Shanghai Cowgirl
538 Queen Street West
416-203-6623
Dinner for two with all taxes and tip (no beverages): $60

On our way to an art exhibit opening on Queen Street West, my friends and I decided to stop somewhere for a quick bite. We pass by Shanghai Cowgirl every time we walk along Queen Street, and each time I would quickly peek inside and make a mental note to come here and try it out. After receiving a recommendation from a friend, we finally paid the place a visit.

The interior is a huge contrast to the diner’s façade. It gives off a hip and young vibe. Hardwood floors, artwork for sale hanging above the booths, an open kitchen with a lot of flames coming out, and an intimate patio; I can barely call this place a “diner”.

The only proof that this place was a diner was the fact that the menu was filled with comfort food; fries, burgers, grilled cheese sandwiches, salads, and so forth. One of the interesting things on the menu was the perogie ($10.95). My sister ordered the ones paired with Chinese barbeque pork and chopped chives, garlic, and spring onions. It is definitely a unique combination, and this is a great example of the fusion cuisine they offer.

As my sister enjoyed the perogie, I worked on the Geisha Grill ($9.95) that I had ordered. It was a 5 ounce steak cooked medium rare in teriyaki sauce, sitting nicely on a bun with a mix of grilled “Asian vegetables”. It tasted pretty good, the downside was that it was extremely messy, since the excessive sauce kept dripping and getting everywhere, making my hands very sticky. However, it is not a bun that I could eat with my fork and knife, either.

There are other dishes that sounded really cool, such as the sweet potato fries poutine, and the Ghetto Chicken ($10.95), which was sold out when I tried to order it. Along with the entrées was a long list of side dishes including wasabi mayo, salami, and my favourite: sweet potato fries.

We didn’t have time for any drinks since we were going to an exhibit opening, but I noticed they do have a wide selection of beer on tap along with all kinds of diner drinks.

The one negative thing I had to say about this place is that they were under-staffed at the time we paid our visit, so it was a pain to get the attention of our server. According to my friend, the service is usually pretty good, so I will keep that in mind the next time I go there to try the other items on their menu.