Cheese plates in China
 

Le fromage is the food I miss most when working in China. Nothing but pickled herring, my other big favourite, seems to be more repulsive to the average Chinese connoisseur. ;)

But wait, the are a few gallic villages that have not succumbed yet. One of the best is the lobby bar at the Hyland Sofitel in Shanghai.

Ok, you would rather come here with your better half, but the cheese plate makes for a good substitute. Good variety from mild to almost pungent and served with great chutneys. Enough quantity also to make for an almost full meal.

The bread here is nothing much but the wine list is notable for a hotel bar in Shanghai. Have not been to the hotel restaurant proper but a friend originating from Paris mentioned he thinks it's good value as well.

Any other known cheese escapes?

Nothing approaching le fromage, but occasionally I find some Laughing Cow, Emmentaler, and small packets of Jarlsberg and whatever else the exporter tossed in the shipment at the Lotus Supercenters that are located in expat-heavy neighborhoods

Lujiazui in Shanghai has at least one cheese oasis, the international shop tucked between the Citybank building and the Huangpu river.

Actually a very enjoyable delicatessen also for charcuterie and wines. But the cheese selection is superb.

+1

City Shop is the name of that place. It's where i go for my Gouda and Danablu cheese runs.

South German Bakery in Beijing (I believe that they have recently opened a 2nd location) has wonderful German meals, including a wide variety of open faced sandwich plates and traditional German breakfast plates with cheeses. Finding decent German food is usually an oxymoron, but I love this place.

Kempinski Beijing has a rather overpriced deli (which recently relocated across the lobby) which has a small variety.

Lots of German influence in Shanghai, including several German restaurants ranging from mediocre to mediocre. JW Marriott at Tomorrow Square has a small deli area in the lobby with some good cheese and cheese sandwiches.

I cannot comment on Marks and Spencer other than the Shanghai location is small and randomly stocked, but they may have something of interest.

I don't actually eat a lot of dairy outside of Germany but have found some very good cheese in China.

A German friend got food poisoning several times from one of the most well known German eateries in Shanghai. Pudong location...

Will check that out sometime, thanks.

Doesn't surprise me. Someone suggested that one to me and I decided not to eat there; Xintiandi was really disappointing (how one can make a simple plate of rye bread, fried egg, and cheese taste so bad is amazing)

That is why South German Bakery/Cafe Constance is such a pleasant surprise in Beijing - they get so many things right. I have also been presented with a packet of breads and cheese at the end of my meal if I couldn't finish the very large breakfast offering - which is much appreciated.

Assuming you're talking about Paulaner, and assuming Monday's are still half price (last time I was in town, they were contemplating phasing out that deal), the Hengshan Rd location is the only one worthy of consideration (and only on Mondays, of course). Even at half price, it's not as good a deal as the Makati (sorry to switch countries on you guys) branch, but it's provided many quality dining experiences for yours truly and friends.

Bumping this thread due to a recent good experience in Shanghai:

Would readily recommend the Hofbrauhaus Shanghai in Pudong to any FT'er wishing to partake in authentic and tasty German food (including cheese ;)). It has a nice riverside location (and riverside terrace) close to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum. Website is here: http://tjhofbraeu.com.cn/home-en

They have a very ambitious and likeable German chef whom I had the chance to chat with, introduced by a mutual friend. Soft spoken, laid back gentleman who prepares good portions of tasty food with his team.

Xin Tian Di, there is a fantastic cheese and wine shop with every imaginable cheese available. We were so impressed with the selection including the very stinky ones.

Yes, it is pricey but to satisfy a yen, it is worth it.

Sorry for the life of me, I can't remember the name but in Xin Tian Di, there was only one.

Enoteca (various locations) also has a great cheese selection.

The famous Avocado Lady on Wulumuqi Lu also has a tasty blue cheese for great value.

City Super in the basement of the new IFC has a good selection also.

It that one relatively new? I cannot recall seeing it.

I am a regular customer of the French bakery chain Paul in France, but their locations that I have tried outside of Franch are usually very limited in selection and not as good quality. There is one in Xin Tian Di but I cannot recall if they do anything with cheese ie sandwiches etc as I have only bought a few sweets there.

I haven't had Paul enough time in France to compare (1x) against in other locations, but I've always thought that it has been fine in Shanghai (the Portman) and in London (Victoria Station, amongst others). The Former had a full menu, the latter was more pastries/takeaway.

