Sugared & Spiced

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Organ

Address: 66 Ziyunxi Lu, near Loushanguan Lu 紫云西路66号, 近娄山关路
Tel: 5206 5937
Hours: 11:30am~10:00pm
Website: http://blog.goo.ne.jp/organ0417
Price: [Lunch] 40~50 RMB [Cakes] 25~35 RMB

IMPORTANT NOTE: Organ has recently closed and reopened here.

“How do you find these places?” – asked my fellow luncher as we sat down at the table. It is true that Organ is not well-known outside of the Japanese community here in Shanghai. It’s not even listed on SmartShanghai or City Weekend, and has a mere 60 reviews on Dianping (versus 5730  reviews for Xin Xiang Hui). This discreet and unpretentious cafe, with its warm colors, eclectic decorations, and soothing music on the background, is instantly charming. From the handmade hamburger steak to the signature soy milk chiffon cake, everything at Organ taste fresh, healthy, and delicious. It’s one of those places where you can spend the whole afternoon basking in the sun at at a window seat, or curl away on the ultra-comfortable couch in an inner corner.

Organ store front

Chalk board menu

The 1st floor of Organ is an elongated space consisting of a bar and an open kitchen. Head up to the 2nd floor and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how spacious it is.

2nd floor

Real tulips!

2nd floor

Comfy couches

I absolutely love these handmade menus! Everything is handwritten and the pictures are pasted on – the cafe owner obviously pours her heart and soul into everything she does here.

Handmade menu

Truly handmade

At the waiter’s recommendation, I ordered the chicken nanban (チキン南蛮), a Kyushu-style fried chicken with sweet sour sauce and tartare sauce. At Organ, the chicken is first steamed to lessen the frying time, making it healthier than the usually oil-ladden fried chicken. The coating is also much thinner than your typical American fried chicken, and underneath the meat remains tender and succulent. Accompanied by a delicious homemade tartare sauce, the chicken nanban was an excellent choice.

Chicken nanban rice set, 40 RMB

Tender and juicy, with a thin crispy coating

We also tried the handmade hamburger steak with original tonkatsu sauce, which was much lighter in flavor and healthier-tasting than my usual favorites at Big Apple. I can’t decide which I like better, I guess it all depends on the mood. There are two other varieties at Organ – a Japanese-style vinegar based sauce, and a seafood mushroom cream sauce – both sound very tempting, no?

Handmade hamburger steak with original sauce, 45 RMB

Hamburger steak topped with a sunny side-up

Both sets included a scoop of whole-grain rice, a salad with an onion dressing (not a big fan of the spiciness, and it made my breath smell horrible the whole afternoon), some pickles/pasta, and miso soup.

Mixed grain rice

For desserts, I chose the soy milk chiffon cake, a sizable slice of fluffiness served with a beautiful pouring of fresh cream, adorned with slices of banana and strawberry, then drizzled with caramel. In line with the main courses, this dessert is light, guilt-free, and delectable. Highly recommended.

Soy milk chiffon cake, 25 RMB

Chiffon cake texture

I didn’t expect much of the brownies a la mode, but was pleasantly surprised. Rich, dense, and supremely chocolate-y, it was like eating a chewy chocolate bar. I recommend sharing this between two people as it’s quite heavy .

Brownies with vanilla ice-cream, 35 RMB

Brownie close-up

Dense and supremely chocolate-y

The combination of a most relaxing atmosphere and delightfully healthy comfort food made me very, very happy. I was all smiles when leaving the cafe, and was already planning my next visit. Tomorrow, I told myself, I will be back again.

Magazines

1st floor open kitchen

Yoga cookies – no eggs no milk, 15 RMB

Organ

IMPORTANT NOTE: Organ has recently closed and reopened here.