Great Steaks in Dongguan
Fabulous steak! Delicious potatoes. Fabulous setting. We were at the Copper Grill steakhouse in the Hyatt Regency in Dongguan. We had been meaning to come visit here for months, and I finally cornered five couples together to go partake of the new food service at our friend, Carl’s, new restaurant.
Located on beautiful Songshan Lake, the Hyatt Regency is not the easiest place to get to from Dongguan City. Traveling through the new industrial and educational area, the hotel is situated prominently on the lake providing astonishing views from most rooms.
But on this night, it was steak we all craved. And we were pleased! My large tenderloin was divine. The cooks had prepared it delicately in the open kitchen with wood burning fireplace, exactly to my desire. It was by far and away, the best steak I have had in China. The potatoes were a little late in arriving, but were spiced for extra pleasure.
My friends were similarly pleased, with most of us trying the steak. It was even fun watching the cooks prepare the steaks in the open kitchen right near our table. Only the salad was a disappointing. It just didn’t have the flavor and seasoning to have expected at these prices.
Through the whole meal, we had the pleasure of the views of the wonderful contemporary room and the lake out the windows. Even the adjoining Lychee Bar offered great relaxation and pleasure before the meal. And the cashews offered with all drinks are the best!
Carl, my friend, you have a great restaurant, The Copper Grill!!
Labels: Chinese Food, Dongguan, Restaurant
Singers & Models at Dinnertime
Violinists, orchestra, models on a catwalk, singers, and flutists. You would think I was at another wedding. But nope, this was just the Grand Opening of a new restaurant: Pousthouse restaurant in the Nancheng area of Dongguan City.
Months ago, I wrote about how I enjoyed the dinners at the Pousthouse restaurant specializing in Yunnan food near my home. They even cooked beef over hot rocks right at your table. Well, I’ve gotten to be a regular to two of their nearby restaurants and last week the manager invited us to come to the Grand Opening of their new restaurant in Nancheng. I just thought it would be a nice dinner at the new location. I didn’t bargain for an entertainment special. Heck, I didn’t even bring my camera. (Photos here are from my poor cell phone - sorry.)
The new location is a fabulous fixture in a new complex. It occupies a round rotunda on the second floor. Escalators to the entrance make it more convenient than other locations Water cascades down beside the stairway in a huge torrent through massive Pousthouse Restaurant signage. Of course, as always with any new establishment, large flower arrangements from suppliers lined the entry.
pon arrival, I was shocked to hear musicians and singers in chorus. Soon we were seated near a long catwalk that meandered through the restaurant and models were parading by us. Nice distraction from the meal. Especially since they were a little disorganized and the food took a long time to come out. But that’s alright; the music and entertainment were great.
And I was even singled out and introduced. Yeah, again being the only Westerner can get you some extra attention, even thoughI wasn’t looking for it. But sure enough, I realized the emcee and hostess were talking about me as the “megua.” Next thing I knew they had a television camera trained on me for several minutes.
And then a few other patrons came by just to take my picture. Ahhhh, the fame in going out for dinner in Dongguan.
Labels: Dongguan, Life in China, Restaurant, Yunnan food
Hot Food at the Yunnan Restaurant
I never thought I would enjoy hot food so well.
But when you couple unique food in a unique setting it usually results in the enjoyable.
It has at the the Pousthouse Restaurant.
I had walked past the original Pousthouse Restaurant near my apartment complex for over a year without interest in stopping. There is very little English signage, and that just stopped me short. When it finally did, and I stopped for a meal there, I was hooked. Okay, I do usually have to ask that they cut back a little in the peppers and HOT seasoning. It can be more than a little HOT!
The restaurant is a Yunnan style food restaurant. I’m still not sure where the Yunnan Province is located. I think it is inland on the way to Tibet. They are known for hot spicy foods. They are keeping the tradition alive at the Pousthouse. The Province must be inland some distance, so they got good at preserving foods with a lot of hot seasoning that became part of their trademark.
But at the Pousthouse, hot is not the only unique feature. Every dish is specially served and seasoned. The beef is a real joy, as it’s cooked at your table over hot rocks. Thin slices of beef are just mixed in the rocks to cook the beef to your pleasure. Topped with the hot and spicy seasoning and you have some great flavor. Most other dishes end up covered in peppers. You can hardly find the fish or chicken amongst the red peppers. But when you do, the food is great. And its really not so hot. Not if you avoid the hottest peppers anyway.
On a recent visit, the hostess invited us to a new Pousthouse Restaurant in the recently constructed Restaurant Row just a few blocks away. Taking the opportunity to do so a couple of times now, I’ve been amazed at the modern and unique décor. The four story restaurant looks like a lighthouse. It has a upper deck on the third level. And the tables and many chairs are rough hewn lumber from old ships. Set in a modern setting, it all couples with a beautiful and delightful experience.
The outdoor deck is a little close to some nearby power lines. The view gets a little disappointing, but in good weather it is a great new experience. And don’t forget to check out the restrooms. Very unique too.
The Pousthouse Restaurants of Dongguan – Yunnan style dining at two locations.
Labels: Chinese Food, Dongguan, Restaurant
Breakfast at McDonald's
I had just noticed the other night that McDonald’s had announced they had breakfast now.
Being Easter Monday, and not having to work, I figured it would be a good day to try out the new menu.
So off I went to one of the nearby local trustworthy locations.
There are three McD’s within a couple of blocks of my home in
Dongguan City.
I opted for the sausage and egg muffin meal. All seemed pretty good. I got my meal and sat down for a relaxing meal. But when I opened my wrapper realized there was NO sausage. So here we go……….. back to the side counter to get help. The young lady first tried to tell me I had ordered the one with no sausage. I insisted I had ordered the option with sausage, and the young lady that took my order thankfully nodded in agreement. So there I stood. Soon the assistant or manager told me something in Chinese that I figured meant she would bring my corrected bun to my table. They often deliver to tables here.
So there I sat patiently. And sat. After about ten minutes I finally went back to the counter again. Oh, the young assistant replied: “I forgot.” Forgot!! Are you kidding me? There are not that many people here? How could she forget me? I am a little different than most patrons here.
Finally, she got me the biscuit and back I went to my table. Opened the bun, and wouldn’t ya know it: it was hard as a rock. They had evidently micro waved the same original wrong muffin. So I complained again. The assistant again apologized and went back to make another.
Another couple of minutes and another clerk brought me a new biscuit. Opened it again with her standing there, and I couldn’t believe it. Now they had the sausage, but now they had forgotten the egg!! The clerk seemed embarrassed. Off she went running behind the counter again.
Back with another. And YES! It was finally right! Must have been 30 minutes before I got the correct order!! It took FOUR times to get it right! Four times!
Not a good start for breakfast at McDonald’s!
[What is it with my luck at meals lately? A friend of mine and I had just been lamenting about how tough it is for foreigners at restaurants to get good service just the night before. If you’ve noticed I’ve had a few articles about such occurrences.]
BTW, the muffin was pretty good. Only this sure wasn’t a biscuit. It was only in a regular hamburger bun, and they had soaked it in ketchup. Not exactly a typical McDonald’s breakfast, but definitely the typical service I’m getting accustomed to here.
Labels: Dongguan, McDonald's, Restaurant, Service
