.

The buffet is certainly their main selling point. They have a very good selection of cheese, tartines, cold cuts, seafood, not to mention the dessert station (I will mention it later).

The oyster station is alone worth the price of admission.

Seafood includes prawns, salmon, tuna and crawfish.

The choice of mains is quite limited, but they are all appealing. They have included in the basic price a burger, coal roasted Canadian pork (excellent), deep fried foie gras, pan-seared salmon, and a type of pasta (cavatelli) with mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. So far I only tried the pork and it was excellent.

On my last visit, I had one of their steaks that come at an additional price. It was a good 12 oz (340 grams) piece of Australian sirloin. Truffle and Parmesan fries are included.

Some of my choices: oysters!

Cold cuts and some good cheese (montasio and pecorino).

An avocado tartine, a piece of quiche, salmon and tuna.

My dessert panna cotta with strawberries, chocolate cake and a piece of authentic Italian panettone (it was mid December after all and that’s the season for this baked good).

The dessert station is pretty amazing and they can prepare you a real crepe.

The check

Normally the cost of the brunch is 495 HKD (63 USD). But I chose a steak and it was 220 HKD more, so the total check was 715 HKD (91 USD).

Honestly, with all the food available in the buffet, going for an upgraded main is not necessary, unless you really want a steak (but then go on a normal day when their steak menu is more extensive).

Overall, I found the Blue Butcher a very good alternative to more traditional hotel buffets.

Where in Hong Kong:
108 Hollywood Road.
Website: ~~http://www.bluebutcher.com~~

Sadly, the restaurant closed on 19 May 2019 due to rent hike.

Turning American fare into gourmet food in Shanghai: Highline

Highline opened in Shanghai in the summer of 2016 and became an instant hit with both locals and expats. Reservation, especially during peak hours on weekends, is a must. From what I read, the restaurant, located on the 6th floor of the Ascott hotel in a very central shopping area, is a collaboration between three Shanghai veterans: John Liu, Cody Allen, and Michael Sun. I guess they knew what they were doing.

The visit

This review is based on their brunch menu and is part of my Shanghai brunch series. They have different menus for lunch and dinner during the week.

The ambience is refined and modern and they have different seating arrangements: from sofas and armchairs to regular tables and booths. The dining room opens on a terrace from which you can not just see, but feel Shanghai’s skyline, surrounded by high-rises and malls.

I was with a friend so we could try a few dishes. My friend chose their foie gras burger, that I had on another occasion. This is a glorious burger that is enriched by a substantial piece of foie gras and wrapped in Parma ham. It is one of the best burgers I had in Shanghai and elsewhere (it is also one of the most expensive at around 200 CNY or 29 USD). If you order it and like eating burgers the old fashioned way, you might want to ask them not to cut it (on the other side, this is a great way to share it).

The foie burger is one of their four signature dishes for brunch, the others being the shrimp and crab roll, the chicken and waffles, and the Philly cheesesteak.

Personally I opted for the half lobster (one of their cold dishes) and for one of their creative egg Benedict. The lobster was ok, but if you are hungry will not satisfy you.

The egg Benedict I had was the one with a spicy deep fried soft shell crab. It was a delicious combination.

Finally my friend had their “Acai”, a massive yogurt and fruit bowl.

The check

The bill was 622 CNY (or 90 USD) for two people. House water was complimentary that is nice. For two courses 300 CNY is on the pricey side even for Shanghai, but the combination of good service, great ambience and quality food make the expense tolerable.

Where in Shanghai:
6/F, 282 Huaihai Zhong Lu
Address in Chinese: 淮海中路282号雅诗阁公寓6楼
Tip: I usually use Chope to reserve.

This burger was amazing and you cannot have it: Soul Burger in Ho Chi Minh City

What I like in a restaurant experience is substance paired with creativity. Creativity alone can be dissatisfying and substance is important but can get boring. For this reason, I am a big fun of Soul Burger in Ho Chi Minh City since in their burgers I can find both creativity and substance. This is particularly true of their burger of the month. Unfortunately these burgers are limited editions. But also the rest of the menu is mouth-watering and over the years, since their opening in 2015, I had a chance to try almost every item (including the juggernaut double patty eponymous Soul Burger) and never got disappointed.

The visit

My most recent visits date back to July 2018 and one big trigger was their burger of the month called Chuck Norris, an homage to the 4th of July American National Day. But let’s proceed with order.

Soul Burger is located on the second level of a building facing the popular Ben Thanh market in central Ho Chi Minh City. To get to the stairs, you have to walk through a narrow corridor beside a noodle shop.

