查看原文
其他

New Opening: Energizing Latin American Flavors at Apollo

Sophie Steiner ShanghaiWOWeng 2018-11-30

I just finished a 3-course lunch, and instead of napping at my desk immediately upon arrival, I actually felt energized and ready to tackle the rest of my afternoon. That had never happened before…until I discovered Apollo.


Their menu is composed of Latin American flavors, from tostadas and tequeños to mole chicken and sofrito. However, I wasn’t surprised to find out that the chef Frederik Rasmussen is Danish since the healthy, modern, and clean ingredients found in Scandinavian cooking are easily recognizable in every dish that is served at Apollo. With Noma in mind, one of the world’s top restaurants as well as one of Denmark’s most intriguing concept restaurants, Apollo’s dishes are in-line with the New Nordic movement. This movement emphasizes the seasonality of ingredients and the ultimate goal of eating more sustainably. Veggies are no longer an afterthought, but rather one of the main focuses.

 


But this doesn’t mean that Apollo is a place just for small appetites and dainty portions. In fact, depending on the dishes you order, you could easily be stuffed after just two. It’s the quality of the ingredients and the proteins that make the portions match the price. But, no matter what, that satisfying sense of fullness won’t weigh you down.

 

Grab a window seat in their airy space downstairs to enjoy your lunch with a nice breeze and beautiful view of the tree-lined Anfu Lu; an excellent spot to people watch.

 

Sip either a coffee, one of the many creatively-named pressed-juices, or even their authentic South American maté as you peruse the lunch menu which is divided into appetizers, entrées, and desserts. You can either choose two courses for RMB 98 or three for RMB 118. Come here to catch up with a friend over a refreshing and healthy lunch, or to enjoy the mouthwatering cuisine while being productive during a working lunch.

 


We started off with the Tostadas, a crispy corn tortilla topped with creamy sliced avocado, juicy heirloom tomatoes, fresh pico de gallo salsa, grated lemon peel, and beetroot leaves. The brightness from the tomatoes balances out the richness of the avocados, with the baked tortilla crunch bringing it all together.  

 


The Mango Salad is light and refreshing with juicy, ripe mangoes served on a bed of rocket, radicchio, and green lettuce. Topped with a passion fruit vinaigrette for both texture and extra sour tanginess and served with a parsley salsa, this salad will make you actually excited to eat healthy.

 

The charred and succulent Grilled Prawn dish comes with three large peeled (yet head on) shrimp along with an array of three of the tastiest sauces I’ve ever had in Shanghai. From a nutty piquillo pepper Romesco sauce and a velvety pumpkin purée, to a sweet and luscious mango sauce, I shamelessly licked the bowl clean, unable to decide if I preferred to eat each on its own or smear my finger through all three. 


The dish comes with white corn tortillas for a DIY taco making food experience. However, since only two corn tortillas come with each serving, you end up eating part of it as a salad. Because the salad comes with the same passion fruit vinaigrette as the Mango Salad, we would suggest only ordering one of these two dishes when you stop in for lunch so you can save room for more variety.



You will quickly notice that each menu (brunch, lunch, and dinner) all offer at least one variety of Apollo’s famous Potato Waffle. Within the first bite, it’s easy to understand why this perfectly-executed, fluffy interior and crispy exterior waffle is a showcase item that marries well with any number of ingredients and proteins. 


We opted for the one served with chicken mole homemade sour cream and pico de gallo. Garnished with crisp cucumbers and loads of chopped cilantro, this fragrant dish is a serious crowd pleaser. Our only wish is that the generous serving of tender pulled chicken had more of that stronger, spicier, bitter-sweetness that is found in more authentic moles.

 


Can we just talk about this sour cream for a moment? Refreshing is usually not a word I would use to describe something that has both “sour” and “cream” in its name, however the sour cream at Apollo is on a whole new level. Smother cardboard with that sour cream and it would be good but, thankfully, Apollo serves it with flavorful meats that match in both quality and flavor.


With just one bite, the Braised Pork Neck could easily convert vegetarians back to meat. Almost like a southern-style chili without beans, this hearty bowl comes topped with a crunchy corn tortilla lid that conjures the same feeling as opening up a gift-wrapped present when lifted.



Fill your fork with tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork, brown butter grilled corn, roasted tomatoes, and more of that freakishly good sour cream. This dish is bursting with flavor, but not at all spicy, and great for those with a bigger appetite.


Dessert during lunch always feels too decadent, but skipping the Browned Butter Cake at Apollo would be a big mistake. Start with a bite of the luscious Semifreddo Muscovado (cane sugar) ice cream, a cold compliment to the deconstructed buttery cake and crunchy homemade caramel popcorn. Bites of butterscotch caramel are dotted throughout the entire dessert, bringing a salty, sweet, and creamy texture to the combination of squishy and crunchy pieces of crumbled cake. This is one of the most well-balanced desserts in terms of both flavor and texture, and the whimsical presentation makes it memorable and worth coming back for.



If you're coming for dinner, make your way upstairs where you’ll be greeted with vaulted wooden ceilings, an open kitchen, and rustic décor; an all-around cozy spot for a dinner that feels familiar in a comforting way. I’m partial to open kitchens where I can always observe the controlled chaos of a restaurant kitchen, but the expertly-executed flow at Apollo does not disappoint.  

 

The dinner menu is the restaurant’s pride and joy, with options divided across snacks, “the earth” (fully vegetarian options), “the sea,” “the land,” and “treats.” Depending on the dishes you order, 2-3 per person is a good start, and you can always add more if wanted. Spice up your average date night by picking choices from the various parts of the menu together, and Apollo will space out the timing, presentation, and order of your dishes so that the whole experience feels like a tasting venue. The same goes for their brunch menu, which offers dinner menu favorites as well as other dish options that have been tweaked to fit a brunch appetite.

 

Menu items will rotate every few weeks with classics staying in place, but small changes are being made to fit their clientele’s wants and palettes. Next week, Apollo will be mixing up the beef tartare on the dinner menu to include fresh ground wasabi and crunchy daikon. After our fantastic lunch dining experience, we’ve already made dinner reservations to come back to sample the entire menu.

 

Address: 201 Anfu Lu

Tel: 21 5404 0998

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11am-12am; Saturday to Sunday, 10am-12am

Related Articles




45-Year-Old Shengjian Shop Stays True to Old Shanghai Values



A Hidden Gem from Xinjiang: Shanghai's Friday Muslim Market

    您可能也对以下帖子感兴趣

    文章有问题?点此查看未经处理的缓存