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New Opening: Will You Make LOKAL your local?

2017-12-21 Cristina Ng ShanghaiWOWeng



Newly opened in the Hubindao Mall, LOKAL by Wagas, incorporates the greatest hits of both the Wagas and Baker & Spice menus alongside some things you can only find at LOKAL such as the Rock n Roll chicken (recipe by Kasper Elmholdt Pedersen of Pelikan) and Flying Fish with accompanying side dishes. It should be a welcomed addition in this mall that has neither a Wagas nor a Baker & Spice. In fact, they had only been open for about a month when we went in and they were full during off peak hours. 


The baked goods come from the group’s central bakery


They have a full coffee menu here as well


Since 'lokal' is the Danish word for 'local,' they wanted to create a warm environment that feels like home. The interior design was inspired by French street side coffee shops, so it is quite open and airy, with plenty of outside seating. The kitchen is visible and the counter is open; they hope to engage customers and have focused a large part of their training on staff learning the regulars and the regulars’ orders. It’s too soon to tell if this will be successful, but it's quite revolutionary for Shanghai. We would love to have our regular morning coffee order placed before we open our mouths! 


LOKAL’s outdoor seating area


Karma Karma (left), Gardener Pete (middle) and Sydney Sunset (right) juices


We began with a trio of juices, also featured on the B&S menu right now, and liked the green one best. While the Karma Karma juice has lots of vegetables (green peas, kale, celery with apple and avocado), it didn’t have a strong vegetable flavor. Gardener Pete is very earthy from the beetroot. Juices run RMB 36/small and RMB 40/large. 


The customizable Thai bowls (RMB 68) will be familiar if you frequent Wagas


The nice thing about LOKAL is the ability to mix and match from the customizable Asian bowls to the sides, available with either the Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken or the Flying Fish. The slaw, roasted corn, or cauliflower salad are all good veggie sides with nice use of herbs for flavor without heaviness. The roast potatoes, while simple, are probably our favorite side. We also like the option to add either carrot hummus or baba ganoush. The proteins are cooked well, especially the crisp, brown skin on the roast chicken. 


Grilled salmon with 2 sides: slaw and cauliflower, grape, walnut, herb salad (RMB 78)


3 fish patties with 2 sides: roasted corn and tabbouleh (RMB 68)


Quarter roast chicken with 2 sides: carrot hummus and roasted potatoes (RMB 68)


There is also the option to have the chicken in sandwiches. The Spicy Sichuan is a very interesting sandwich with green peppercorn chili. The French Classic is a more traditional sandwich with brie, apples, caramelized onions and fresh thyme. All sandwiches are RMB 65, not bad for a quick meal. 


So the question remains: should you make LOKAL your new neighborhood restaurant? If you live or work in the Xintiandi neighborhood it is a good option for your all-day dining needs. It is currently the only location of the concept, with no immediate plans for expansion. If you are a fan of Wagas and Baker & Spice, then you will definitely love being able to get the bestsellers in one place alongside the new additions at LOKAL. 


The French Classic Rolling Chicken sandwich


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