Super Guide to Western Food in Qingdao
Posted on September 10th, 2008 by james
[updated 04/17/09]
I’m writing this for people living in Qingdao, people visiting Qingdao, and most importantly myself because I can never figure out what I want to eat. Chinese food is good. There’s no question there. The problem is that eating out is a group thing. The best restaurants are made for 4+ people. You know, the big round tables with the lazy susannes spinning, zhongnanhai’s gettin up in ya lungs and white liquor going straight to the cerebral cortex. Sure you can still go to these places by yourself or with a friend, but the dishes are all big mofos and you can’t get a whole lot of styles in your order unless you plan on wasting a load of food. So I’ve put together this list of western food joints that Qingdao has. It is divided into two parts. Places that suck balls and places that don’t. My list will feature ISO9000 approved point form rational to make your selection fast and efficient. And yeah I know there’s the redstar and Qingdao guide websites that will show you where they are, but they don’t list some, and they sure as shit don’t tell you if the ones listed are any good.
Places that suck the kahck
Sumo Sushi
- Absurdly expensive sushi, think 25 kuai for one piece the size of a baby’s toe.
- Serious case of the mei-you’s*
- Service is probably the worst I’ve ever experienced in Qingdao, took close to an hour to get our appetizer despite seeing other people who came in after us get theirs much earlier. We had to sit at the bar because other tables were supposedly reserved; yet no one sat at the tables over the 2-hour course of our meal. Waitresses didn’t understand CHINESE. This is because it’s 100% Japanese owned and operated, and even the waitresses are Japanese. BUT this is CHINA retards. If I were Chinese I would come back to this place with a canteen of gas.
- In fact if you go to this place and give them your hard earned loot, you might as well just pay someone to urinate in your mouth while you sleep. It’s the same.
- Also the food sucked.
Murano
- Unless there’s another place that serves ‘53 Margaux like it’s going out of style this is the most expensive restaurant in Qingdao.
- Pasta tastes about as good as I could make it, which means…bleah
- Service is about on par with any other western place, and considering the price of everything plus the service charge, they should be giving you the soufflé special in the back room for what you end up paying.
Bamboo
- The only so-called thai restaurant in town.
- Food is expensive considering what it is. (30-40 kuai a dish)
- All the dishes taste really bland and not spicy, which is pretty much the exact opposite of real thai food.
- Service is anemic.
Napoli
- Advertises as a wine bar/italian restaurant but inside there is no bar whatsoever
- Pastas start at 80 kuai and taste no better than Chef Boyardi’s bastard child
- I’ve heard from a former employee they reuse food. Nuff said.
Sunshine Grill
- Lots of expensive steaks that can be had elsewhere for less.
- Horribly nasty all you can eat lunch buffet for 100 or is it 120 kuai?
- Pretty much everything else on their menu looks like it’s dying from the bubonic plague.
TJ’s Mexican Food
- This place is to Mexican food as a drunken midget is to porn.
- Prices are reasonable, if you like eating chili powder with a small side of food.
- The Nachos are the only redeeming thing on the menu, otherwise, everything else tastes exactly the same.
- Seriously…to the owner of this place…if you want to see how a Mexican restaurant is done, go to Cantina Agave in Shanghai. Case closed.
Sorrento’s Pizza/JJ’s Pizza/Farmer’s Pizza
- These Korean run pizza places don’t really suck so bad, but the pizza is pretty bad compared to proper North American pizza.
- They all use whack ingredients, and shit quality cheese.
- JJ’s uses excessively sweet tomato sauce.
- Farmer’s uses almost no sauce.
- But they all deliver so that’s all they’re good for.
Vietnamese Restaurant in Hisense Shopping Mall (In the basement level)
- Unreasonably expensive for Vietnamese food, but I guess they have to pay the stupid rent to be in the Hisense mall somehow.
- Considering the price, you would think they could have decent sized portions, but no, the pho bowls were all sized for toddlers. Come on man, it’s just noodles!
- The spring rolls were pretty tasty.
- Most of the menu is just Chinese food, or Vietnamese dishes that have been sinofied.
- You have to ask for hot sauce and oyster sauce…umm hello?
- Try it once if you must, but Yueyuxuan in HKGardens has better tasting pho, and is like a third the price.
