Finding good barbecue in Shanghai can prove quite difficult, but with the opening of Lilā Laundry, the search just got a lilā bit easier...
Lilā Laundry, a spin-off of the popular gastropub Liquid Laundry, opened last month in the Shanghai Centre in JingāAn...
The restaurant, about half the size of the original, still offers up a meat-centric menu, but this time theyāve turned their eye on the American South rather than British pubs for inspiration...
One of the reasons itās so hard to find decent BBQ here is because of Shanghaiās strict laws about kitchen ventilation and chefs not being able to smoke meats for fear of fines. But chef Simon Sunwoo has found a way to keep the law away and offer up some tasty, tangy and smoky fare right here in the heart of the city.
Case in point, his phenomenal āGood Ole Boyā, smoked brisket and homemade slaw on a toasted bun...
Best Iāve had in China to date! The only problem for me though was that the menu listed this sandwich as served with āCarolina Mop Sauceā, which I expected to be vinegar based, but it came out with a thick, sweet BBQ sauce, more Texan style. Still good, but just not what was advertised.
And here we have yet another killer burger in Shanghai, and this oneās a doozy...
The āMeat Meā burger is made of ground aged premium beef, Australian brisket and chuck, topped with layers of house bacon, pickles and four kinds of cheese...
Grilled to a perfect medium rare, as you can see. Outstanding!
One menu item they did fortunately carry over from Liquid Laundry is the bucket of their outstanding fries and homemade dipping sauces....
If it aināt broke, as they say...
One other highlight for us was the smoked rabbit and wild mushroom terrine...
Wrapped in bacon, of course...
As with the main restaurant, Lilā Laundry is owned by Boxing Cat Brewery (which was just sold to Budweiser) so carries a full selection of their beers on tap, including a few of the LL exclusives, like the Workday IPA and Miami Weiss...
They also have a small brewing facility on-site here and rumor has it that Lilā Laundry will have a couple of exclusive brews of their own soon to pair with some of the new menu items...
What you see above is all from their lunch menu, but Iāll be heading back for dinner soon enough.
As happens when any successful restaurant spawns a sequel, debate has arisen about which Laundry folks here like better. For me, thereās no need to chose; from what Iāve seen so far, Lilā Laundry clearly separates itself from the original and weāre lucky thereās enough room in this town for two exciting eateries like these!
