Cuisine: International – Page 4

An affordable brunch with gourmet dishes at The Cut, Shanghai

Brunch is the best meal of the week in Shanghai. You can find great menus at affordable prices even in not so affordable places. The brunch menu that I tried with two friends at The Cut falls into this category. I had lunch at The Cut during the week and tried their burger that left me unimpressed. But the brunch was a different story.

The visit

The Cut is located on the sixth floor of IAPM mall (hint, connected to South Shaanxi Road Station of the metro). I learnt that it is operated by the same company behind Mr & Mrs Bund, Bar Rouge and Ultraviolet and I do enjoy Mr & Mrs Bund.

The dining room on the sixth floor is a bit dark, but for the brunch we were escorted to the salon on the seventh floor that has a beautiful view of downtown Shanghai.

For brunch you can choose a 2, 3 or 4 items from the menu at a fixed price and a drink is included. Since I was with two friends we had a chance to sample the menu.

One of the first dishes to come was the a pair of poached Benedict eggs with a slide of crispy bacon. It was good.

I also personally tested their vitello tonnato (tunato on the receipt) that was a bit over the top with the sauce but a nice dish.

One of my friends has slow cooked eggs in a soup with foie gras.

Somebody in the party had a dish with some grilled salmon. A very regular dish, but nicely presented and executed.

Others main we ordered included black angus rump steak, iberico pork loin and lamb. We were all satisfied with our selections.

The portions were suitable for one person, but not too small.

Drink choices included smoothies, mocktails and beers.

The check

The 2 dishes menu cost 148 CNY (around 21 USD) and the 3 dishes menu cost 198 CNY (around 28 USD). The dishes were well executed and the menu offered a good array of options. All in all this was a satisfactory brunch in a nice location.

Where in Shanghai:
IAPM Mall,
6/F, 999 Huaihai Zhong Lu,
Address in Chinese: 淮海中路999号6楼

Three cafes in Tokyo where to enjoy food, stationery and fountain pens

Tokyo is certainly not short of themed-cafes: animals, anime characters, monsters, historical periods, everything is fair game. In this post I will show you three cafes that are relevant to fountain pens and stationery enthusiasts.

1. Cafe Stylo at Itoya

Itoya is probably the most amazing stationery shop in the world. It has many locations, also outside Japan, but speaking of Itoya means speaking of its flagship location in Ginza: 9 floors filled with every conceivable stationery item. And if that is not enough, you can visit their annex for more pens, inks, paper and notepads.

Probably the most interesting floor is the third reserved to high-end writing instruments.

The display cabinets are filled with pens worth thousand of dollars; entry level fountain pen models start at around 40 USD (in the annex you can find cheaper pens).

If you go, check if they have any store exclusive item. In my September 2018 visit, they were introducing a number of exclusive Lamy pens, a few available only at Itoya (I love Ginza pens) and others only available in other two stores in Tokyo. These are the kind of items that get collectors go amok.

Cafe Stylo is located on the 12th floor and is accessible using the elevator on the back entrance.

Their menu sports breakfast and lunch items as well as desserts and drinks for a quick stop. They are open from 10am to 10pm, with last order to be placed before 9pm.

They proudly claim to source their eggs from Kurofuji farm in Yamanashi where chicken are kept free range at 1100 meters above the sea level. Consequently, their organic Benedict egg dishes, while a bit pricey, are highly recommended for a hearty breakfast.

I can vouch for their desserts, like this chocolate mousse sadly no longer available on their menu.

Where in Tokyo:
2 Chome-7-15 Ginza, Chūō, Tokyo 104-0061, Japan
Check their website to see the menus.

2. Maruzen Café

Maruzen is a historic chain of bookshops that can be found around Japan. They also carry amazing selections of fountain pens and stationery.

The basement of their flagship Nihombashi location (just across the street from Takashimaya) offers one of the best selections of Japanese and international fountain pens that can be found in Tokyo. They are also one of the few stores to carry Nakaya pens. In March they organize a fountain pen fair where they release a truckload of limited edition pens and inks (see the pictures above from March 2018). When browsing the shelves in the basement, look for the Athena inks that are exclusive to Maruzen.

The third floor in Nihombashi hosts the namesake café (now operated by Café de Cléa).

It is a relatively spacious location, with seating both for solo diners (like in the picture above) and large groups.

In my September 2018 visit I had their signature lemon mousse that I highly recommend.

But Maruzen Café is a place where you can also have a full lunch or dinner. In particular, look for their curry and Hayashi rice dishes. I recommend to try their curry hamburger steaks (pictured one with omelette) that are different from Westerner hamburger, and make for a satisfactory meal. Also the Hayashi dishes should not be missed since lore has it that the dish was invented by Yuteki Hayashi, the founder and first president of Maruzen itself.

Where in Tokyo:
2-3-10 Nihonbashi Chuo Tokyo
In Japanese: 東京都中央区日本橋 2-3-10 日本橋丸善東急ビル３F

3. Bunbougu Cafe

Finally, in the Omotesando area, there is a full-fledged stationery themed cafe called Bunbougu Cafe (“bunbougu” means stationery in Japanese).