Places that DON’T SUCK (In order of awesomeness with the slackers at the bottom)
Trattoria Verde
- Best Italian food in Qingdao hands down.
- The place is small and is always packed so make a reservation or you won’t get in.
- The kitchen is open at the back so you can see the work of the Japanese chef on the go, he’s super friendly and takes care of his customers.
- Prices were once reasonable (Cheaper than Napoli and Murano), but have now inflated to borderline unacceptable levels. Think about a 63% increase in some dishes, that’s even higher than the crazy 10% national inflation rate.
- The most of the specials here are seafood dishes, although you can get steaks and the standard but still delicious pasta plates.
- Ironic that the best Italian food in Qingdao is being cooked by a Japanese chef, while the restaurants with supposed Italian chefs are mostly garbaggio.
- Phone number: (+86 532) 8589-8530
- Address: 100 Shanghang Lu
Cassini’s
- Runner up to best Italian food.
- Recently I’ve been enjoying this place more and more, prices are stable, unlike other establishments, and they’ve got the real deal gelato going on.
- Atmosphere upstairs is Modern, and more spacious than than Tratoria.
- Lots of options, from pizza and sandwiches to full mains. Everything I’ve tried has been tasty.
- Although the owners/chefs seem alright, the waitstaff could be better. Right now I would say it’s just average for China, and if you know, that ain’t great. If it were to improve I think Cassini’s could take the #1 spot.
The Greenery Cafe
- This Guangzhou based chain has a clean and modern interior.
- Similar to Chalon, with lots of western based dishes. Prices are better though. And the food quality seems a bit better too.
- Lunches are a good deal with a healthy sized main dish and dessert for 18-25rmb
- They charge a 2rmb seating fee per person, which although insignificant, would become a serious pain in the ass if its occurrence propagated among middle market restaurants here.
- Located in the mess of a building on the other-side of the street facing Crown Plaza, on the second floor.
Story Desserts
- Interestingly decorated place that focuses on desserts, coffee and vino.
- Desserts are the best I’ve had in Qingdao
- Owner/Managers actually care and listen to their clientele.
- Open long hours from 11am-11pm so it’s good when that sweet
- Located in the old location of Banana bar right next to Amy’s Bakery, on the little street that runs behind Feelings Nightclub.
tooth needs a fix late in the evening.
Chi Nuan Lian Izakaya
- Best Japanese Izakaya in Qingdao.
- Open till 1 or 2am usually.
- Not cheap, but not too expensive depending on what you get.
- Super special udon and soba recipes that the Japanese chef stole from a samurai ninja warrior right before he chopped off his head with a ginsu sushi knife.
- Like two doors over from LeBang, wooden exterior, and you’ll know you’re there when a life size ULTRAMAN greets you at the door.
- 19 Chenghai Yi Lu. Phone 8593 5719.
Fatema Indian
- Very tasty Indian food.
- Good variety of dishes.
- But ssssssssssssslllllllllloooooooow.
- Also a little on the pricier side. (250 kuai for 2 people). But they were up till recently the only Indian place in Qingdao thus they had monopoly control and very well could have been feeding us PEOPLE dressed up as Indian food.
Barocook
- Very cheap Korean fast food.
- I enjoy the chicken burgers or toasted sandwiches for 7-9rmb, also massive chicken cutlet for only 25rmb.
- Open late on weekends.
LeBang
- Two for one pizzas on Sundays is good, but I’ve since eaten one too many.
- Sandwiches are also good.
- Prices are reasonable but have been slowly creeping upwards just like everywhere else.
- The bar has a good selection of Pernod and Vodka, and that’s all me needs.
Pyongyang
- A NORTH KOREAN restaurant.
- Real live North Koreans serve you food. But don’t trip over the chains attached to their legs.
- Pretty much tastes like any other Korean food place, but with a novelty factor to the power of 63.
- See my previous post on it here.
Yueyuxuan (越饫轩)
- Good Vietnamese food in Qingdao.
- The only Vietnamese food in Qingdao.
- Pretty cheap considering its “exoticness”.
- It’s on Zhangzhou Er Lu (66 hao) in HK garden very close to Baskin Robbins.
