Noodle lovers won't feel blue with Fu Gui recipe
The restaurant provides different variations of blue frog rices and dishes.
Shanghainese love their hot bowls of noodles with several rich and flavorful toppings. And when the blue frog noodle topping was introduced at Fu Gui Noodle Shop, in 2010, it put a spring in the step of local noodle lovers. Queues snaked out of the shop’s door as a consequence of the dish becoming such an instant favorite.
It became a hit because locals love blue frog meat. It has chunky tender meat, high protein and low fat. Zhou Ronghua, founder of Fu Gui, took years to stabilize the operation and management of the Fu Gui brand. There are now six noodle outlets as well as a brand new concept, the Fu Gui Blue Frog Rice, which was introduced in May.
The flagship eatery was opened in September right in the heart of the city and located inside a building near People’s Square.
Unlike the more down-to-earth images of Fu Gui Noodle outlets, the new eatery is decorated with a modern approach, with the use of woods and accents which give off a modern, simplistic vibe.
The perfect location makes it an ideal spot for a satisfying lunch or a relaxed weekday dinner.
Old-fashioned Shanghainese fried pork chops
The eatery shows a lot of promise from its bright, clean atmosphere to a refined take on its different variations of blue frog rices and dishes. While many similar dishes in the market rely on a rich and flavorful sauce, I was surprised the Fu Gui kitchen delivered a different approach. The emphasis is on the original flavors and textures without adding unnecessary condiments and extra saltiness.
It is also a place that serves quality ingredients at an affordable price.
The company built up its own blue frog harvesting base at the beginning of last year, occupying 0.33 million square meters. Meanwhile, a central kitchen was set up to make sure all the Fu Gui outlets can provide at least three tons of blue frog meat in total for daily consumption.
I started off lunch with the signature frog rice (38 yuan). Deceptively simple, this combination of blue frog tender meat, delicate rice and flavorful stock is a deeply satisfying lunch dish. There are other options of frog rice if you prefer kimchi flavor, spicy or curry flavors.
Other recommendations include spiced salt blue frog (40 yuan) and old-fashioned Shanghainese fried pork chops (12 yuan).
Don’t forget to order the drinks: lacovo (10 yuan) and malted milk (10 yuan) — both were popular drinks in the 1970s and 80s, and have accompanied Shanghai kids as they grew up. You will be surprised to find them here at Fu Gui.