I think that the Paul locations outside France often don't have the wide selection, and in particular often lack two items which are almost identical to how my mother makes them so are a nice treat. The London locations are decent tasting, if not the full range. The US ones however.... :(

Good to know that the Portman location has a broad menu as that may mean a variety of baguettes including possibly cheese.

AFAIK they only have the sesame baguette with brie here in Shanghai. Its not bad. No other cheese options, but i could be wrong.

I guess I should have also stated that my experiences with Paul have mostly been with Criossants and other pastries!

If somebody ever happens to end up in Huhehaote (Hohhot), the Italian GM of the Holiday Inn "imports" and sells Italian cheese (plus some other goodies). I do hope he's still around, though ;)

Lately, I've gone to have lunch at the "Cigar, Jazz & Wine" bar/restaurant in Xin Tian Di in Shanghai when in town and no meetings. Do like the calm atmosphere and quiet guests. Also wifi and a nice selection of magazines available.

Short menu that changes from time to time, never order anything but the pastas. Chinese cooks have a good touch with noodles of every kind as opposed to for example steak. Lunch includes a passable bread basket, good pesto, butter and oil & vinegar dips and a greekish salad.

But they also have a tasty and well balanced cheese plate on the menu and wines are discounted on weekday lunches. So a good option for a "casual friday" lunch maybe?

Evenings it's pricey and they to ask for a table fee of 150RMB per person to sit at any table. For that you get a live jazz band and a quite ok atmosphere. Bar and terrace are excepted from the table fee policy. Took a European business partner there last month for the cheese plate and some imported wine after dinner. Also not a bad venue for an evening out.

Xin Tian Di station on subway line 10 is a five minute walk from the restaurant offering direct connections to Honqgiao railway station and airport.

Franck on wu kang lu in shanghai has the best cheese in town but you have to pay through the nose for each slice (the whole restaurant seems to be built on paying thru the nose!). The Sunday buffet at the Sofitel on Nanjing east road also offers a steller selection of cheese. I've yet to find really good cheese in Beijing or Guangdong but this isn't a huge surprise as it seems there are more people from France and Italy in Shanghai than elsewhere in the motherland.

Try the German recommendations I made earlier in this thread in Beijing. (Not the Paulaner which is horrid, but the less stereotypical and more traditional options I noted)

And I tend to agree that a hotel with chefs or Directors of Food and Beverage or GMs from Germany, Italy, France, Austria etc may be more inclined to have such items on the menu. There are many of those in Beijing as well as around China these days.

I'm a bit timid about cheeses but have been tasting more. Soon to be on a cruise and will try to remember to ask for a fruit & cheese plate.

Had to LOL re noses... recalled historical references to non-Asian foreigners.

"Xin Tian Di, there is a fantastic cheese and wine shop with every imaginable cheese available. We were so impressed with the selection including the very stinky ones." Taiwaned

If this is the one I'm thinking about, it's not inside Xintiandi, but around the corner on Madang Lu a couple of stores south of Starbucks.

I probably stumbled upon this store today after lunch in the area. Named "Cheese & Fizz" if I am not mistaken. The cheese assortment is without question the best I have seen in China so far, unfortunately at least the wine prices are vastly exaggerrated.

I'd only buy hard-to-get cheeses and possibly charcuterie here and then head to the nearby (and excellent) Watson's Wine shop that stocks a far more interesting selection of the drinkable stuff at reasonable prices.

Regarding the "German food in China" side theme, a mixed review of the newly opened "Lind" bakery and coffee shop/lunch restaurant in Xintiandi from yesterday.

Their rye bread was quite good albeit a bit too soft but the simple portion of sausage and potatos was suffocated in pepper and some odd chili spice. Salad was properly prepared with oil & vinegar though.

The staff was also not willing to open a bottle of Riesling although they do sell that by the glass and instead wanted to recommend an almost finished bottle of Chardonnay, probably opened before CNY and left over. Refused and chose a glass of mediocre German red that they would do well to replace with an Austrian Zweigelt for example.

Maybe more of a place for Sunday coffee and a sweet/savoury bakery product with the weekend papers.

Thanks for the review. Was this a new location of 'Lind'? I thought that they opened last year and I had read mixed reviews. Website looked interesting and at least it is an option. 'Abendbrot' delivers but I have never tried them. http://www.abendbrot.com.cn/

(Just rereading sounds like Lind opened a second location at Xintiandi?) With Paul gone, that may fill a void and gives two German options although I do not recommend Paulaner.