The cafe is located in a basement level.

All kind of stationery and cute products are for sale.

A selection of pencils, crayons and some decorative tapes (called washi in Japanese) are available for free to all customers.

If you go, make sure to try their stationery-themed gashapon: these vending machines dispense random stationery contained in a plastic ball.

Above is pictured what I got for 200 yen (less than 2 USD): a pterodactyl-shaped eraser and a roll of washi tape.

In my September 2018 visit I just had a drink (grapefruit juice). In a previous visit I enjoyed a massive parfait that was no longer available on the menu. They have food suitable both for a meal or for a drink with friends. A simple drink starts at around 600 yen after tax.

But there is a bonus! If you are in this part of town and are interested in stationery and fountain pens you cannot miss the Tokyo branch of Bung Box, a very popular destination for fountain pen enthusiasts. The shop is just 50 meters from the cafe and, while tiny, it is filled with the sought after Bung Box inks (made by Sailor), their shop exclusive limited edition pens and more. It must be noted that the two places, even if they share a very similar name, are not related (for what it matters to my knowledge Bung Box came first). It is worth a visit, but check opening times on the website because their schedule is quite irregular.

Where in Tokyo:
4-8-1 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
Check their website for a preview of the menu.

Final thoughts about a possible itinerary:
1. Start your day with a breakfast at Stylo Cafe (Itoya) based on organic Benedict eggs.
2. Head to Maruzen Cafe for a substantial lunch based on Hayashi rice.
3. Move to Omotesando for a drink or a sweet treat at Bunbougu Cafe.

Western fine dining at David’s Kitchen in Chiang Mai

When I researched the Chiang Mai’s food scene online, one restaurant kept popping up: David’s Kitchen (at 909). It is particularly well positioned on Tripadvisor, where not only is the first rated restaurant in Chiang Mai, but it also ranked as the best fine dining restaurant in Thailand and in Asia. In 2017 it made it again to Tripadvisor’s list of of the top ten restaurants in the world according to people’s reviews.

While I do not care much about Tripadvisor’s rankings, I felt I could not miss this restaurant while in Chiang Mai and I made a booking though the restaurant’s website that was confirmed instantaneously.

David’s Kitchen is mostly a French influenced restaurant with some international and fusion dishes. It is the result of the collaboration of a well-traveled British gentleman, David, his wife Prom that is also the pastry chef, and Chef O, a Thai professional trained with French and German chefs.

The visit

I reached my destination using the South Asian Uber, Grabcar (it works marvelously in Chiang Mai) and I was escorted into the restaurant, which remained tucked away from the main road. The restaurant is housed in a modern and architecturally remarkable villa basically divided in two parts: a bar section and the dining room. The dining room was spacious and, when I arrived at 6.00pm, there were already a few people seated. On the table, a holder would display “welcome” and my name. The receptionist even correctly guessed my name when I arrived at the entrance (probably I was the only party of one at that time) and did not need to waste time going through the reservation list. Very good start.

I quickly ordered my selection (a soup, a pasta dish and a main) since I had studied the menu online and I knew what I wanted. Actually, I made a small adjustment to my mental selection on the fly as I was given a list of daily specials and one of them was just perfect. Meantime I was promptly offered water, the bread basket and a nice tomato dip. I was also offered an amuse bouche in the form of a crispy salmon croquette. Very good. At this point a manager, a relatively young Thai gentleman, approached me for some casual conversation. I must say that it was one of the few times when I kind of enjoyed the chit-chat.

First dish was included in the list of their signature creations: a velouté of yellow Japanese pumpkin soup, white truffle foam and a salmon croquette. Yes, this was exactly the same croquette I had as an amuse bouche. Apart from the small repetition, I really enjoyed the soup (and I am not into soups at all). This was a simple yet an excellent dish.

The second dish consisted in pan-fried pumpkin ravioli with spicy tomato sauce. I liked the idea of pad-fried ravioli: a similar treatment is given to some Chinese dumplings, so I was curious to experience the result. It was an original dish that I enjoyed thanks to the texture provided by the pan-frying.

At this point I was offered a scoop of lemon sorbet to cleanse my palate.

Then, the time for the big ticket item came. It was selected from the daily specials and was a piece of wagyu beef cheek in classic Paris mash. I am a big fan of beef cheek and I cannot find it in Asia easily, so when I see it on a menu I usually order it. The meat was sensationally tender and tasty.

To make the meal perfect, I added a dessert: sticky toffee pudding with vanilla bean ice cream. Perfectly executed.

While I had my meal, the dining room quickly got busy. I believe there was only one small table without the reservation sign.

The service throughout was impeccable, professional and all staff could speak English. I must add that the service was also very rapid: the whole meal only took one hour. This was not a problem for me. I think it speaks of how efficient and well-oiled the kitchen operations are in this restaurant.

