Capital Bites: Pork Cutlets, Shanghai Snacks and an Ambulance to Dinner
The year's already off to an exciting start, with the best pork chop I've had in awhile, authentic Shanghai snacks coming to Sanlitun, Two Guys starting delivery and lots more news.
Wang Jia Sha is a Shanghai laozihao known for its snacks and pastries, like flaky, savory meat moon cake, all sorts of glistening, jade-colored sticky rice balls, crunchy chow mein and giant pork ribs with niangao (or rice cakes). They're also famous for things studded with crab roe, which we're sure will be a selling point here, but are we the only ones a little tired of that by now? (Perhaps in Beijing it never quite translates as well.) Anyway, if your curiosity's piqued we invite you to take a stroll through the picture gallery of their Shanghai location's Dianping post here. Wang Jia Sha opens in the Sanlitun Village (at the old Club Le space) tomorrow, Jan 9.
We'd been excited about Saboten at Parkview Green ever since the heir to the Din Tai Fung dynasty told us it was the one of the best pork cutlets he'd ever had. They're now in soft opening and we went by the other day. It is indeed delish. The meat was really tender, and the flavors clean. Best of all, it escapes the grease trap most lesser forms of tonkatsu might fall into. Saboten brings some serious pedigree from Japan. It's pricey for such humble food, but the ingredients are very good quality and it's a fun all-around experience (like fresh sesame seeds brought to the table in a little wooden mortar and pestle contraption). We'll have a full review for you in the next issue of the magazine.
Also, Beijing Boyce tells us that Vineyard Cafe is opening up in the old Khatoon spot off Xindong Lu. They're planning to have things up and running by springtime, with a menu that combines items from the Vineyard Cafe in Wudaoying and his gastropub, the Vineleaf.
Two Guys and a Pie have started up delivery, which is always welcome news in this weather. You can order both hot and frozen pies, sides, and beer and ciders. You'll need a minimum order of RMB 70, but that shouldn't be too hard (just throw in a few frozen ones - if you have a toaster oven - and save some for later).
Fans of Bei's contemporary Japanese and Chinese cuisine at the Opposite House will be sad to know the restaurant's served its last. But the Opposite House have assured us they're planning an exciting new replacement. We'll stay on their tails for you.
How many of us have wished for an ambulance to rush us home after eating too much at a restaurant? No? Just me? Well, an incident in late December sparked some netizen fury when someone spotted hospital staff in white medical coats get dropped off at a restaurant, while a fresh batch of colleagues clambered into the vehicle and ran the siren against traffic back in the direction of the hospital. Abuse? Or does indigestion count as a medical emergency? You can read the full story at the Shanghaiist here.
Photos: Marilyn Mai
