Saddle Cantina

Saddle Cantina. Nali Patio, Sanlitun, Beijing.
Beef fajitas. The beef had a peppery nose and, with the help of some
extra Tabasco sauce, a solid, rounded finish. The pico de gallo was
feisty, with a healthy portion of fresh cilantro.

Potato Hotpot

Potato Hotpot. Wudaokou, Beijing.



Korean Dduk Bokki (rice dumpling stir fry); potato hotpot.

IFW: burger edition

IFW. Park Hyatt, Beijing.
Burger: IFW burger.
Architecture: bun, fried egg, onions, cheese, patty, lettuce, tomatoes, bun.
The bun looked great aesthetically but was a disaster in the taste
department. It bore no taste, and was simply too dry for any recipe
(with the exception of recipes that call for using the bun to make
bread crumbs...but I digressed). The fried egg was overcooked and
frankly should have been ready with a runny yolk instead of a yolk
that was cooked into a brick. The beef had good promising texture but
held zero tate. Finally, this was one of those rare occasions that I
felt unnecessary to finish the whole thing. The days' biggest surprise
was the tenderly fried and liberally seasoned potato wedges that came
as a side. They were crispy on the outside and mushy, piping hot
inside -- just the way I wanted them.

IFW (International Food Warehouse)

IFW. Park Hyatt, Beijing.
Curried beef brisket with rice. A solid choice.

First Floor

First Floor. Tongli Studio, Sanlitun, Beijing.
Burger: cheeseburger.
Architecture: bun, cheese, patty, onions, tomatoes, chopped lettuce, bun.
The brioche bun was soft and quite tasty, and carried a hint of sugary
sweetness. The beef was overcooked -- ordered medium but delivered
well done -- but nevertheless retained plenty of fragrant juices. The
tomatoes and chopped lettuce, while fresh, left too much moisture on
the bottom of the stack and made the stack difficult to stand on its
own. In conclusion, this by no means was a top-notch burger, but
nevertheless is a solid addition to the burgeoning burger selection in
Sanlitun.

Gourmet Cafe (Shanghai)

Gourmet Cafe
Shanghai Centre
1367 Nanjing Xi Lu, Suite 111
Shanghai
(021) 6289-5733
www.gourmet-cafe.com

Burger: beef burger, with Cheddar cheese.
Architecture: bun (sesame), tomatoes, cheese, patty, onions, lettuce,
bun. Pickles, BBQ sauce, and salad on the side.

Tucked in a corner of the posh Shanghai Centre, Gourmet Cafe cooks up
good burgers with Australian beef in an unpretentious, friendly
environment. The menu is surprisingly extensive: beyond the burger
section there are sections for steaks, soups, salads, and plenty of
caffeine options. On my visit, I challenged myself to the basic beef
burger, with the optional aged Cheddar. The sesame bun, lightly
toasted and buttered, was spongy and soft, thereby providing a
welcoming amount of fluff to the stack. The beef was cooked to order
(medium), and came out perfectly pink and warm at the center. The
cheese, gently hugging the patty, wasn't as sharp and pungent as I
would expect from a good, aged Cheddar, but nevertheless provided a
rounded, sapid taste. The onions as expected lent a saccharine, almost
honeyed taste to the mix. On the side was a pile of fresh watercress
lightly dressed with a zesty mustard emulsion --this was clearly one
of the best side salads next to a burger I've had.

Gourmet Cafe is, in my opinion, as good as burger gets in
China...certainly better than the options available in Beijing and on
par with the best in Hong Kong. I hope Gourmet Cafe will open a
sibling in Beijing some day.

Lan Gui Fang (Shanghai)

Location: Lan Gui Fang (兰桂坊酒家). Shanghai.

 

Dishes: Noodle with yellow croaker (黄花鱼) and pickled vegetable
(雪菜黄鱼原汁煨面); fried pork chop; noodles with clams and chopped garlic
(蒜蓉蛤蜊拌面).

 

Rating: 1 star to both noodle dishes.