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The Top Five: Unexpected Successes

Great meals when you least expect it - By Oliver, Oct 15, 08

Looking back at several years of trying to find edible sustenance in Shanghai, I have to say that the majority of the time I've gotten by with a little help from my friends.

It's just easier when someone just tells you what is good, and much of the time I find myself eating at new restaurants at the behest of a recommendation, coming as they do from various sources (there's a couple Shanghai foodies I follow in the expat mags and internets as well).

And that's all well and good.

Most of the places in my rotation now, I wouldn't have found unless someone told me about them (Hello, Southern Barbarian and your delicious goat cheese).

Despite that, I would also argue that there's something to be said for the unexpected successes -- the really great meals just fluked upon. Just as when there is something particularly crushing about a favorite restaurant disappointing you with a bad meal or a change in menu, there's something extra satisfying about having no expectations and being pleasantly surprised.

Here are five restaurants that served me up a fantastic meal when I was least expecting it:

Coco Curry

Right off the bat, Coco Curry displays three strong indicators that it's going to suck: 1) it's in the basement of a mall (both of the ones I've been too anyways); 2) they have those plastic samples of the menu items at the front entrance; 3) if you get within 50 meters of the place everyone on the staff screams guang ling at you at the top of their lungs.

Wait! Four reasons! It kind of looks like shit...

However!

Coco Curry offers some of the cheapest, best, and most reliable comfort meals in Shanghai, and we all know this to be indisputably true. I didn't know that when I first stumbled upon it a couple years ago, however, hence the "unexpected success" of it, for me.

I think I was looking for that hot dog place that used to be in Jing'An temple subway station (Top Five Shanghai hot dogs – look out!) and only went to Coco Curry because I was desperate.

But it was great. For the uninitiated, Coco Curry is a Japanese chain restaurant and diners construct their own Japanese curry meals by opting for differing base meats (chicken, pork, seafood, vegetarian), different portions of rice, and different levels of spiciness.

It's delicious and very filling. And most importantly, cheap. Point and eat style dining at its finest. Also, you should bump it up to a meal deal and get that tasty salad to go with your curry. And a soda! Sha-blam!

Who knew that a restaurant adorned with what looks like plastic barf at its entrance would be so tasty?

Dan's Old Farmhouse

The ads for this German restaurant used to be two goofy-looking Nordic guys giving the thumbs-up sign under a rustic "Dan's Old Farmhouse" logo.

I think there was a funny hat in there as well. Maybe no hat, I don't remember. I can't seem to find a link to that, but here is the restaurant webpage, featuring ample photos of Dan of Dan's Old Farmhouse looking really goofy.

Anyways, it always came across to me like a nice neighborhood pub/restaurant for Germans to relax in and do whatever inscrutable things Germans do with each other in their time off.

I didn't think I'd get it.

I ended up going with a homesick Danish friend (Dan himself is actually Danish) who was looking for some familiar atmosphere in which to get drunk in. After eating (and drinking) there, I'd have to give it two goofy Nordic thumbs up for the best German food I've had in Shanghai. And it's available at competitive to lower prices than its counterparts as well.

The pork knuckle is my favorite, but I've also enjoyed the sausage platter. Great place for a home-style German meal. Great place to drink. And Dan himself, an ex-butcher, is a real stand-up guy. Try his booze.

Macau Portuguese

It was the underwhelming atmosphere at the Macau Portuguese that had me thinking I was in for a bad meal: Celine Dion on the stereo, bland postcard pictures on the wall, weird tree branches affixed to the corners of the dining room. Also, I didn't know anything about Macaunese food when I first went and was expecting to screw it up.

Expectations were exceeded and then some when the food arrived, and I was amazed at the quality we were getting for the prices we were paying. They offer grilled, BBQ, and seafood dishes, a full page of Filipino dishes, and some western fare. Anyways you can read the full review here.

By the end of the meal, it sort of dawned on me that the people who were eating there were regulars of Macau Portuguese in on a good thing.

And the joke was on me for being a snob about the music and decor in the first place.

Windows Scoreboard

Of course. Windows Scoreboard is the sleeper hit of the Shanghai dining scene. Most notably for the 10rmb burgers, as you very well know. Who would have thought that a burger that is the exact same price as a small basket of popcorn would be so delicious and White Spot-ey?

We won't get into the exact reasons why one wouldn't expect a good meal at Scoreboard, although it could have something to do with drunken people throwing ping pong balls at each other and Rage Against the Machine blaring in the bar sound system. No judgments though.

However, Scoreboard always exceeds expectations whenever I partake in a meandering sample of their menu, thanks in no small part to mankind's greatest invention: the deep fryer.

Melrose

Including Melrose in my list this week is my way of making restitution to the pizza chain for being unduly harsh to them in my last list. I was emphasizing my negative experiences with ordering from them and not the positives, and that's not fair. Yeah, I've had my bad experiences with Melrose, but I've always come back for more. And there's a reason too.

When Melrose gets it right, it's great pizza for the money.

Plus the screw ups -- and they are rare and not unique among pizza chains -- just make the times when it's right all the more delicious. Oh, the apprehension when I hold the pizza box in my hand and pay the delivery guy!

Oh the joy when I pop the pizza box open and see that it's what I actually ordered and is delicious!

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