Celena’s Chocolate Bar
- Cafe/dessert place located in the Aushotel at Yan’an Rd. and Hong Kong West Rd.
- Very clean and modern design. What this actually translates into is chairs that feel like they’re going to launch into space.
- Prices are expensive and portions are small, so basically you’re just paying to be on the set of 2001 Space Odyssey.
- Japanese fashion magazines brought back memories of Doll’s Kitchen…unfortunately they didn’t have Egg.
- The food itself? The chocolate is all top notch quality. The waffles were a bit on the sweet side for my tastes, not to mention doused in chocolate sauce, but if you like sweet things, you can’t go wrong here.
Monnemer Eck
- German/Bavarian what have you, I don’t know?
- Has lots of sausages and potatoes.
- Good German beer on tap that’s a nice switch from Tsingtao.
- Prices are good, maybe 50 kuai/person.
- German people are friendly when they’re drunk.
May 4th Diner
- It isn’t a diner.
- But it does serve food that can be very tasty.
- And sometimes not so tasty
- And sometimes the service is very good
- And sometimes the waiters have their heads stuck up their asses they resemble popple dolls from the 80’s.
- But more often than not it’s still pretty good.
JUSCO
- Jusco is a large mall type complex on Hong Kong middle road at Fuzhou South Road.
- It is owned by a Japanese corporation, and as such is filled with a cornucopia of Japanese products and restaurants.
- In it, you will find some good Japanese restaurants all priced very reasonably.
- Be warned however, Jusco also contains an outpost of the unholy army of Ronald McDonald, and a food court that is most certainly owned and operated by MSG companies.
Japanese restaurant across from DaNiang dumplings 2nd floor jusco
- My new favorite place inside of Jusco.
- Very good quality pork cutlets, and more food than you can handle for 25-40rmb.
- Never too busy, so it sure as hell beats standing in line for Aijisen.
Aijisen(in jusco)
- Ubiquitous Japanese noodle chain restaurant.
- Very cheap.
- Usually decent tasting but not amazing.
- Usually pretty fast unless you order something unusual, like deep-fried squid infused with goose liver flown in from the Bermuda triangle.
Japanese place opposite McDo’s in Jusco (Sorry can’t remember name)
- Interesting pancake/burger like things that I can’t really describe.
- Cheap and will fill you up.
- Very tasty potatoes.
- Supposedly Osaka style according to my friend…who’s from Osaka.
Istanbul - Turkish in food court of IGO
- Good Turkish food.
- Very cheap.
- You have to get one of those stupid payment cards to buy food there.
- The location is so absurd for this type of place it’s sure to be bankrupt in a matter of months.
- The chef is Turkish, but can only speak Turkish and German, no English, which makes me wonder how the hell he gets along in this country considering the only two languages spoken are Mandarin and English.
Chalon(in jusco)
- Japanese western food, made by Chinese people.
- Lots of meats that don’t cost an arm and a leg.
- Very consistent quality and service.
- Good fall back plan when nothing else suits.
Kalinka’s
- Russian place behind mykal.
- Food is decent. Although I can’t say I’m really into Russian food.
- They used to (or may still have) 30rmb lunches that were very good and were like 4 courses.
Pasta Fresca Al Salvatore
- Italian food.
- Best pizza I’ve had in Qingdao so far, although that isn’t saying much, it was still up to Dominos level.
- Prices were about the same as Napoli or LaVilla so think about 100-150 per person.
- Didn’t try the Pasta, but I’ve heard it’s decent.
- For some reason it always seems empty.
LaLuna
- Italian/French type food.
- Service was good, food was good.
- Price was a bit cheaper than its sucky counterparts.
- Might not be open anymore because the mob might have shut it down in a gangbanger shootout where the french owner was heard yelling “SACRE BLUE!” before transmuting into a frog and hopping to his safety???
- update: definitely no more
Your Mom’s Place
- I love home cooking.
I will also be adding and updating to this list as I remember and try out places, or when I get really bored.
* For those that don’t know the mei-you’s or 没有 is what the waitress says when they don’t have what you want. It literally means, “no-have”. Normally excusable, it can get uber-frustrating as often half the things on the menu will be mei-yous. I can deal with it at Chinese places because they all have like 300 items on their damned menu, but when it happens at a supposedly upscale western restaurant…heads roll.
