This is a brand new restaurant right near digital square. It is in the same building as the "CityOne" apartment complex, hence the English name "City One 86".
I had lunch there on the first day of operations. The food is a very nice mix of Chinese and Western food. We ordered several dishes to share. Definitely try the Shrimp Ball Noodles, which are a house specialty. We also had the Chicken Rice (Ji1pa2fan4), BBQ Roasted Pork (Cha1shao1rou4) and pizza, all recommended.
The staff was courteous, if a little nervous. Very clean and tastefully decorated. All in all, highly recommended. For me, this place is a good alternative to Maizi Dawang for my foreign guests who come to the Software Park, so I will be going there often. Pricing is mid-range, in the 30s for lunch.
Very much missing a good American steak, I hopped over to Red Family Western Restaurant, located in the Heping Guangchang shopping mall. It's on the second floor outside, not easy to miss. Be sure to get a seat by the wall, in the wide, comfortable chairs.
I went for the American T-bone steak meal. At 88 yuan, it came with the buffet, soup and salad, but drinks are extra. The steak was so-so, certainly better than the cheap places we sometimes frequent, but not as tasty nor as thick as I had hoped. A lot of gristle which made it hard to cut and chew.
The french fries were a pleasant surprise, as they came hot and fresh. The soup and veggies, though, were only a little warmer than room temperature. The buffet has a pretty good selection of vegetables, soups, and chinese stir-fried dishes.
I will probably go back for lack of anything better in the area. I still want a good American steak like I can get at Morton's.
5188peter
