Tag: Shenzhen

The second city in China that I got to visit on my family trip was Shenzhen. I had previously written about Frankie’s – the American pub that gave me a little taste of home. In this post I am writing about a very traditional Chinese meal we had at Laurel. The restaurant is located in the giant shopping mall where we spent most of the day.

 

The meal started off with an appetizer – some pickled seaweed and chicken feet. The seaweed was salty and a little chewy. However, I cannot tell you about the chicken feet because I could not bring myself to try them.

We got a sweet and sour pork that came with pineapple and green/red peppers. It was an awesome sweet/tangy combination. The sauce was wonderful.

I got a bowl of minced beef soup. It was like a cross between an egg drop soup and a hot and sour soup you would find in the states. It too was really flavorful.

The next dish we tried was an onion pancake. It was almost like a tortilla that had scallions mixed in. It was unique and different.

The scallops were large and came with a plate full of fresh vegetables. This dish was simplistic and did not have a sauce. The only flavor you got was from the garlic it was cooked in.

Dumplings were a must at dinner. They were extremely fresh and the filling was nice and tender.

For dessert, I had a coconut pudding with sweet beans. It may look funny but it was a great ending to the dinner. The sweetness helped balance out all the salty flavors that we had.

 

 

Enjoy!

T

 

While on my family trip to China, one of our stops was in Shenzhen, China (a major city in Southern China that is right on the border with Hong Kong). One of the reasons for our stop here was so my father could show us around. He has been doing business in this area for over 20 years.

While getting to explore a different country is exciting, after a certain amount of time it’s only natural to start feeling homesick. This is where Frankie’s comes into play; this is where my father and all other ex-pats come to get a little home cooking. So naturally I could not wait to check this place out.

As soon as I walked in I could have sworn I was in a bar in Boston or Chicago. There were all the classics: a wooden bar, sports memorabilia on the walls, NFL football on the tv – all to make visitors feel like they were home.

The atmosphere was just part of the experience, the menu sealed the deal with hot dogs, hamburgers, and French fries, all the comforts of home. I went for the hot dog – grilled up on a toasted bun and covered in homemade relish. Their relish was amazing and extremely fresh. I was never more excited to have a hot dog. Their French fries also hit the spot as they added a little seasoning salt to them. But a classic American meal at a bar would not be complete without a nice cold draft beer! I was very excited the see draft beer.

We got to meet the manager Clay, who was originally from West Virginia. He has a wonderful establishment that is truly one of a kind in Shenzhen.

If you find yourself in Shenzhen and you are feeling homesick then you have to go to Frankie’s. They make you feel like you are home – even if it’s just for a few hours.

Check them out at: www.frankies-bar.com

Enjoy!

T