Goga
Add: 1 Yueyang Lu, near Dongping Lu 岳阳路1号, 近东平路
Tel: 6431 9700
Hours: 6:30-10:30pm
Prices: 300~350 RMB/person (without wine)
Visited on: Nov 2011 (visit 1)
Another casual dinner at the small but delicious Goga, and this time I made sure to reserve a bar seat where I could see the open kitchen in full action. Alas Brad Turley wasn’t there that evening, but it’s good to know that his staff is able to manage the place without his presence.
We started the meal with something we haven’t tasted before – Sizzling Kampachi Sashimi (95 RMB) with fresh yuzu, white soy, and white truffle. A few irresistible slices of kampachi resting a a puddle of white soy and white truffle, delicious.
Then, a usual favorite, the SF Chinatown Chicken Salad (75 RMB), a generous heap of mixed greens, wonton crisps, GOGA mix, walnuts, and ginger sesame soy.
Adobo Braised Beef Cheeks (130 RMB hp, 250 RMB fp), a gorgeous chunk of beef cheeks served with horseradish whipped potatoes, caramelized bok choy, and Manila adobo jus, was a pleasant dish. The meat was meltingly tender, flavors all there, but I didn’t quite like the consistency of the horseradish whipped potatoes.
We asked to have some truffle fries (add 30 RMB) on the side. So greasy, so sinfully good.
Valrhona Chocolate Mousse (60 RMB), rich, velvety smooth, punctuated with crunchy candy bar and topped with blueberries.
Again:
Tip #1: Make a reservation (6:30pm and 8:30pm slots available).
Tip #2: Arrive on time and keep an eye on your watch, as you will really need to clear out by the end of your two-hour slot for the next table of guests.
Hi, I am considering finally going to Goga. Can you advise if the restaurant is suitable to bring a client for casual dinner? That is, the tables are not scrunched up right next to each other, and the volume is sufficiently manageable where we can speak with each other? Thanks.
I have done my second time at Goga this monday.
Still not cheap, still noisy, still not a dating or business places, still full and still one of the best shanghai place for food lovers.
I went through an amazing torch tuna tataki, an incredible sizzling truffle sashimi, red snapers, beef tataki and chicken (coconut something).
All those dishes worth the trip, some will more suit your tastes but none of them will let you sceptical or thinking nothing special…a real journey on one meal.
What a cook, what a chef, getting the best from his (best) product is always a pleasure for your palate. A must try once as it s quite unique here.
Hi SnS, wondering if you’ve been to / reviewed Goga ‘Part Deux’ aka Hai by Goga? (Don’t see a review here.) Went recently for the first time and had, among other dishes, the Wuxi Black Pig Pork Belly, Seared Scallops and Kalbi Beef Short Ribs. With me were well-traveled visiting guests with quite distinguishing taste, and they asked to go back a 2nd time just 4 days later!
Would be interested to hear a second opinion to beefen up/debunk that claim, once you’ve had a taste. The food’s good, yet I wonder if there’s some distinguishing element from the original Goga aside from the menu and the hmm-hmmm view.