Tucked away in a leafy area of quiet streets near Shekou Port, the Red Rooster is a fine bar with ample seating space, a pool table, sports channels and a secluded beer garden. They have a special on Tsingtao draught with the first large (frozen) mug costing RMB20 and each mug thereafter decreasing in price until the fifth will only set you back RMB5. From there on every mug costs RMB5 so, in one way, the more you drink the more money you are saving. They also serve decent bar food. The burger is a proper filler by anyone’s standards. They could invest in a few more CD’s but Red Rooster, whether it’s your starting point for a night on the town or a base for a lazy Sunday afternoon, still comes in as a charmer.

Tairyo has to be one of the most successful Japanese restaurants in China. They have outlets all over the country. The two in Shenzhen are of the same standard as those in other cities. The menu mostly consists of items to be grilled on the hot plate but also includes sushi, sashimi and other Japanese dishes. The best deal here is the RMB150 buffet, which includes alcohol. Customers can sit at the hot plate and watch their fillet steaks being grilled or for a more private evening choose a table and have their orders brought to them. Japanese food lovers, curious novices, those yearning for good red meat at affordable prices and anyone excited by the idea of unlimited beer and sake will get a kick out of this place. On weekends it is best to book ahead.

 

Second Location:

 

Amigos is a Tex-Mex restaurant that also has Italian dishes, seafood and steaks. The food is good, the portions are generous and the English speaking staff are efficient without being unnecessarily formal. This is Western food served in a Chinese way, so if you don't want your main course to arrive before you are finished your starter you had better request so beforehand. It's a little weaker on the bar front, seeing that it is laid out more like a restaurant than a pub (with pictures of famous Texans and Mexicans like, er, Audrey Hepburn decorating the walls). Then again the outdoor-seating area makes it a pleasant place to sink a few.

 

A meal (consisting of starter and main course) here will cost about RMB100-150 per person. Beers cost RMB16-45 and mixed drinks are RMB45. A 10% service charge applies.

 

At Da Angelo's you can enjoy authentic Mediterranean cuisine in an amicable atmosphere. The chef, Roberto Cimmino, prepares a menu of all the staple Italian favourites as well as specials, with an emphasis on fresh seafood. The staff are on hand to explain the menu and make recommendations. A meal for two (not including wine) will cost RMB300-400. 

 

Taizi Square is opposite Seaworld and on Taizi Road near the Taizi Hotel. Da Angelo’s can also be entered from the street that runs between the square and the Taizi Hotel. Bus nos. 105, 204 and 220 pass here. A taxi from Luohu will cost about RMB80.

The recently opened Spice Circle brings Indian food for the higher end of the market to Luohu district. The menu consists of "contemporary" and "incredibly Indian" cuisine. Prices are higher than most other Indian places but the setting and service matches the cost. More importantly, the food is excellent and presented well. The affable managers are experienced in the F&B business and go out of their way to help with ordering and generally making guests feel comfortable. This is an excellent option to combine Indian cuisine with a business lunch or a dinner date. A meal for two will cost about RMB300-400. There is a 10% service charge.

 

Spice Circle is in a side street running off the section of Dongmen South Road between the intersections of Jiabin Road and Shennan Road. From Guo Mao metro station head east on Jiabin Road until it meets Dongmen South Road. The Hilton hotel is on the corner of this intersection. From here head north along Dongmen South Road. The restaurant is at the start of the first side street on the left. Bus nos. 2, 5 and 17 stop here. 

On entering the softly lit multi-levelled interior of Prince’s Kitchen and perusing the three extensive menus of Western and Asian dishes one can’t help but feel a little excited. At first glance this is a sophisticated and classy joint. Unfortunately the illusion doesn’t take long to evaporate. The Western food on the menu is a poor show. The pate is served on dry slices of sweetish toast, the tasteless veal ribs are presented with stale Pringles and the baked shrimp is drowned in the cheapest type of processed cheese on the market. The Asian fare is much better but can be got elsewhere for a fraction of the price (a meal for two will cost RMB300-500) and with a lot less pretentiousness. The staff are friendly and well-meaning but inattentive and slow. There is a 10% service charge for which you get a server who will fiddle pointlessly with objects on the table, find it impossible to stand still for the two minutes it takes to write down an order, snap your plate away within a second of you taking the last morsel from it and require to be reminded three times about the drink order. Prince’s Kitchen aims high but falls way too short.