Upstairs, the dining room is long and narrow as per the classic design of Vietnamese buildings. Furniture is comfortable and everywhere there are references to the world of Soul music.

They also have a few seats on a balcony from which you can see Ben Thanh market (and after dusk the busy night market).

The menu is printed on the paper cover and comes with an extensive drink list. The burger names remind again Soul music: the Diana Rose, the Blues Brothers, etc.

The beauty pictured above was the Chuck Norris burger of the month of July 2018: the classic Soul Burger 150 gram beef patty, topped with house made potato chips and a slice of dill pickle between melted cheese sandwiches. Yes, you heard me, they replaced the buns with two melted cheese sandwiches. I am sure Chuck Norris would approve indeed.

Eating this limited edition burger was very satisfying. The cheese was hot and the sandwich crunchy. Overall, I did not make a mess and I was able to eat it bite after bite without compromising its structural integrity (I mean, spilling its content all over the place).

Icing on the cake, the set came with a house made mildly spicy tomato soup. The fries were the standard ones coming with a burger.

Since you won’t have a chance to try the Chuck Norris (but ask for the new burger of the month!), here’s also one of their regular burgers, the Diana Ross. It comes with a 150-gram house-ground beef patty obtained from USDA Choice beef, topped with charred green onion salsa verde, slided avocado, paprika, aioli, cilatro and crispy tortilla chips. They maintain a 80/20 lean to fat ration to ensure the right taste. An unspeakable explosion of flavor!

All burgers include a salad or cut fries and come on a plate with additional leaves of salad, onion, tomato and pickles that you can add as you like. The buns are made of pretzel bread and can be regarded as a signature element of Soul Burger (not seen them used elsewhere in Asia).

And if a burger is not enough, I recommend their fried buffalo wings in their original sauce.

Also the staff deserves some kudos as they speak English and are very friendly and professional.

The check

Most burgers cost around 275,000 VND, that is around 12 USD (but there is also the Little Richard, the most basic one, for just around 225,000 VND). If you compare these burgers with the gourmet burgers I tried in Hong Kong and Shanghai, you can realize the the value for money (in Hong Kong and Shanghai usually the patty is only 100 grams and they cost more!).

A meal with the Chuck Norris, half dozen wings and a soda cost me 451,000 VND (a bit less than 20 USD). Just a burger (the Diana Ross) and a soda cost me 308,000 VND (13,20 USD). With this price point, one could easily argue that Soul Burger is good value for money when it comes to Westerner food in Ho Chi Minh City.

But what counts more to me is the passion and the creativity. You can see that this restaurant is a labor of love. Every detail, from the naming of the burgers to the drink list or the wall-decorations, was well thought to tell a story. In an interview chef and owner Gabe Boyer said “Burgers are in my blood… My grandfather owned Goldy’s, a famous burger joint in the suburbs of Chicago, but it was sold before I had the chance to be a part of it.” This is where the passion and creativity comes from: when a restaurant marks the culmination of a life and career trajectory you can bet that the owner will care. When the owner also happens to be extremely creative and talented, then you get a memorable eatery like Soul Burger.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
4 Phan Bội Châu, District 1 (read the review to see how the entrance looks like; also, after 7pm the street is closed to traffic to make room for the night market).
Pro-tip I: at the time of publishing this review, they are open for lunch and dinner and closed on Mondays.
Pro-tip II: keep an eye on their Facebook page for promotions. These where available when I visited in July 2018:

The American BBQ that won Vietnamese over: Quan Ut Ut in Ho Chi Minh City

I still remember when Quan Ut Ut opened in March 2014 in Ho Chi Minh City taking over a multi-story building previously occupied by a seafood restaurant. It was an instantaneous hit. Locals would queue for an hour outside the restaurant, defying the heat and the rain, to get a table. At that time you could see the head cook Mark Gustafson grilling ribs and sausages on the walkway in front of the entrance.

For this reason, it took me a while to try it. I truly enjoyed all of my visits (usually early in the evening to avoid the big crowd… you probably do not have to wait one hour nowadays, but it can get full pretty quickly). And when I think of Quan Ut Ut I cannot avoid marveling at the fact that while one restaurant can become crazily successful others, even if very similar, cannot pass the one-year mark.

I have recently been back and learnt that a minority stake of Quan Ut Ut (that meantime expanded to include a second location and another brand, BiaCraft) was recently acquired by a investment-fund backed Vietnamese restaurant operator, Red Wok Cuisine. This means that the brand is likely to expand in other cities and locations. Hopefully, they will be able to maintain the same standards. For sure, it makes a great entrepreneurial story.

