An ultimate beef feast, a journey of Italian flavors and a fun game of filling beers
The Meat's homage to beef
Executive chef Otto Goh, of the Kerry Hotel, Pudong, Shanghai, kicks off the new season at The Meat with a marvelous six-course, all-cut menu inspired by rare cuts of beef and flavors from around the world.
The menu, at 1,180 yuan (US$175.82) per person plus 10 percent service charge and 6 percent VAT, includes three fine wines selected by sommelier Tyler Chen.
Goh has put his own spin on the classic beef tartare by combining Australian wagyu tenderloin, raw egg yolk with sea urchin and a smooth texture with a taste of the sea. The real gem of this dish is a piece of caramelized leek presented as a replacement for the traditional breads or chips. The extra thin, crunchy and sweet leek “chip” worked exceptionally well with the soft beef, as it added an earthy taste to balance the richness of the proteins.The wine Chen chosen to go with the beef tartare was a Clos de Vougeot pinot noir, from renowned wine producer Domaine Chanson’s historic vineyards.
Beef tartare with sea urchin, pear, wasabi, raw egg and crispy leek.
Next up, two cuts of beef as a warm appetizer. The tri-tip was complemented with Stilton and walnut bonbon and a refreshing apple and endive salad, while the rib cap was paired with pan-fried foie gras and a beetroot chip.
Two years ago, Goh discovered a premium Chinese steak that can rival Japanese Kobe beef — the Tianyigangshan black cattle breed in the Changbai Mountain region in Jilin Province.
Generally priced at over 1,000 yuan, the beef is so rich that not everyone can finish the steak, so Goh decided to roast a piece of the snowflake-marbled sirloin and serve it with Yunnan morel mushrooms, truffle mashed potato, chive dip and a puree of seasonal greens. The dish is also a tribute to Chinese produces and flavors.
This very rich beef dish was paired with a Château Lynch-Bages, one of the world’s best 10 Pauillac wines.
Jilin beef with Yunnan morel mushroom, truffle mash potato, potato & chive chip and three green veggies purees.
The menu features two main entries, “The King’s Meat” featuring a rare cut between the chuck roll and edges of rib eye, while the short ribs and bone marrow come with delicious sides of Iberico ham fried rice and charcoal-grilled portobello mushroom.
Tenuta San Guido’s “Sassicaia,” a wine from Tuscany, Italy, is served with the entries.
Short ribs and marrow (left) and "The Kings Meat" (right).
To refresh the palate after five courses of rich beef dishes, a beef carpaccio and tomato sorbet drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar is presented, which is almost a beef-themed dessert.
Following the six courses of beef dishes is a sweet treat crafted by Jayme Shimamura. Titled “A Box of Love,” there were eight bite-sized sweet creations, including a pistachio and green tea “cigar,” chocolate orange confit, coconut financier, passion fruit mascarpone bonbon, lemon tart and more.
Address: 1388 Huamu Rd
Tel: 6169-8886
Unboxing “A Box of Love,” a dessert experience of eight different flavors.
Filling beer and fun
Boxing Cat Brewery has opened a new bar, First Round by Boxing Cat Brewery, to celebrate craft beer and enhance a dining experience with innovative technologies.
The highlight of First Round is the ReverseTap installed in the shop. It’s a smart dispenser that fills beer glasses from the bottom — high speed, hands free and fun. Customers can place the orders on WeChat, scan the QR code and return empty glasses on the tap, then watch as it gets refilled in seconds.
The ReverseTap beer station changes menu regularly, right now it’s offering Sucker Punch pale ale, Imperial red ale, Winter Warmer and black IPA.
First Round’s food menu is classic American — buffalo wings, sweet potato fries and pizzas.
Outdoor seats are available.
Address: 739 Dingxi Rd
Tel: 6215-6217
First Round by Boxing Cat Brewery introduced ReverseTap, a smart beer dispenser that engages the customers to fill their own beers.
A journey of Italian classics
Italian restaurant Da Ivo has invited chef Stefano Tantari from the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts as a special guest chef to create a “Taste of Italy” 10-course set menu.
Tantari designed the menu to trace flavors from several different Italian cities, including Rome, Naples, Genova, Turin, Venice and Milan. He’s very fond of citrus fruits, which are used in several of the dishes.
The two starter courses offer a taste of the sea — Boston lobster paired with fresh orange, mixed salad, mini potato and mango jelly, and New Zealand king salmon with mini arugula and horseradish cream.
A very spring appetizer, Boston lobster paired with fresh orange, mixed salad, mini potato and mango jelly.
Fresh, handmade pasta is a signature of Italian cuisine, and Tantari prepared a handmade ravioli with New Zealand scampi, pea, lemon cream and beetroot mousse, and an ultra-rich pasta with feta cheese, 48-month parmesan cheese and black pepper.
As spring is the best season to enjoy fresh artichokes, a simple artichoke two-way vegetarian dish (fried and boiled artichoke) is served after the lamb chop main entry.
The dessert is a highlight of the gastronomic journey, the lemon and pistachio dish comes with a little bit of limoncello on the side, an iconic Italian lemon liqueur that can be poured over the ice cream for a boost of freshness.
The set menu will be available for the next six months.
Address: 1 Jinling Rd E.
Tel: 5717-1757
A lemon and pistachio dessert served with limoncello.
Dippin' Dots arrives in Shanghai
American ice cream franchise Dippin' Dots has opened five outlets in Shanghai this year, serving nitrogen-frozen pellet ice cream with many flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, marshmellow and cake.
There are three shops in Puxi and two in Pudong. The price for small, middle and large servings are 27, 33 and 42 yuan respectively. They also sell popcorn and beverages.
Dippin' Dots has turned ice cream in dot form with liquid nitrogen.
