/ Reviews / Cafe
Soup Bowl, To Go
by Tom Lee
on Friday, October 01, 2010 12:00 AM
At heart, Bowya is just an innocent little café with a selection of soups, sandwiches, pastas and desserts. It is, however, also situated right on the HuangPu's busy waterfront. Banking on cheap prices and no-fuss meals to lure in patrons seeking refreshment in between strolling along the Bund, it has the advantage of not utterly annihilating a monthly salary in one sitting. Located inside HuangPu Park, Bowya's philosophy revolves around caffeine fixes and nourishing eats; things that can just as easily be taken out onto the promenade or eaten inside the establishment.
To embody this premise inside a single item, Taiwanese Chef Wang developed Bowya's signature dish: the bread bowl soup. These nifty little creations use dough to fashion a vessel capable of holding liquid without any leakage - until one takes an overeager bite out of the bottom, that is. Apparently, it took Chef Wang hundreds of attempts to perfect the design, so that it not only holds the soup without over-saturation, but also maintains a delicious crispy crust and a fluffy, soft inside. To fill these mini-volcanoes are a variety of tastes; from the rich Cream Mushroom with Parma Ham (RMB26), to a stew-like Beef and Vegetable (RMB22).
Wandering outside, chewing on the crust and slurping up the hot soup, it's easy to imagine how these might be popular for those who like to walk and eat - in the winter. In the heat, however, it's better either to stick to munching inside the air-conditioned interior, or to take something cold. Sandwiches cost from RMB22 to 28 and are made fresh every day, including the regularly changing Chef's Selection, made based on the kitchen's whim and what's in season.
As its name suggests, coffee is a key component of Bowya, whether it's iced or hot. Coffee beans from Brazil are placed inside Swiss machines and mixed with fresh-from-the-cow milk (for those of a latte persuasion) to give a strong brew of caffeinated beverage.
Most of the menu is around the RMB25 mark, with the most expensive item - a sauce-filled American Seafood pasta - going for RMB36. You get what you pay for and it's not gourmet, but it is a reasonably cheap alternative that hits the spot.
The Bottom Line: Pop in for the unique bread bowl soup and a cup of fresh coffee if you're in the area, and in need of a reasonable nibble.