Filed under: quick guides, things i ate
cool post! This will be much more useful than some of the magazines circulating around Qingdao!
Any word on where you got your bike?
hek
I should have seen this before. But, too late.Now I know the local digs. I can’t write about them because I don’t know their names (the establishments - if you can call them that), nor the food I eat. I use a sophisticated way of ordering, i.e., I take the fuyen(?), around the place, then point out what I want from other diner’s tables. Surprisingly the locals are not annoyed. I ended up having dinner with one lovely lady one lucky night.
Oh, your blogs are precious.
Hek: I got my bike overseas, and brought it over as luggage. Post on biking coming soon.
Fonitsua: That’s a good way of ordering food, actually one of the best because you know exactly what you’re getting. And thanks.
He he nice post…I m just packing my bags to set of on a weekend trip to Qingdao..ny clue whether I would be avble to get some veg food…nythg…
SSM,
That’s a good question. Unfortunately I am not aware of any places that are straight up vegetarian only, or vegan. BUT, Almost any Chinese restaurant you go to will have a wide assortment of vegetable dishes. Also, I know for a fact that LeBang, Tratoria Verde, May 4th Diner and Fatema’s Indian all have vegetarian dishes. Whether or not they are hardcore vegetarian (ie. no animal products whatsoever) I am unsure. Best ask, but I know if you do ask them to make them without, they should be able to do that without a fuss. Jusco also has pre-made salads among other things that are good for lunch or a snack.
hi! was in qingdao on sunday and monnemer eck looks like it’s been abandoned… 9pm at night and it was shut. the little yard in front looks like it hasn’t been watered in months. i wonder if it’s still in business?
didn’t manage to find pyongyang… i walked along that street and it looked like one seafood joint after another…yunxiao rd right?
I found a korean place near my apartment called Tu Da Li.
Plus: cold draft beer, great french fries, meet on stick is really meat on stick and its open 24!
Neg: limited selection, not really a bar, fugly waitresses!
hek
James - loved your website and will continue to check for updates
Where is Tratoria Verde located? May I have the # please? Thanks.
Josie - sorry for the late reply, I have added the address and phone # to the listing. I appreciate the comment!
Dear friend
this is Stefano ( Napoli restaurant ) .
….have you never been in Napoli? Do you know what is traditional authentic italian food? anyway i dont want try to fight with your opinion about my restaurant, i serve to my guest authentic italian dish i use only de cecco pasta or barilla, imported peeled tomato from italy, i use only extravirgin olive oil from italy ( not from…, not from ….) if you check in internet you will know why. Buffalo mozzarella cheese, fresh fish and fresh vegetables everyday etc. etc. etc., Napoli is almost full everyday, maybe ( if you have been in napoli ) you dont like my style, maybe sometimes for sure can be something wrong especially when is very busy.
About wine bar: in the basement of napoli there is the wine bar, unfortunately is not full operating because the restaurant is too busy and i prefered to focus on the restaurant business, but all my guest know we have wine bar with a huge choice of wines, karaoke and book exchange and often they book for private party. in anycase everybody come to enjoy a nice glass wine and some fingerfood also upstairs. What i really dont like in your post is aboutfood recycle o reuse: NEVER NEVER NEVER, in 25 years service in kitchen i never done something like that, and you or whoelse can come ask and chek anytime.
Napoli is Stefano, not just a copycat italian restaurant, so if somebody dont like Napoli is just because dont like me.
Hope to see you soon in Napoli, to enjoy authentic traditional italian food and Stefano hospitality.
wish you happy everyday my friend
Stefano
chef/manager
Napoli Italian Wine Bar Restaurant
QINGDAO
napoli.restaurant@hotmail.com
…..
Thanks buddy! By the way..the Vietnamese place was GREAT. Cheap and good food. Brought some friends who were here from the South for the week and they loved it!
Dear Stefano,
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my blog posting about Western Restaurants in Qingdao. I’m especially grateful being as you are the owner of one of the restaurants I have listed.
