PepperLunch

PART 1

Hello, all you crazy Chinese takeaway fans. Be prepared to be unleashed into a new, new world…the world of the

TEPPAN.

By MoonlightWalnut

WARNING:I’m getting annoyed of warning you guys. I don’t know what to warn you of. It isn’t spicy?

Food and Drinks

This high-fly takeaway-bistro restaurant-café is probably one of the best modern Chinese speedy-do it yourself places I went to. The menu is located squarely in front of you (literally) and hosts a whole variety of delicious steaks, spaghetti’s, curries and more. After reading that sentence, I assume you’re now thinking that this is some small little hutong café in the middle of nowhere, like the recent Vineyard post. Well, you’re wrong.

Pepper Lunch is located in the lower level of a shopping mall, right next to the underground supermarket and in the Food Hall (details below). It’s a Chinese person’s take on Western themes, and for once it’s actually ended happily ever after instead of turning into a disaster waiting to happen. But it’s not just the fact that they got the idea right. It’s something else too.

I have never been to one restaurant, whether I was in England or Madagascar or even the fascinating world of Mars, that does DIY dishes. But Pepper Lunch does it. Bringing a piping hot dish to your table that almost instantly cooks the raw food. So instead of getting frustrated with your waiter trying to tell them the difference between medium or medium-raw, well-do it yourself! Little cups of sauces come with the amazing invention of a dish. But I know what you’re thinking. How does it taste? It could taste as bland as a whistle or a sour as a whole over-ripe lime…

But it didn’t. In fact, it really the cut the ice and broke the doubting disbelief when looking at the menu’s beautifully arrayed neat rows of spaghetti and mushrooms, curry and rice, steak and salad and becoming awe-inspired by it. It was utterly magnificent-a golden flavour seeping into your mouth, filled with ripe tomato sauce and well-cooked DIY sausage. Spicy tanginess with a soothing smoothness to it; freshness and exquisiteness but simple nevertheless. It’s just too bad I didn’t go there again. As well as this, prices are pretty cheap if you get the cao can-set menu. They do this using their unique pan, called a teppan.

Drinks? Interesting point there. Pepper Lunch only serves six unique home-made drinks-none of which are Coke, Fanta, lemonade or even water itself. Instead, they have refreshing summer drinks-although it’s hardly summer what with the weather and all that-, including lychee, winter berries and strawberry-with ice. Although lychee’s quite refreshing and juicy-don’t, I said don’t, try the strawberry-flavoured one. It tastes very artificial and is just a little-ok, a LOT over on the sweet side.

On the whole-wow. A few tweaks on the drink menu (aka redo it) and Pepper Lunch is good to go! Would eat here any day, every day.

Food and Drinks Rating: 9/10