Nanjing

Old Fish Need Not Learn New Trick

On the arduous quest for a decent espresso in Nanjing, I stumbled upon the Fish Tank Cafe, an already well-established set up which began in 2012. As we are all aware, first impressions can often be deceiving in China,...

Hotel Buffet Reinvented; And What a View!

The luxurious Jumeirah Group has moved in and single handedly lit a fire up the rear of an already stagnating Nanjing industry; the hotel buffet. Raising the standard of buffet service to a much-needed, new level of chic and...

Is that an Onion in My Cup? The Longest Tea Leaf in the World

In last month’s Strainer, I wrote to you from Wales. Well, I’m back from Wales. But I’m not quite done with the Welsh theme yet. That’s because, you see, this is the month of St. David’s Day; 1 March, precisely. When St....

No Worries, Mate! Battle of the (Aussie) Brunch; Round 2

This month we explored the back streets of Taipingbei Lu on our way to No Worries, a Melbourne inspired café, located a hop and a skip away from 1912. What makes a café good? What makes it authentic; what...

Chasing Tea in Wales, the Other, not-so-Chinese Dragon

Strainer is a Nanjing column. It is no accident that a tea enthusiast would choose the southern part of Jiangsu as a place to drink tea. Ours is a fine tea-growing and tea-consuming region, to say nothing of the...

New Taste of Fusion in Nanjing’s Olympiad

Seeking something fancy on a budget? Joey’s Lounge may be your best choice this winter. Head to Olympiad for a taste of fusion cuisine and a cosy, chilled hang out with friends. The sparking light from the restaurant shone bright...

Unlikey Affairs for a Jew in Ha’erbin

Tapping into a market for quality English translations of contemporary Chinese novels comes the recent release of “Goodnight, Rose”, by Chi Zijian, charting the blossoming relationship between two unlikely friends; a young lady juggling apartments and boyfriends, while holding...

Battle of the (Aussie) Brunch; Round 1

If you so happen to find yourself in Xinjiekou, pekish and wondering where to go for good Western food, then skip on down to 31 Morning Brunch, an Australian inspired restaurant specialising in, you guessed right, brunch.  A newly embraced...

Latest News

Shanghai’s Railway Map Shifts East; Cross City to Hongqiao soon but a Memory

For years, Shanghai’s high-speed rail map has pulled passengers towards Hongqiao. That balance is beginning to change. New stations...

Shiseido Sues Aldi over a ¥24.9 Primer that Resembles Its ¥540 Rival

Shiseido has sued Aldi China, the product's manufacturer and an Aldi Shanghai store operator over unfair competition, arguing that...

Forty Tables Became Twenty; Then the Bookings Stopped

Susu has sold wedding banquets at one of the biggest hotels in her small town in northern China for...

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