On further review I’ll admit that having your restaurant at the top of the list of the restaurants I don’t like is a little undeserved. While I do not think the food I ate at your restaurant was terrible, I certainly think it could have been much better for the price. You mention that you only use Cecco or Barilla pastas. These are both dried pastas. If I go to a restaurant and pay 80-120RMB for a dish I expect fresh pasta. I don’t think this is too demanding considering that many Italian restaurants in Shanghai or Beijing are capable of it.
In regards to the comment about the wine bar; I am sorry to hear that it isn’t in full operation, yet I am happy that you are focusing entirely on the restaurant side. What I mean is that it’s better to do one thing really well, than to do two things only so-so. I just found it misleading that it was advertised as such in signs and in expat magazines. I also wish you would offer more than just one house wine by the glass (and if you do continue to do so, at the least make it a nice sized glass for the 50RMB price).
I will take you claim as to not re-using food as truth. I will strike-out that part of the post. I’ll take Napoli out of the top position on the bad list, and replace it with a restaurant I do truly hate, Sumo Sushi.
Hi James - just found your site, its always good to see more resources available for people living in or visiting Qingdao, (even if my opinions differ about some of your selections/comments - to be expected, we all have different tastes!). Just one thing, i agree that the magazines (i own one of them) cannot always tell readers the restaurants that are good/the best. But we honestly do try to cover the city as well as we can, and be unbiased in our selections. All content is unsponsored (except for advertising that is…) and whenever we find a new, decent place, we always try to add it to the listings. Its great that you have highlighted some places I am unaware of / not tried yet, and I will make sure to get these into the magazine for next month - Dec-08 issue. If I could just add that we launched a new product a few months ago called Pocket Qingdao, basically to attempt to do what you say the mags don’t do - that is offer a shortlist of what we think is the best selection of restaurants (western, asian, chinese), bars, sights and so on, and package this in a handy box set. The selection will not suit everybody and places change etc, but its a genuine selection that is totally unsponsored. We are working on v2 now and have put a survey online to encourage input. We too want to know what are the best places to eat (eat) in town. If you are interested please take a look here: http://www.myredstar.com/en/guide/attractions/place/qingdao/pocket_qingdao
Cheers, keep it up.
Hey Ian,
I’m not hating on Redstar, and I know very well that you can’t bite the hand that feeds you. Not to mention the mag is an excellent resource for everyone in terms of addresses and phone numbers for all these places. I think of this post as more of a supplement to whats already available rather than a stand alone guide.
I’ve seen the pocket Qingdao cards and I think they’re a good idea, I’ll be looking forward to seeing the 2.0 version once they’re off the press.
Great honest reviews! Keep it up. By the way there is a new Vietnamese restaurant in town:
http://www.thatsqingdao.com/qingdao-restaurants/international-vietnamese/riyuexuan-vietnamese-restaurant.html
~cheers
James,
I’ve read your comments with great interest. I just want to add that Da Milano is not dead. Elio has been back in town for a couple of weeks and hired some local people to keep it going — he’s changing it more into a trattoria kind of neighborhood place with more emphasis on the pizza for the winter. It’s still the best place for authentic Italian gelato, and the pizza’s pretty good, too.
Now, as for Stefano’s cooking at Napoli — I had the wonderful dining experience of eating the best fish of my life there at the auction to raise money for victims of the Chengdu earthquake. Stefano is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. The house wine is a pretty good one, too.
My flat-out favorite restaurant in Qingdao is Fatema. Shamim, the chef, spent twelve years in Athens working at Indian restaurants where he learned how to cook. He uses an authentic Tandoori oven. I NEVER try to rush when I go to Fatema — it’s my haven, a place to slow down and relax. I consider Shamim and Cao Quin, his wife, as personal friends and always enjoy their wonderful hospitality.
You didn’t mention Lisa’s Mediterranean Restaurant, which many expats consider has pretty decent food at okay prices. Both Lisa’s and the Diner have better french fries than you’ll ever get at any of the fast food places. The Diner is getting a reputation for the place to go for a good cheeseburger, too.
The place to drink a good French champagne is, surprise, surprise, LeBang!
For a big blowout, there is no place like the Crowne Plaza’s buffet with several cuisines to choose from. My favorites, the Mexican and Indian restaurants, have excellent food. It is as pricey as it gets, but, and here’s the kicker, it’s worth it!
