By Bryan Harsar (City Weekend)
Updated: 2007-08-03 09:59

Chao Lou presents light and fresh flavors perfect for the season. Pastels, dark wood tones and mini-chandeliers create a welcoming, if gaudy, atmosphere while the service is attentive and helpful.

The frozen tayenus (RMB 38), chilled red mullet served with preserved soybean sauce, were flakey and fresh with no disarming odor. The sauce provided requisite saltiness. The daily soup of pig tail, peanuts and lotus root (RMB 12) was light but surprisingly rich. Ribs with plum sauce (RMB 38) were fried but not greasy; the sauce added a subtle accent. Pu Ning bean curd (RMB 28) had an elastic exterior but remained light and creamy. There are nearly twenty varieties of sweet soup and the black sesame soup (RMB 16) deftly balanced sweet and sesame flavors.

Bathrooms are external to the restaurant, portions tend to be small and the menu can be difficult to navigate so we suggest asking for recommendations. That being said, Chao Lou provides a refreshing menu in a clean atmosphere, a good choice for a light summer meal.

Perfect For: A refreshing mid-summer meal.

Chao Lou
Add: 8/F City Plaza, 1618 Nanjing Xi Lu
Tel: 021-6288-3953