Written by (作者): Ningbo Focus 《宁波聚焦》
Photos by (图片来源): Gordon Lee, Ningbo Focus 《宁波聚焦》
While Portman – the name for the area surrounding the Portman Plaza and Sheraton Hotels – usually gets a bad rap as the place where people used to go, its had a bit of nice growth, welcoming some nice new places that are worth a visit if you’re in the area.
Sure, there’s places like Feitengyuxiang (aka The Sichuan Restaurant), O’Reilly’s and the countless bars on the small alley between Best Western Kylie and Portman, new places have come and keep coming that offer a fresh eating and drinking experience.
The Beer Bar
The cousin of the Beer Store in Yinzhou’s Siming Square, the Beer Bar offers a cozy space with over 200 kinds of bottled beers from around the world. They also offer up awesome food, beer on tap, and even have started offering flights and monthly deals on certain beers.
Address: 81-83 Jicao Street, Jiangdong District | 江东区箕漕街83号
Hours: 3:30 PM-2:00 AM
Chongqing Xiao Mian
Most prominent due to the large white and red “面” sign outside the shop, this joint is always packed the brim for good reason: their noodles are awesome. For the uninitiated, Chóngqìng Xiǎo Miàn are plain noodles cooked with vinegar, sugar, red chili oil, ginger and scallions and served with a variety of toppings from braised beef to nuts to pig’s intestines. The dishes are all yummy and worth trying at this popular spot.
Address: 124 Caihong North Road, Jiangdong District | 江东区彩虹北路134号
SeMood Café
This quaint little shop, which opened at the end of 2015 by some health-minded locals, not only has a salad bar but a selection of sandwiches, pre-made salads, pastas, and fresh juice. Following a revamp of the menu at the beginning of the year, offering various lemonades, new juices, pasta dishes, and salads, this is still the place to go for your comfort food or health food fix.
Address: 143 Caihong North Road, Jiangdong District (across from China Construction Bank) | 江东区彩虹北路143号（建设银行对面）
Hours: 10:00 AM-9:00 PM
Hefeng Robatayaki
Another establishment that opened up near the end of last year, Hefeng Robatayaki is nothing short of amazing. Even though it seems small on the outside, walk in and you’ll find yourself in an ambient space with a wooden bar, grill, and countless bottles of sake. The place offers up an awesome selection of grilled kebabs (chicken, beef, vegetables, and even bacon-wrapped nian gao) and is the go-to place for your Japanese craft beer fix, as they exclusively offer beer from Baird Brewery, a foreign-run craft brewery in Japan.
Address: Lane 38, 50 Jicao Street, Jiangdong District | 江东区箕漕街38弄50号
Hours: 11:00 AM-2:00 PM; 5:00 PM-1:00 AM
Share Menu Sushi
This closet-sized eatery opened only a few months ago, and as we can judge by the name they obviously hope you’ll share your menu. As sushi places go – and there are countless options in Ningbo – this place isn’t all that bad.
Address: 136 Caihong North Road, Jiangdong District | 江东区彩虹北路136号
Hours: 10:00 AM-9:00 PM
Tapas & Bar
Opened in August, this new venture by the folks over at O’Reilly’s is a good place to grab some decent tapas and Spanish dishes (paella and oysters are also on offer), have a glass of sangria or select a beverage from their beer, sherry, or wine menus and relax with Spanish tunes in a quiet atmosphere.
Address: 46-8 Caihong North Road, Jiangdong District (next to O’Reilly’s) | 江东区彩虹北路46-8号（爱尔兰餐厅酒吧旁边）
Hours: 6:30 PM-2:00 AM
Sukhothai Imperial Thai Restaurant
Yes, Sukhothai isn’t a new entry to Portman, and sure, it’s one of those cliché Thai restaurants, but that doesn’t mean the food is any bad, actually its some of the best in Ningbo. Along with a plethora of curries and rice dishes, there are great Thai salads, teas, and on the second floor you can find a table and fridge full of some of the best beers of Belgium.
Address: Lane 38, 49 Jicao Street, Jiangdong District | 江东区箕漕街38弄49号
Hours: 11:00 AM-10:00 PM
Chi Yo Saku Ramen Bar
This ramen restaurant, also an old member of Portman, is a Japanese noodle bar in the traditional sense of the term. The Japanese-style ramen offered here is top notch and comes in some interesting varieties. They also have sushi and Japanese rice dishes, just as yummy.
Address: 99 Caihong North Road, Jiangdong District (across from Portman Plaza Hotel) | 江东区彩虹北路99号
Hours: 10:00 AM-11:00 PM