Chiching Chiu Chao Cuisine Shenzhen Bay MixC 至正潮菜 深圳灣萬象城店 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

We were supposed to have our Chinese New Year celebration here, but it was so full that we had to scramble for an alternative plan which turned into a casual Korean dinner at CAAN. It was a little odd to have Korean food to celebrate Chinese New Year, and to make matters worse, we were sitting outside the restaurant with virtually no service. Ordering was done by scanning a QR code. That was not a good start to the Year of the Horse for us.

I eventually decided to come back and check out this restaurant, Chiching Chiu Chao Cuisine (至正潮菜) at Shenzhen Bay MixC (深圳灣萬象城), myself. I had a feeling it would be a good one.

Stir-fried choy sum (生炒菜心) (¥58) — My server thought it was a little odd to serve me greens before the starters arrived, but I said, “Hey, why not?” This was pretty nice and crunchy.

Deep-fried shrimp cake with nori (紫菜煎蝦餅) (¥68) — I could smell the wonderful aroma from a distance away.

I love the crispy crust made with seaweed on the outside, and of course the diced shrimps, complemented beautifully with the honey sauce. Definitely a must-try item here. 👍👍

Deep-fried minced pork roll (潮式炸棵肉) (¥58) — This took a while to arrive. In fact, I was almost done with the other two dishes.

A very traditional Chiu Chao starter with minced pork and water chestnuts trapped inside a spring-roll-like wrapper that was both crispy and chewy at the same time. There was also a hint of coriander that added a lovely fragrance to the dish.

This was a very, very delicious meal. I overheard a guy at the table next to me raving about how good his dishes tasted, and that his family from Chiu Chao made him an expert of course. I’ll definitely bring my family back for another visit.

Food Rating: 7/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop 410, Zone A, Level 4 Shenzhen Bay MixC, 3213 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区粤海街道海珠社区科苑南路3213号深圳湾万象城L4层A区410号铺

Closest Metro Station: Houhai (后海)

Tel: +86 (0755) 8660-6809

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 4:00pm, 5:15pm - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/1e/P2uM

Tova by Paulo Airaudo (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

My quest for some of the best basque cheesecakes in Southern China has taken me north of the border this afternoon. After a healthy stint of game time at Coastal City Shopping Mall (海岸城購物中心), I took a leisurely walk over to Shenzhen Bay MixC (深圳灣萬象城) for a sweet treat I have been looking forward to for a while.

My destination was Tova, an upscale Spanish restaurant and dining concept by celebrated Chef Paulo Airaudo who’s also behind two Michelin starred Restaurant NOI in Hong Kong.

It was around 5pm so the main dining room was still in prep mode.

It was a little warm this afternoon but I was more than happy to sit outside at the bar area.

Basque cheesecake (¥58) — Nice, wobbly custardy texture similar to the one I had at EN Coffee last week.

I love that melt-in-the-mouth sensation, the kind that makes every bite pure joy. Compared with most Basque cheesecakes I’ve tried here, where the flavors can be a little subtle, this one tasted rich and satisfying without being overly cheesy. Definitely the best I’ve had in Shenzhen so far.

And there's that hugely underrated strawberry sauce to go with the cheesecake.

I still have another couple of hours to kill before my train ride. Fortunately, I am at one of the most spacious shopping complex in Shenzhen where there’s no shortage of interesting shops to explore.

Food Rating: 7.1/10 (Based on the basque cheesecake)

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop CB134, Zone C Shenzhen Bay MixC, 3213 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区粤海街道海珠社区科苑南路3213号深圳湾万象城C区CB134号铺

Closest Metro Station: Houhai (后海)

Tel: +86 19925390859

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 9:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/ce/7KgM

Chun Tian Tea Company Shenzhen Bay MixC 椿田熟成茶行 深圳灣萬象城 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Shenzhen Bay MixC (深圳灣萬象城) has long been a hotspot for Hongkongers, especially since the opening of its Phase Two (二期) last December. Now, the luxury shopping mall is set to make another splash with the soft opening of Pink Street (粉紅大街) — an entire avenue of trendy cafés, restaurants and boutiques under the same roof.

I was on a mission to track down a tea brand that’s been blowing up on social media..

Founded in Shanghai back in 1924, Chun Tian Tea Company (椿田熟成茶行) is a premium milk tea brand known for its “Oriental Aesthetics” and its signature “Aging (Mature) process”. While the storied tea company started off in Shanghai, it has become a major viral sensation in Shenzhen since 2025.

The star of the menu is their "Black Warrior" series including their standout "Black Warrior Matured Pu'er with Sweet Potato Pearls" (黑武士熟成普洱薯丸) and a new tiramisu-flavored creation.

Golden Brick Silk Stocking Milk Tea (金磚絲襪奶茶) (¥22) — But for milk tea, I am a total purist.

This one features a silk stocking milk tea base (絲襪奶茶) with a floating ice made with the same milk tea. To me, the flavor was vivid, brisk, and intensely aromatic—almost reminiscent of Ceylon tea. It was refreshing yet complex, and it completely lived up to the hype.

It was nice to finally cross this social media sensation off my list. Even better that it was a weekday and there wasn't a lineup at all.

Food Rating: 6.3/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop B1-51, Pink Street, Shenzhen Bay MixC, 3213 Keyuan South Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区粤海街道海珠社区科苑南路3213号深圳湾万象城粉紅大街B1-51号铺

Closest Metro Station: Houhai (后海)

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/20/GGuM