/ Reviews / American
American Feast
by Tom Lee
on Friday, May 20, 2011 12:00 AM
Chef Eric Brown is a ubiquitous man. Since arriving in China to work at the now defunct Finestre many moons ago, he's spiced up Mexico Lindo out in HongQiao, dallied with the Vargas Group establishments and clambered over Pinnacle Peak. Suffice it to say, Mr Brown has been around. This time, however, he reckons he's found a place where he can rest his weary feet for a little while.
On the cusp of LuJiaZui, Chloe's is an ode to American cuisine, from Tex-Mex like the chunky Tortilla Soup (RMB58), to modern Cali cuisine such as the Seared Ahi (RMB48). Owner Danny van Elten - also a stalwart Shanghai expat, who's worked in the hotel industry and at Three on the Bund - has allowed Eric Brown a lot of free rein, and Chef Eric has utilized every bit of his experience in the food and beverage industry to create the menu.
While by no means the sole house special, there is a lot of pizza. Particularly appetite-whetting are the deep-pan variety, with crusts so thick and crammed with Australian mozzarella they look like pies. More expensive than the generic kind also available here, the deep-pan pizzas will set you back RMB98 for nine inches and RMB128 for 12 inches.
The gas grill plays another important part in Chloe's overall scheme. Using it, the kitchen create "Big E's" signature Buffalo Wings (RMB68 for 12) and Ribs (RMB58) for a half slab). Marinated in Louisiana-style hot sauce, the wings are served at "wimpy", "blazing" or "incendiary" spice levels. Just as shocking as these explosions, the rack of ribs is galling in size. Steeped in the chef's barbecue sauce, then boiled, then baked in more barbecue sauce, and finally grilled, followed by a coating of yet more barbecue sauce, these ribs are tender and overloaded with smoky-sweet accents.
Nobody would ever get away with marketing Chloe's as healthy. Part of its appeal is the calorie-toting, devil-may-care, cowboy attitude towards food. The crispy Fried Pickles (RMB38) are the kind of treacherous snacks that sport aficionados catching a game on the television or pool sharks playing a round on the felt table will be devouring between gulps of draught beer without even realizing it.
This union between two experienced Shanghai hands nonchalantly delivers the best of down-home American cuisine.
