The first floor of this eatery is a casual deli while the second floor is more upscale, but they’ve kept it playful by breaking the kitchen into several stations. There’s a hot Asian station (tempura, noodles, stir-fry), cold Asian (Californian-style sushi rolls, sashimi), pizza, grill and salad stations.

Food Central’s portions and unfussy presentation make it perfect for sharing. We started with a nest of crispy shoe-string fries (RMB40) flavored with parsley and garlic, and it would have instantly vanished if it wasn’t so large. Then we had peaches with prosciutto (RMB80) and octopus salad (RMB55). The salad, made with tender baby octopus mingling with a fine dice of celery, is perfectly dressed with olive oil. The grilled peaches: summer on a plate.

The coins of rotisserie leg of lamb (RMB130), served with fried potatoes and grilled vegetables, were plain and slightly overcooked. We piled a healthy scoop of red onion relish on each bite, but still the flavor was one-note (onion). Fortunately, it was the night’s only casualty.

“Into the wild” (RMB50), is a refreshing take on the classic combination of bok choy and mushroom. This salad of steamed bok choy and mushrooms topped with fried onions and a light, lemony wasabi thyme dressing is addictive.

Next up were the California-style sushi rolls. The Godzilla (RMB55), the chef’s version of the multi-fish dragon roll, and spicy tuna rolls (RMB65) are fresh and authentic down to the drizzles of eel sauce and spicy mayo, though we would have preferred fish to the minced filling in the spicy tuna.

We had mixed feelings about the service. The floor manager was patient and polite, but we also had two servers who plainly told us that they did not speak English with no attempt to meet us halfway. Luckily, chef Mark Baar was on the floor–he’s a man who’s excited about his food, and that’s contagious despite the service. When the service is sorted out we’ll make this a regular spot.

Our rating: 3.5/5

DETAILS

What: The Food Central

Where: 308 Anfu Lu 安福路308号

Tel: 3461-9071

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