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Catering for expats living in the city
By Xu Wenwen |
January 7, 2013, Monday
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HANGZHOU'S picturesque charms help attract an increasing number of expats to the city to study, work and live, a trend that has led to the emergence of a number of spots catering for foreign residents.
Zhejiang University's Yuquan campus has become a gathering place for large numbers of expats, partly due to the foreign students and teachers at the prestigious university.
The area is also a central business district, its sleek buildings are the workplace for many foreign professionals.
Around the campus have sprung up cafes and restaurants featuring English menus and dishes popular with a foreign clientele.
Shanghai Daily takes a stroll to try some.
Teresa's
Only a stone's throw from the back of Yuquan campus and the business district's high-rises, Teresa's cafe and Western restaurant has a clientele that's around 50 percent expat.
But it's definitely not a business meeting spot, rather a cozy place with a strong arty vibe. On the walls hang around 100 paintings, either of customers, or of chef and co-owner Teresa Lu, all made by her husband and partner Lai Chenshan.
While Teresa cooks up the tasty fare, Lai looks after the business side of things.
Teresa has been interested in making Western dishes since she was a child, while Lai studied art at college.
Its Chinese name is a local slang for "home," and Lai says he designs the cafe to make everybody feel at home.
Though the two-story eatery contains around 30 tables, Lai uses curtains and lattices to make it more cozy. And to get the ambience just right, the lamps on the tables have dimmers.
Wherever a diner sits, they get a great view of some of the paintings on display. The largest is a wall painting of sunflowers, while the wall next to it is adorned with more than 20 small profiles of customers, all in an abstract style. "I drew them from memory," says Lai.
And if you're puzzled by the numerous paintings of a short-haired woman with bangs - portrayed from the front, back or profile - look no further than the chef; it's Teresa.
Despite its number of tables and customers, the cafe does not hire any chefs, only assistants to help Teresa, who makes pasta, baked rice, steak and homemade pizza - complete with bubbles of cheese.
Teresa has created her own recipes and adapted Western dishes to suit local tastes. Always eager to innovate, in two years she has changed the menu five times.
Address:420 Xixi Road
Tel: 135-8842-3040
Zhejiang University's canteen for foreign students
Plenty foreigners are to be found here during meal time, partly because it was built for foreign students at Zhejiang University's Yuquan campus.
But it is also a restaurant open to the public, which for decades has earned itself a good name for tasty, low-priced meals. Evidence of its popularity can be seen in the long queues at meal times.
More than half of the dishes are priced below 10 yuan (US$1.6). For example: sauteed tofu is 5 yuan, and sauteed pork with sliced onion is 6 yuan.
The majority of dishes are local, and a menu with photos is available. But remember it's a canteen, so don't expect exquisite service. You might also have to wait by other diners' until they finish in order to grab their table.
Address: The first building at right after you enter the back gate of Yuquan campus on Xixi Road.
Tel: (0571) 8795-1828
Amigo Restaurant & Bar
It's not a Spanish or Mexico restaurant, but a Western-style restaurant, cafe and bar, its red brickwork, wooden tables and fabric sofas creating a warm, homey feel. It features six sections - including the hall, bar area, boxes and gardens - to meet different requirements.
Nestled among Yuquan campus, business buildings and mountains, Amigo attracts lots of foreign customers, including students, business people and travelers. It also boasts pleasant views of the mountains.
The menu offers standard Western foods, including salads, pasta and pizza. The chef also creates some fusion dishes, such as Beijing Duck Pizza.
The first floor of Amigo is more like a bar, including a dance area, while the second floor is a quiet restaurant.
The house band plays jazz, blues and 1970s American style on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and Sunday nights. Amigo is one of the few bars in the city that runs a comedy night, with a standup show once a month.
Address: 8 Yugu Road
Tel: (0571) 8880-9599
Tip: Happy hour for buying one beer and getting one free runs from 5pm to 8pm.
Zhejiang University's Yuquan campus has become a gathering place for large numbers of expats, partly due to the foreign students and teachers at the prestigious university.
The area is also a central business district, its sleek buildings are the workplace for many foreign professionals.
Around the campus have sprung up cafes and restaurants featuring English menus and dishes popular with a foreign clientele.
Shanghai Daily takes a stroll to try some.
Teresa's
Only a stone's throw from the back of Yuquan campus and the business district's high-rises, Teresa's cafe and Western restaurant has a clientele that's around 50 percent expat.
But it's definitely not a business meeting spot, rather a cozy place with a strong arty vibe. On the walls hang around 100 paintings, either of customers, or of chef and co-owner Teresa Lu, all made by her husband and partner Lai Chenshan.
While Teresa cooks up the tasty fare, Lai looks after the business side of things.
Teresa has been interested in making Western dishes since she was a child, while Lai studied art at college.
Its Chinese name is a local slang for "home," and Lai says he designs the cafe to make everybody feel at home.
Though the two-story eatery contains around 30 tables, Lai uses curtains and lattices to make it more cozy. And to get the ambience just right, the lamps on the tables have dimmers.
Wherever a diner sits, they get a great view of some of the paintings on display. The largest is a wall painting of sunflowers, while the wall next to it is adorned with more than 20 small profiles of customers, all in an abstract style. "I drew them from memory," says Lai.
And if you're puzzled by the numerous paintings of a short-haired woman with bangs - portrayed from the front, back or profile - look no further than the chef; it's Teresa.
Despite its number of tables and customers, the cafe does not hire any chefs, only assistants to help Teresa, who makes pasta, baked rice, steak and homemade pizza - complete with bubbles of cheese.
Teresa has created her own recipes and adapted Western dishes to suit local tastes. Always eager to innovate, in two years she has changed the menu five times.
Address:420 Xixi Road
Tel: 135-8842-3040
Zhejiang University's canteen for foreign students
Plenty foreigners are to be found here during meal time, partly because it was built for foreign students at Zhejiang University's Yuquan campus.
But it is also a restaurant open to the public, which for decades has earned itself a good name for tasty, low-priced meals. Evidence of its popularity can be seen in the long queues at meal times.
More than half of the dishes are priced below 10 yuan (US$1.6). For example: sauteed tofu is 5 yuan, and sauteed pork with sliced onion is 6 yuan.
The majority of dishes are local, and a menu with photos is available. But remember it's a canteen, so don't expect exquisite service. You might also have to wait by other diners' until they finish in order to grab their table.
Address: The first building at right after you enter the back gate of Yuquan campus on Xixi Road.
Tel: (0571) 8795-1828
Amigo Restaurant & Bar
It's not a Spanish or Mexico restaurant, but a Western-style restaurant, cafe and bar, its red brickwork, wooden tables and fabric sofas creating a warm, homey feel. It features six sections - including the hall, bar area, boxes and gardens - to meet different requirements.
Nestled among Yuquan campus, business buildings and mountains, Amigo attracts lots of foreign customers, including students, business people and travelers. It also boasts pleasant views of the mountains.
The menu offers standard Western foods, including salads, pasta and pizza. The chef also creates some fusion dishes, such as Beijing Duck Pizza.
The first floor of Amigo is more like a bar, including a dance area, while the second floor is a quiet restaurant.
The house band plays jazz, blues and 1970s American style on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday and Sunday nights. Amigo is one of the few bars in the city that runs a comedy night, with a standup show once a month.
Address: 8 Yugu Road
Tel: (0571) 8880-9599
Tip: Happy hour for buying one beer and getting one free runs from 5pm to 8pm.
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