[Shanghai] Organ (2)

Organ

Add: 66 Ziyunxi Lu, near Loushanguan Lu 紫云西路66号, 近娄山关路
Tel: 5206 5937
Hours: 11:30am-10pm
Website: blog.goo.ne.jp/organ0417
Price: [lunch] 40~50 RMB [cakes] 25~35 RMB
Visited: Mar 2011

NOTE: Organ has closed and reopened here.

I was absolutely enchanted by this cozy, unpretentious Japanese cafe during my last visit and knew I’d be back very soon. The same warm colors, the same eclectic decorations, the same soothing music on the background…despite the disturbances caused by a few kids running around, Organ is still a charming little oasis.

Here are more of Organ’s handmade menus. Just lovely.

FYI, Organ is donating 5% of their earning to Japan’s earthquake relief effort.

There is an interesting looking dish called  “jyaco-soboro” rice じゃこそぼろご飯 (42 RMB) on the menu. Having no idea what this was, we ordered to find out. “Jyaco-soboro” turned out to be fish simmered in soy sauce, sugar, mirin, and ginger until the liquid is almost gone, so it was somewhat like furikake but much more moist. Combine that with bits of fried egg, pickles, shiso leaves, and a sprinkling of white sesame, it was the perfect topping to a bowl of steamy hot mixed grain rice.

We also tried rolled cabbage ロールキャベツ (40 RMB), which is ground pork wrapped in cabbages leaves and cooked in consommé. The version at Organ is topped with demi-glace and served with a Japanese-style egg roll. Quite delicious, as far as I could tell from that one small bite I tried.

My favorite was the black curry with rice 黒カレーライス (40 RMB), which was like no other curry I’ve tasted before. The dark color came from black sesame and ひじき (hijiki, a brown seaweed), which gave the curry a wonderfully rich and unique flavor. The chunks you see in the pictures are gelatinous beef tendons, a delicious deviation from the usual beef or chicken used in curry. And yes, that is a raw egg topping the rice.

Gateau chocolat (28 RMB), a dense piece of chocolate cake served with fresh cream, fruits, and a dusting of powdered sugar (just like the soy milk chiffon cake), was very satisfying. However…

…Our attention was soon diverted from the chocolate cake to the honey toast (38 RMB), which arrived at our table smoking hot and smelling like heaven. It was half a loaf of bread, with the soft center first carved out, spread with butter, baked till the both the base and the loose pieces are golden brown, drizzled with honey, pieced back together, drizzled with more honey, then topped with scoops of vanilla ice-cream, fresh strawberries and banana slices, and a flurry of powdered sugar and cinnamon powder.

The sweetness from the ice cream and honey blended perfectly together with the saltiness of the butter. The outer skin was baked crispy golden brown while the center remained soft and fluffy. It was an irresistible loaf of bread.

What more can I say? Organ is definitely a keeper. Check my previous visit to see what other delicious Japanese comfort dishes are served.

NOTE: Organ has recently closed and reopened here.