The visit

I visited the original location in Vo Van Kiet street and headed to the first floor. Two big changes: first, now they are open for lunch; second, now the upper floor has windows and air conditioning. This is truly appreciated. The rest was the same: spartan park-style seating, pork miniatures and silhouettes everywhere to remind the core business (“ut ut” denotes the onomatopoeic sound of the pig in Vietnamese, like oink oink in English), the menu printed on a paper cover. The staff speaks English and was very professional (they even tried to talk me out ordering a big platter all for myself… very nice of them).

I ordered one of their combo platters, named the Meat Sweats, including 4 Memphis style ribs, one big pork sausage, 300 grams of brisket, corn, green beans and slaw.

The brisket was good, very tender and I could taste the smoke (if it is even possible). I still prefer the one at TNT BBQ however.

This was the first time I tried Memphis ribs. This is a type of dry rib that is treated with a “rub” powder in which paprika is the most distinctive flavor. I am not able to judge whether they were authentic or perfectly executed, but I appreciated that the ribs were tender, well cooked and meaty. I did not enjoy the paprika flavor that much.

The sausage was ok.

In the past I enjoyed more another of their big platter, the BBQ Sampler that includes rib tip, pork shoulder, smoked chicken. Also, their signature cashew smoked pork ribs that I had in the past would have been a better choice.

Their menu keeps expanding and they also sport cacao-smoked ribs and pineapple smoked lamb shoulder.

The check

The platter was 600,000 VND. In total I spent 630,000 VND (including an iced tea) as their prices are inclusive of 10% VAT and service (chapeau). That’s 27 USD for a lunch that could have satisfied two people. I call this very reasonable.

By the way, Quant Ut Ut is definitely a place to try in a group where you can share multiple dishes.

While the involvement of a restaurant group worries me a little bit, what I found in July 2018 was still the old Quan Ut Ut and as such has my recommendation. Also, I cannot disagree with them:

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
168 Võ Văn Kiệt.
Pro-tip I: They do not take reservations. Go early! Go for lunch or be there before 6pm to enhance your chances to get a table right away.
Pro-tip II: They have some very reasonably priced lunch sets. Check their Facebook page for updated information.

Melt-in-your-mouth brisket and more at TNT BBQ in Ho Chi Minh City (Closed)

Sadly we learnt that the restaurant closed at the end of September 2019. This is the message announcing the closure from the owners:

Vietnamese love BBQ and over the course of years a few solid American-style BBQ restaurants opened in Ho Chi Minh City. In my opinion, TNT BBQ is probably the best, certainly a favorite of mine. A few years ago they moved in a nice location just a couple of blocks from the central Ben Thanh market. I always try to stop by during my trips to Saigon.

The visit

TNT BBQ is tucked away in a quiet side street of Ly Tu Truong. They did a very nice job in decorating the place. The faux bricks wall, the “far west” memorabilia and the vintage posters create a cozy atmosphere.

They also have a wide assortment of craft beers if you are into that.

As you seat, you are welcomed with a plate of corn bread, dip sauce and a bottle of cold water. Free of charge. This is a great level of service in my books.

In my latest visit, I ordered 200 grams of their smoked beef brisket, a piece of their smoked chicken with signature sauce and a jalapeno sausage, plus a side dish (coleslaw). Above you can see what I got (and you can see that by the time I got my order I had almost finished the corn bread… so good). They also specialize in pork ribs and have pulled pork. I had the ribs in the past and they are also excellent.

Everything is delicious, but the brisket in my opinion stands out. It just melted in my mouth and the ratio between fat and meat is perfect to enhance the flavor but without killing it. According to their menu it is slowly cooked for 16 hours to get to this shape.

Special mention to their jalapeno sausages that are filled with cheddar cheese. I would not know where to find them anywhere else in Ho Chi Minh City. By the way, for some reason good sausages are rare in Asia, so if you like them, make sure to include at least one in your order.

The check

I liked every single bite of what I ordered. While the brisket stood up, the chicken and the sausage were also great specimen of good BBQ meat. Overall, I spent 390,000 VND (more than half, 210,000, for the 200 grams of brisket). That’s around 16.75 USD, what I regard as a reasonable price for the quantity and quality of what I received.

If you like original smoked meat in a nice environment, I highly recommend TNT BBQ. Bonus: I will also mention that, over the years, I found them incredibly fast and reliable in their delivery service.

Where in Ho Chi Minh City:
3 Dang Tran Con, District 1.
They have a Facebook page and offer delivery.