However, I did wander in one time, just to try it, and ordered a pizza for 80 rmb. My home-made pizza is far superior, but I think my pizza is better than anyone else’s here in Qingdao. You’re welcome to come over for my pizza some time.
I’m an American mom with my 22-year-old son, James, here with me. He also came in September, bringing his bicycle with him. This morning we had pancakes for breakfast.
We both like to go for dumpling soup at a nearby hole-in-the-corner where we live in Sifeng. I get a jian bing gao ze from the street vendor on our seafood lane almost every day. I’ve become a valued regular — yesterday the vendor blew me a kiss and let me get served before another customer, who graciously agreed to wait a bit longer.
My favorite Chinese restaurant is a large busy place behind the public library on Shandong Road. Their plate of dumplings are superb. There is a long line of red lanterns down the porch at the front. You can sit on the porch in wood chairs. I always run into people I know at this restaurant, but I’m sorry that I don’t have the name.
Also, I must say that Pasta Fresca da Salvatore has great food. I’ve sampled several of their dishes and liked every one of them. Even though it’s expensive, it’s high quality and the ambience is authentic Italian.
Let’s see, what have I missed here? Oh, Jusco… there’s a little place tucked away near the stairway in the middle that serves eclairs that are to die for. I can’t believe that i passed this up for nearly a year before I finally tried one.
Also, there’s a Korean restaurant with really decent food near Tai Dong. Again, I don’t remember the name. And there’s a seafood Chinese restaurant in Badaguan where you can sit out right on the waterfront with great service, entertainment, and good food.
Really, I think eating out in Qingdao is a great adventure. I’m happy that we have so many different restaurants to try and that we have so many cuisines to choose from!
Ariel,
I value your thorough comment and I will update my post to reflect some of the things you’ve mentioned.
I however am not as optimistic as you are on the Qingdao food situation…mostly because I’ve been spoiled by food in far better restaurants elsewhere.
Good stuff, particularly your take on Bamboo. Probably a great place to get beer googles but it should be a crime that they claim to serve Thai food!
As a confirmed Viet foodie and long time HoChiMinh resident, I have to say the Vietnamese place in HiSense Plaza has got great possibilities. Even though they took the peanuts and red onion out of the green papaya salad to “accomodate” local tastes, they were quick to rework it!
On the Indian scene, I have to give Yamuna the edge. A bit more pricer but, as the old adage goes, “you get what you pay for” and a jumbo prawn at Yamuna might be considered a whale at the “place” across town, nonetheless, Fatema has a lot of good points like you say.
Thanks again for the hard work to keep us too lazy to do it up to date!
the owner of bamboo usually throws herself in with the meal. now that’s value!!!
That Japanese restaurant Izaka Ya is called Chi Nuan Lian I think, here’s the website: http://chinuanlian.mhqx.com/jieshao.html
And the address is 19 Chenghai Yi Lu
赤暖帘
澄海一路19号
8593 5719
Also, yes greenery cafe kicks arse, but I think La Villa is cool again - they’ve restarted the tapas menu, put 30% off french food, 30% off wine (with a RS card) and have buy one get one free cocktails. Thank god for the economic crisis!
Good talking last night mate, love the blog. See ya soon.
james , on February 14th, 2009 at 1:41 pm
Cheers Neil,
Good talking for sure, and I’ve updated the post. La Villa’s review has been sent to purgatory for the moment, I’ll re-evaluate them sometime this week, I’d like to throw them into the good list. God knows we need more good places to eat here.
Oh and bad news - Tortillas has closed. It’s turned into another wanky coffeeshop like all the other places nearby. They were in some weird transitonal phase last time I went, and cobbled together a tiny burrito-resembling canape for 25 kuai, but don’t bet on it next time you go. We have TJ’s Mexican now instead, near LPG (who also do some good bar food). I haven’t been but I hear Taco Tuesday is pretty good.
I decided to try and get discounts at these restaurants without the RedSTAR-Card. Most all of them gave me a preferred “laowai” VIP card at NO COST. Good thing I didn’t waste my money on the RS-Card.
Most restaurant owners treat their loyal patrons quite well and should offer these discounts and promotions to ALL. The idea of a preferred PAID VIP CARD won’t go over well with masses.