Fresh ideas on fast food

ON THE GO: The new Pret A Manger store in Shanghai o ers a variety of pre-made meals. [Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

Salads

When it comes to salads, little can go wrong as long as the raw materials stay fresh. Unsurprisingly, Pret A Manger scores well in that regard, with crisp mixed greens, plump chicken breast and firm tomatoes, all of which suggests minimal time sitting on the shelf. The neat, uniform array of ingredients, promises you the exact same about of salad as the person sitting at the table next to you, making up for the unremarkable dressings.

Soups

Two soups are available daily and their flavors are always changing. The varieties on offer in the Shanghai store vary from the classic tomato to Thai chicken curry and even Miso. The tomato tastes just like it was made in your grandmother’s kitchen, wonderfully rich and creamy with a nice touch of sweetness. The curry, on the other hand, could be something from the exotic Asian girlfriend. There is an excellent balance between curry spice and coconut creaminess, plus generous portions of chunks of tender chicken.

Either one of them will satisfy a craving for some comfort food on a chilly evening when you have done overtime at work. The walk to the store through the K11 building, passing the city’s most glitzy and glamorous nightlife and luxury shopping destinations, may create some extra craving for comfort.

Coffee and drinks

Coffee beans supplied to the Shanghai store are all organically grown and collected from farms in China’s Yunnan province, an area that has an abundance of bird life and where the air is sweet with the scent of flowers — at least, that’s how Chris MacEwan, International Head of Coffee at Pret A Manger, described it. As a result, the coffee is a little more nutty and sweet compared with produce from other places, catering to Chinese taste buds. MacEwan and his team spent hours sitting in chain cafes in Shanghai and Beijing, watching people ordering and sipping coffee to determine the nation’s tastes, ultimately they determined that the Chinese palate is not a fan of acidity.

The ginger beer is the same as sold around the world, and it is worth trying.

IF YOU GO

Pret A Manger Shop 107, K11 Mall, 300 Huaihai Road M, Shanghai

Open daily from 8 am – 10 pm on weekdays and 8 am – 8 pm on weekends and public holidays.