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June 18, 2015

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Home » City specials » Hangzhou

Plenty of diversity in city’s Western restaurants

By Xu Wenwen | June 18, 2015, Thursday | Print Edition

WESTERN restaurants in Hangzhou are getting creative when it comes to winning over customers. For many such establishments, success is about more than just offering the usual fare like steak and salad. Fresh seafood, fast service and extended operating hours are all on the menu.

Today, we introduce three newly opened Western restaurants that are making an impression among local diners.

Despite being in business for only about a month, Marais Bistro has developed a loyal local following. An accommodating schedule seems to be one of the reasons of the restaurant’s strong early success — indeed, Marais opens as early as 8am for breakfast customers and then stays upon until as late as 2am for late-night revellers.

The restaurant serves up a wide range of early morning staples, including crispy croissants, oven-fresh sandwiches, omelettes, cereal porridge and Eggs Benedict.

Owner Du Hong says she chose to open early after noticing many local expats popping into a nearby Starbucks for breakfast.

Du recommends the Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon, adding that “the dish sells fast, so the salmon is always fresh.”

During lunch and dinner, paella is the signature dish of chef Maki Han, who studied with a Michelin starred chef for eight years. Other recommended dishes include codfish and Angus beef, both of which are prepared using traditional Western recipes and fresh ingredients.

 

Address: Rm 103, No. 4 Building, Gemini International, 1785 Jianghan Rd

Tel: (0571) 8847-9170

Over at Chill Oyster Bar, it’s no ordinary seafood that’s being served up. The restaurant offers six varieties of high-end oyster varieties, including Ostre, La Lune, Fine de Claire and Tarbouriech.

Tarbouriech feature distinctive pink shells, hence their nickname “pink diamonds.” Fine de Claire oysters have an agreeable marine odor and are suited for those who prefer a slightly less fleshy texture. Meanwhile, La Lune oysters are known for their sweet flavor.

At Chill, oysters are flown in twice a week from locations such as France, Australia and Canada, where they are served up raw for diners in Hangzhou. Prices are set at 268 yuan (US$43) for six oysters, and 498 yuan for a dozen. The menu at Chill also includes Iberia pork.

 

Address: 2 Baoshi Shan Xia Er Nong (meaning the second lane at the feet of Baoshi Hill)

Tel: (0571) 5811-9940

Flamenko

Fast service and high-quality food are both priorities at Flemenko, a restaurant headed by Spanish chef David Ureta. With more than 20 years of experience in the kitchen, Ureta designed a special oven capable of cooking five paellas or cocas — a baked pastry dish similar to a pizza — at a single time.

With such facilities in place, customers can enjoy these two quintessential Spanish dishes in as little as 15 minutes.

The oven’s real strength is its five-layer design, which allows for both upward movement of heated air and fast evaporation that cuts cooking time nearly in half, say staff.

At Flamenko, Ureta serves up his coca much like pizza. Each piece is covered with an array of mouth-watering ingredients, including mozzarella cheese, ham, eggs and potato.

The menu includes eight kinds of coca, four types of paella as well as pizza, steaks and desserts.

Ureta, who has worked in China for four years, believes Hangzhou people are accepting of new and innovative cuisines.

“Before I come to China, I heard the stereotype that Chinese people are old-fashioned,” the chef explains. “But when I came I found locals, especially the young, are very open-minded.”

 

Address: Rm 313, 3/F, Mr Box shopping mall, 294 Wenyi Rd W.

Tel: (0571) 2899-5598

Hangzhou


 

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