/ Reviews / Korean
Spicy Kimchi and Sushi Rolls
by Tom Lee
on Friday, December 25, 2009 12:00 AM
The third branch of Korean-Japanese restaurant Qing Hui Lou is looking shiny and new, spick and span. A selection of complimentary hors d'oeuvres and appetizers are provided prior to the meal, allowing diners a moment to take in the scenery. Circular booths built into the aesthetic water features occupy the interior, while tables line the windows overlooking Lujiazui. For the Christmas season, the restaurant is somewhat gaudily decked out with flashing, glittery lights, in stark contrast to the smartly dressed patrons easing in after work.
Meat at Qing Hui Lou is apparently in short supply. Both the Noodles with Meat and Mixed Vegetables (RMB48), and the Rice mixed with Egg, Minced Beef and Vegetables (RMB48), have a balanced consistency - the fragrant mushrooms and fresh greens countering the lackluster performance of the miniscule sprinklings of meat, which add little to the mix.
A very traditional plate of Green Onion with Seafood Pancake (RMB45), though not abundant in the fruits of the ocean, has enough shrimp to enhance the lightly gelatinous base.
Korean items on the menu generally trump their Japanese partners, with the exception of the Nanpu Bridge Roll, a sushi monument that acts as a welcome complement to the heavier cuisine. Rice encircles a salmon and salad cream filling, topped off with speckles of orange fish eggs, green spring onion and a smattering of sesame seeds.
This still fails to compare with the Kimchi Soup (RMB38), which provides a deliciously spicy remedy for the windy winter days. Boiled up, the kimchi has surprisingly sweet juices, so that the soup wafts an almost tomato-like savor.
Authentic taste is of paramount importance to the owners in all the dishes. Compared to other establishments of similar type in Shanghai, Qing Hui Lou's Korean food is notably reminiscent of the streets of Seoul, though it's certainly no dead ringer.
The Bottom Line: A well-dressed restaurant, designed to attract the business crowds for lunch and dinner meals.
