On a street packed with competition, Laizhou Bar on Fumin Road is easy to overlook. I’m here to tell you otherwise. The food deserves more hype than it gets.
With its latest menu, the relative newcomer makes a case for attention: a pork chop done like a cordon bleu, crispy, cheesy, and juicy, and a spicy Sichuan snack of fried beef brisket fat and tenderloin that’s so addictive I nearly polished off the entire plate myself.
That’s right. They do both Chinese and Western. And dishes from both spectrums are executed with enough aplomb to genuinely impress.
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New Menu at Laizhou Bar
Think of the current menu as a global one, catering to its location as an all-day dining spot and evening nightlife hub. Dishes pull from Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Shanghainese flavors, alongside an easy-to-love selection of Western and fusion dishes. The chef behind it has serious chops.
The Iberian Ham & Cheese Tonkatsu (¥148) is a pork chop done like a cordon bleu, bone still attached — no easy feat. It’s stuffed with cheddar, perfectly cooked with a crispy breading while staying juicy, and finished with Parmesan.
The mushroom cream sauce is the finishing touch. Buttery and heady, it complements each bite sinfully. It’s a dope entree.
For the Western persuasion, they also have a Tomahawk steak. But otherwise, the menu is largely Chinese or Chinese fusion.
The Fried Chicken with Crispy Rice (¥78) is another home run. Instead of rice, it’s served over guoba (crispy, puffed rice), giving you all those crunchy textures. The chicken itself is superior quality Qingyuan chicken, which has taut flesh and is fattier. Marinated with shrimp paste and fried golden, it’s juicy and umami-rich. It comes with a sauce that’s like a cross between yuxiang and tangcu, and it’s damn tasty.
If there’s one suggestion I’d make, I’d like half-and-half guoba and steamed white rice, which would make the perfect pairing with that delicious sauce. It’s a great value dish by the way.
Next up, the Stir-Fried Brisket Fat & Tender Beef (¥88), one of my favorite snacks. This Sichuan dish uses brisket fat, deep-frying it until crunchy, paired with tenderloin. It’s imbued with the fragrance and kick of roasted chilies and spices. A drinking snack you can’t stop popping.
Moving onto some seafood, the Spring Bamboo & Scallop Claypot Rice (¥98) is a creative fusion of Chinese dishes, half yan du xian (腌笃鲜), half bao zhai fan (claypot rice), topped with scallop and tobiko.
Inside the bowl, there’s crunchy spring bamboo and an Anhui specialty: salted pork wrapped in goose intestine, which are salty with a light chew. FYI: This dish takes time, but it’s totally worth the wait. And yes, there’s also a bit of guoba. Suitable for 2-3 to share.
Served in the style of chuar, the Spicy Skewered Grass Carp (¥68) brings the mala heat with its addictive spice and numbing sensation. Skewers include fish with chewy, gelatinous skin, tofu, lotus root, cauliflower, and tofu. A solid drinking dish.
The Claypot Crispy Turbot with Lily Bulb (¥98) is a straightforward seasonal dish: pan-seared fish with fresh lily bulb and spring peas.
Similarly, the Creamy Butter Prawns (¥98) are rich and indulgent, and exactly what you’d expect.
Another snack dish is the Balsamic Crispy Hairtail Rolls (¥68), roll-ups coated in vinegar and soy dressing, deep-fried to give it a slight satisfying crunch. They’re sweet and slightly tangy with a spot of chili flakes, a profile that hits that Shanghai-style note.
Laizhou likes to integrate their own spirits into some dishes, as seen in the Sichuan Pepper Chocolate Trio with Jiaoyu Gin (¥38). The cake itself is light, not at all dense. The aroma of green peppercorns permeates each bite and pairs well with the dark chocolate.
On the drinks front, Laizhou Bar does everything from signature cocktails to thirst-quenching highballs. They also have spring-summer cocktails: Sparkling Guava and Sparkling Wampee (¥38 each), both light and refreshing.
In Summary
Laizhou Bar might not be your go-to spot on Fumin Lu (yet), but it might be the most surprising.
The cordon bleu pork chop alone is worth the visit, and that brisket fat snack will have you ordering round after round. And the Fried Chicken makes for an excellent lunch plate! The chef clearly has talent and restraint, a rare combo. Give this underdog the attention it deserves.
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Laizhou Bar
View the listing here.