On this page they list Dimos - maybe a source for cheese as well? (No idea because as a veggie I have never had a need for them, but maybe some of the other links may be useful as a source of cheese) http://www.abendbrot.com.cn/home/dis..._friends<br />
http://www.dimos.net.cn/

If you want some meat to go with that cheese, for a month now we have been getting the best meats, cold cuts, and sausage from The Butchery No. 93, North Xiangyang Road, Xuhui District, cell 150 0086 8415 phone 021-6418 6899. They sell wines of all sort at decent prices. Next door is a wine bar with decent bites. Two block walk from the City Market on (phonetic-waa hi lu) and Shaanxi.

The cold cuts are really sliced excellent slices of corned beef, roast beef, smoked turkey, and cuts like you would get in the finest deli's in the states. I love this place.

They also have a restaurant and maybe a shop in Pudong.

I do think they have a previous outlet in Western Shanghai and this shop was opened sometime late in 2011.

Only cheese listed on the menu is "Swiss Cheese" used as filling for sandwiches. And the cheesy buns/baguettes they use as bread base for those sandwiches.

Really more a place to purchase rye and other more scarcely available breads and other bakery products, German style coffee and for example Ritter Sport or Kinder chocolate. The wines they sell by the bottle are horribly expensive, again better to head over to Watson's.

I don't think I ever had cheese when in China, now my waistline shows what I missed.

Probably a latecomer but recently discovered the lunchtime sandwich offerings here (at Lujiazui) It's a "Build your own" concept with three or four choices of cheese. Quite tasty sandwiches to be had and well recommended.

I've been getting sandwiches at the Portman location for years... one of the best deals in Shanghai (i.e. 1/4 the price of Wags).

The cheese shop at Xintiandi is "Cheese and Fizz" and my latest purchase was wonderful (though nearly broke the bank).

Kempinski Beijing has lunch buffet with option to choose cheese and cake only at lower price, with small choice of 4-6 very good cheese (changes daily), all you can eat, not bad deal considering the retail prices.

Wagas, at least at my usual lunchtime location, has started using the processed sliced kraft singles type cheese for all their sandwiches. This started about 2 months ago. They still list out delicious sounding cheese names like "english cheddar" and "gouda" on the chalkboard when describing the sandwiches but when it comes you get a disgusting slice of processed cheese. Poor form for a group that charges so much for their food.

I had the cheeseboard at Enoterra on wuding lu the other day and it was good, albeit expensive.

I'm still wondering when good Chinese food will get to the US...

Just as background information on imported food in China: No food safety at all regarding domestically produced food, inspections can be avoided through bribes and/or connections.

Those in higher central and local government positions get their food delivered from special organic farms that do not deliver to the general population. The rest of us are basically left on our own devices guessing what substances have possibly been added to this or that food item. And the immense pollution means that even without added harmful substances you can never be sure what toxins might be included.

At least I will not touch any Chinese dairy products even with a long pole if it can be avoided.

Bright, Mengniu and Yili and all reputable dairies with the same processes in place as Danone, Fonterra and Nestle. Give them a go...you'll be all right.

Next time I go to the Mengniu dairy I need to teach them how to make fromage, it is so easy to make as well as a great treat.

BTW you should not boycott them for any reason, in fact they are basically operationally run by a group of germans! Maybe they'd be up for making the german version of fromage in quark :)

Thanks gents.

I was more or less trying to explain why imported cheese is a rather important part of the calcium intake in China.

Actually this week, most food products at least in Beijing should be safe as restaurants and shops would face serious punishment for rocking the stability during the 18th Party Congress with any kind of food scandal. ;)

Btw, I've sampled a few of Dimo's meat products mentioned earlier and their take on Classic German hams and sausages is really not that bad. Somewhat value for money.

Got sandwich lunch boxes for dad and myself early this week at Lujiazui. Good stuff, although they ran out of Gouda apparently.

Btw, any recommendations on a "Western" brunch type meal in Pudong/Lujiazui? Either at hotels or independent restaurants.

Shucks, a bit of a delayed reaction but no less apropos- I meant general Chinese cooking, instead of the saccharine stuff the US and Japan are known for. As for the snacks and drinks, egad, I'd never want to see anymore of that stuff than what already is sold in Chinatowns.

I don't boycott 'em, I just think the usual dairy companies in China produce terrible milk. That's a benefit to being in the south often, getting the Kowloon Dairy brand. It's not great, but it's much more palatable IMO than Mengniu for instance.