The check

For this four-course dinner I spent 2,648 THB, or aorund 80 USD. This was my most expensive meal during my trip in Chiang Mai. The wagyu cheek accounted for 50% of the total check, but it was worth it. While expensive by Chiang Mai standards, I found the final check more than acceptable considering the quality of the food and the service. Beside, they do not overcharge the water that is particularly appreciated. It should also be mentioned that they have a very attractive four-course set menu for 1,450 THB, so it is entirely possible to dine in this world-class restaurant for a very reasonable price.

So what is special about David’s Kitchen? Are the accolades deserved? To answer I will add that David was not around that night. The day after, I received an email in which David would apologize for missing the opportunity to greet in person and added some details about my whereabouts that must have been referred by his manager (so it was not a generic template thank you letter). This speaks volume of the dedication behind David’s Kitchen. After all, I was just a tourist probably never coming back again, still I received this kind of personalized attention. I believe that this is the key to understand why guests leave satisfied. They have great food, but let’s be honest, most dishes on the menu (from gravlax salmon to the braised lamb shank) are quite common and easily found in similar restaurants around the world. What makes the difference, in my opinion, is this ability to provide a warm and customized experience even to the casual visitor. Not many establishments are able (or even willing) to achieve this. If you pair this with the perfectly executed dishes, the professional service and the elegant ambiance, then traveler’s awards make perfect sense.

Personally I was very happy with the dinner and, if I will visit Chiang Mai one more time in the future, I will try to book a table again.

Where in Chiang Mai:
113 Bamrungrad Road.
At time of posting, only open for dinner and closed on Sundays.
Check their website that includes description of the menus and an easy online reservation system.

The Sunday brunch at the Shangri-La in Chiang Mai

There is no lack of food in Chiang Mai. But there are relatively few five star hotels. One of the best is certainly the Shangri-La that provides a standard international buffet on evenings and for breakfast. On Sundays, they offer a buffet for brunch. Since I did not see much information online, I figured out it could be useful to share some pictures from my visit in early August 2018.

The visit

The buffet is served in the Kad Kafé, one of the dining venues of the Shanagri-La. Kad Kafé is located on the lobby floor (technically level 2) and is a very spacious environment. I had a booking, but it was not really necessary. Doors opened at 11.30.

Salmon gravlax, carpaccio, and shrimp cocktails

The most popular station: crabs and lobster claws

The check

Overall it was a standard international five star buffet. And by “standard” I mean that the level was high, in terms of variety and choice. Very few Thai dishes though, if you are after Thai fare this might not be the right place.

It cost me 1,188 THB, around 36 USD. The value for money is there. You do not get a similar buffet for less easily nowadays.

They also have a lobster and crab feast night on Fridays that costs close to 2,000 TBH (60 USD) per person, but it should offer unlimited lobsters and crabs. Not sure if it is worth the price tag, considering that you already get an half lobster and unlimited lobster claws and crabs in this buffet. On other evenings, the buffet is even less expensive, 888 THB at time of writing this review.

Where in Chiang Mai:
89/8 Changklan Rd, ตำบล สุเทพ Amphoe Mueang.
Please check their website for updated information about their offering.

Brunch at the Phénix – Shanghai

The Phénix Eatery and Bar is the flagship restaurant of the luxurious Puli hotel in Shanghai. They were awarded one star in the 2018 Shanghai Michelin guide that was confirmed in 2019. I also visited them for dinner.

The visit

I had heard that they had started offering Sunday brunches and I had been thinking of trying for a while. On a sunny Sunday of June the stars aligned and I showed up.

They are one of the many establishments now offering a “semi-buffet”. It works like this: you order a couple of dishes from a menu (usually the choice is quite limited) and while you wait for the hot dishes you can indulge yourself in a buffet with exquisite sides and cold dishes.

The Phénix follows this format. The menu is based on breakfast dishes (from omelettes to tartares). You can choose two mains and a dessert from the menu and have fun with their buffet spread.

From the menu I chose an omlette (with a hint of truffle) and a beef tartare. Small portions. Done by the book. From the buffet I chose to try their oysters, a quiche Lorraine, cheese (they had five or six types available, more than the average buffet in Shanghai), cold cuts (in particular some ham) and some other random stuff. I certainly enjoyed the dessert from the menu, a nicely made chocolate cake.

Juices and tea/coffee were also included. You can check the menu on their website.

The check

The final check was 545 RMB and changes (around 85 USD). When I think about it, I cannot complain about anything, but at the same time there was nothing that stood up and made me think: “I need to come back for it!” I guess the brunch is not indicative of the cuisine that won them the Michelin star. Would I go back? No, in Shanghai there are way better choices for less that money (the weekend buffet at the Kitchen Studios at the Andaz hotel comes to my mind as the best deal at the moment and it is a bona fide full buffet; for a semi-buffet, with a little bit more the Cathay Room at the Peace Hotel offers a choice of more substantial dishes). Subsequently I also had dinner with them and I was equally not that impressed. ~~I might go back to try their full fledged menu though.~~

Where in Shanghai:
2/F, 1 Changde Lu, near Yan’an Xi Lu
常德路1号璞麗酒店二楼, 近延安西路