Le Cafe offers more than a few surprises, the first of which is its cavernous size. A large outside terrace gives way to a strip of alcove seats, which in turn leads into a massive, partially partitioned room and, basically, a few other large spaces.
Aimed at attracting the in-and-out lunchtime crowd, Le Cafe is doing a solid job of just that a few weeks into its existence, with a brief and breezy tick box menu and low prices clearly exerting pulling power. The decor is light, airy and Mediterranean in feel, with dusky-red floor tiles, oak furniture and wooden bookcases adding up to a pleasant atmosphere. Despite some nice touches, fake books and other faux art decor are also on display; but then, Le Café is aiming for a derivative vibe more than authenticity or culinary vision.
Salads, sandwiches, pizzas, steaks, rice lunch deals, coffee, tea – it’s all happening in line with the Chinese-friendly Western food handbook. And a good job they make of it too. We ordered the beef and pickled cabbage pizza (RMB48) to see how the quirky ingredients would turn out. Ten minutes later, behold: a well-made, thin-crust effort that is tasty and satisfying without any misfires.
The Caesar salad (RMB48) is also better than one might expect, combining a decent sauce coupled with the surprise of grilled shrimps. The bacon and croutons are too hard and too big respectively, but those are minor complaints.
The locally sourced rib-eye (RMB68) is a large slab of tender steak that lacks the meaty taste of a well-bred, well-grazed animal, relegating it to a passable offering that’s acceptably priced for those who don’t mind where their beef comes from. Highly recommended, however, comes the fruit tea (RMB29) – a refreshing jug of cha with large fruit pieces.
The wait staff are marginally more on the ball than usual for Shenzhen. Although some staring into space and eye-contact avoidance takes place in the post-lunch rush, water glasses are regularly refilled and food appears pronto by sheer force of numbers.
// 1/F, Bldg B, Haisong Bldg, Tairan Jiu Lu, Chegongmiao, Futian District 福田区车公庙泰然九路海松大厦B座一楼 (3322 1639)
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