THE FIRE: Western Grill & Free-Flow Brunch in Jing’an

New to Jing’an, THE FIRE is a western restaurant that aims to show there’s more to its mall setting than meets the eye. Expect creative twists on familiar favorites with Mediterranean influences.

Get a complimentary selected dessert AND drink when dining in! Click here to book.

About THE FIRE

THE FIRE opened last September on the fifth floor of Reel Mall in Jing’an.

The dining room does a good job to distance itself from its typical mall surroundings, featuring an open layout with spacious seating shielded by decorative walls that provide a little more privacy.

Its most defining feature is the massive 400 sqm garden terrace with views of the Jing’an Temple, a destination that is sure to pick up for al fresco dining and sunset cocktails come warmer months.

The atmosphere becomes more intimate the closer you get to the open kitchen and pass, borrowing the warmth and energy from the kitchen buzz.

There’s also a private dining area that seats up to 12 people, also equipped with a screen for business meetings.

The Food

Led by chef-owner Steven Er, the menu draws from diverse Mediterranean influences, including Spain, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, France, and Greece.

The kitchen boasts a brick-built pizza oven and a charcoal grill. And the restaurant highlights their dedication to fresh, hand-made pastas, specialty meats like Rangers Valley beef, and locally sourced produce like Qingyuan chicken for their signature roasted chicken.

Lunch sets are available daily from 11am to 2pm; two courses for ¥108, three for ¥128. There is a lunch hour rush, in case you work nearby and want to get a feed in. There’s also an all-day a la carte menu.

A standout is the Mini Beef Bun, where Australian wagyu and comté come together in a light, airy bun. The bun is like a cross between a bao and a brioche, fluffy and pliable. The beef stewed to perfection, juicy and flavorful, and complemented by the sharp bite of pickled piparra pepper.

The Spinach Garganelli features house-made pasta in a robust wagyu ragu that’s rich and tender but not overwhelmingly heavy. A splash of fragrant basil oil that lifts the dish.

For seafood lovers, the Portuguese Seafood Rice delivers a light, satisfying dish with prawns, mussels, and clams. The broth is delicate, made with seafood stock, and the rice, cooked a desirable al dente.

THE FIRE’s Pizza Balloon reimagines the traditional pizza, offering a thin, almost flatbread-like crust that actually balloons in the oven. The filling is within, a four cheese blend of Comté, Fourme d’Ambert, and Burrata. A bit of show comes with this humble pizza — table side shavings of truffle and parmesan. Of course, traditional pizzas are available too.

The thin dough allows the cheese to shine, while the slight smokiness from the charcoal grilling adds depth. This dish is a fun, indulgent choice for cheese lovers.

Of the meat dishes, the Grilled Lumina Lamb Rump is impressive. The lamb itself is tender, flavorful, and well-cooked. The grain mustard and jus sauce is a perfect match, though I wish there was more of it.

The accompanying slow-cooked parsnip nearly outshines the lamb with its earthy sweetness and enjoyable texture. It’s a hearty and satisfying dish with good flavor combinations.

If lamb isn’t your thing, they also have steak, barbecue Iberico pork ribs, and grilled whole threadfin fish.

The Roasted Chicken boasts crispy skin and juicy meat, a result of a meticulous three-day process of marinating and air drying before being roasted over a smoked grill. And it would not be complete without the accompanying onion gravy.

For dessert, the Carrot Cake is a standout. On the topside, caramelized carrots offer a taffy-like texture that contrasts nicely with the soft, walnut-studded, spiced cake. It’s served with a light lemon cream cheese and ginger pickled carrots. It tastes really festive, almost like Christmas warmth.

The Tiramisu at THE FIRE is rich and comforting, with layers of mascarpone that melt in your mouth. It’s served as a gigantic scoop out of a massive tray.

As for drinks, wines by the glass start at ¥50, bottles from ¥300.

Brunch at THE FIRE

On weekends, THE FIRE has a brunch menu in addition to their all-day a la carte offerings with about a dozen dishes to choose from, including a breakfast pizza, salmon with scrambled eggs, and more. It’s ¥92 for one dish, ¥168 for two dishes.

Plus, free-flow is ¥168 for two hours of cava, house red and white wine, and selected beer.

For brunch, there’s the Greek Style Baked Egg, a crispy and buttery filo pastry encasing the baked egg custard, served with a refreshing cucumber and tomato salad and enhanced by feta cheese for a salty contrast.

As for usual suspects, there’s the Poached Egg with Grilled Avocado. It’s a brunch comfort! It’s served on a puff pastry, likely a flatted croissant, as it is all the rage these days. Though, I have to add, that the house-made bacon is what stands out. It is appropriately salty, savory, and desirably thick cut. The hollandaise sauce ties everything together with its creamy richness.