Soho is its official name, as decreed by The Nanjinger. But it’s not the local equivalent of today’s Soho in London, so full of tourists that it has lost the trendy allure it once had. No, Nanjing’s version is thankfully mostly the Soho from an era when hippies would set up record labels and airlines.
We’re talking about that part of Nanjing a little south of Xinjiekou off Wangfu Da Jie, specifically Nantai Alley (南台巷), which zigzags its way over to Fengfu Lu. Along it, a plethora of restaurants, coffee shops and bars, many of which opened in the past year.
And epitomising the Soho of Nanjing is Y&T Steakhouse Bar, the initials being the surnames of the partners behind the venture (Yellow; 黄, and Tall; 高).
Making it special is the down to earthiness of Y&T. With an environment that achieves well the difficult balancing act between being cool and pretense free, Y&T is foremost a fantastic hangout. And if patrons choose to dine, they won’t be disappointed.
The Nanjinger chose the Soft Boiled Egg Wrapped with Bacon and Avocado (¥48), Stewed Mussels with French White Wine (¥68), Hungarian Beef Vegetable Soup (¥48), Cheese Burger (¥68) and Paella (¥169) and a Baguette Cheese Pizza (¥48).
All were excellent, with the egg/bacon/avocado combo as standout, thanks to the addition of arugula. An obvious option for brunch! Our only quibbles were that the mussels were frozen (but what else are they to do, especially these days?) and the unfortunate surprise that was shrimp on the baguette for someone allergic to seafood.
This is the kind of thing that would stop places such as Y&T popping up in London’s Soho of today. And it’s also holding back virtually all international dining in Nanjing from doing the same. A simple labelling of menus taking into account common allergies would propel any establishment significantly up the rankings.
But back to the charm of Y&T. When we asked for a glass of wine, the manager, Peter, said they don’t normally do wine by the glass but he would open a bottle just for us. Commenting that the rest would probably go to waste, Peter gave us the bottle to take home, by way of a discount.
Speaking of alcohol and saving money, where else in downtown Nanjing will you find a bottle of Heineken in such surroundings for just ¥26?
Y&T Steakhouse Bar is located at 15-10 Nantai Alley in Xinjiekou, Qinhuai District 秦淮区新街口南台巷 15-10. Tel: 13814020057.
