Many hellos and a goodbye

by Stephanie Sherrill
on Friday, October 16, 2009

The plethora of new restaurants openings all over Shanghai have my stomach anxiously waiting for an introduction to these newcomers.

The fine French restaurant La Saleya has reopened. The makeover has freshened up the restaurant's décor and updated the menu of fancy French cuisine, continuing to function as a nice place to entertain clients or friends. Next door, former restaurant 570 has closed and reopened as Graffiti, a hip street-smart French café, featuring street art and an edgy metropolitan style.

One of Eduardo Vargas' munch-anticipated restaurants has finally opened. Burger Bistro is located in the busy intersection of Changle Lu and Fumin Lu. The restaurant stays open late, hoping to entice nightlife patrons with a case of the munchies in to devour their juicy real-beef burgers. Vargas' other new restaurant ventures, Brasa Chicken and Balthazar, as well as renovated Azul, are also slated for opening this month.

In Xujiahui Park, Restaurant Martin has already thrown a party to announce its grand opening. The lion dancers, drums and symbols, and free-flow champagne greeting guests at the party were certainly enough to grab some attention. The restaurant itself promises to be a great option for high-class dining - the tapas and selection of fresh plump seafood were delicious. The three-storey house that is Restaurant Martin has rooms suited for any occasion, be it a romantic dinner for two, a private dinner party, or big gatherings of friends.

When outside of Puxi, in Pudong or even Suzhou, there's now a familiar, reliable choice for Italian cuisine. Longtime expat favorite, Da Marco has two new locations, one in Xujiahui, Pudong and one in Canglang, Suzhou. For those Pudong-ers who prefer to stay on their side of the river, there is now no excuse not to experience Da Marco's great Italian fare.

It was there that my former co-columnist, Juliann, preferred to eat her last supper in Shanghai. While enjoying a bottle of full-bodied red wine and a great antipasti plate, we were tipped off to a new casual Italian eatery, as yet unnamed, opening soon from two of our favorite guys from Da Marco, Chef Max and Roberto. I can't wait to hear more about this one.