Foie Gras. Like caviar or truffles, its mere mention elevates the status of a particular dish. An astute chef will subtly incorporate it into his cooking, well aware of the powerful effects of the rich and delicate product. ...[ read full review ]
Maurya Imperial Ambitions
While naming your Sichuan/Cantonese restaurant after an empire dominating the Indian subcontinent might initially be a strange choice, the subtle hints become more obvious when you learn that the Mauryan Empire was, at the time, rival in size and power ...[ read full review ]
Interview: Andrew Gao, Owner of Casa 13 and Noodle Bar
Why did you open a bar solely for noodles?
A lot of people like noodles. If you ask Chinese people, lots of them will say that noodles are their favorite. Lots of places usually just make one type of noodle, ...[ read full review ]
With the 4th edition of Shanghai's restaurant week running from the 5th to the 11th of September, now would be a good time to delve a little deeper into this recurring worldwide event that has been picking up steam since ...[ read full review ]
As of July 31, Xuhui's not-so-hidden gem Tianzifang has just welcomed another eatery into its family of sophisticated and hip institutions. Simply named Noodle Bar, the clue is in the name. A tranquil bar tucked away in one of seemingly ...[ read full review ]
One of Japan's most successful pop groups, SMAP are playing their first international concert in China. The band's name translates as "Do your best Japan, thank you China, Asia is one", showcasing gratitude towards the Chinese for their contributions towards ...[ read full review ]
After the loss of two former restaurants, one named Le Garcon Chinois and the other Yin, owner Takashi managed to stay in business through some savvy restructuring, reincarnating the two into a fusion establishment. Quietly tucked away in a niche ...[ read full review ]
When picking a restaurant for any occasion, there's usually a series of things that come to mind. Obviously, first is the quality of the food. Depending on the situation, location can also play a big role in setting the consequent ...[ read full review ]
A new addition to the Lapis Group, the "lux lounge" version of Lapis Thai at the Shanghai Centre is open and ready for business. But, unlike its sister restaurants, there's a fresh ingredient in the so-far successful Lapis recipe: fusion ...[ read full review ]
In line with this week's review of Käfer, it might be interesting to take a peek at other venues that have experienced transformations during their lifetime. Prime real estate is often hard to find here in Shanghai, and even the ...[ read full review ]
Seme Cooling Café
While blistering rays are perfect for a session of sunbathing, most people don't want to spend all summer in Shanghai feeling sticky and slightly irritable. Sometimes, we just want out of the unbearable heat. With two floors and a small ...[ read full review ]
Having shut for a few months in order to rebrand, redesign and generally reboot, The BinJiang One has been reborn. Maintaining its effortless sophistication, it has built even more character into its beautiful surroundings.
The behemoth restaurant has joined - in ...[ read full review ]
Interview: Franki Almodovar, Head Chef of El Patio
There are lots of Spanish restaurants in Shanghai. What makes yours special?
This place is very authentic. The head positions are filled by people who are originally from Spain, like myself and the owner. Our collection is from Seville. I think ...[ read full review ]
It happens to the best of us. Sometimes our days are so busy that we forget to give ourselves time to satiate our appetites. Night comes around, we head out to meet our friends for a drink and it finally ...[ read full review ]
El Patio From Catalonia with Love
Descended from the beloved Spanish restaurant Bonito, El Patio is on the way to becoming just as well established as its predecessor. Serving tapas in a French Concession villa, many of the loyal customers that flocked to Bonito when it ...[ read full review ]
It's pretty clear from the moment one enters glo London that the reason this brand has shown up in Shanghai is due to a single marketing ploy: the novelty of England. Yes, the menu is filled with fish and chips, ...[ read full review ]
Interview: Kenneth Walker, Founder of Bubba’s Texas-style Bar-B-Que & Saloon
Bubba's is now a Shanghai institution but how did it all begin?
Barbecue was a hobby of mine in Texas from when I was in high school. I used to go to lakes on the weekend and smoke meat - and ...[ read full review ]
While BBQ was the subject of last week's column, I inexplicably failed to realize that one of the most important barbecue-related dates is on the horizon. For Americans, the Fourth of July, their national day, is a huge family event, ...[ read full review ]
Hidden away in Central Plaza, Thai Aroma is a shortcut to the cuisine of Thailand. Opened on June 1, it already has a buzzing office crowd descending en masse for the cheap, RMB38 lunch set, like addicts hoping to score ...[ read full review ]
Hotel Pravo is the latest hotel to sprout up amidst Shanghai's evergreen property forest. Located north of the Bund, just across the SuZhou Creek from the famous promenade, the property contains 86 rooms in six different styles, with views from ...[ read full review ]
Summertime usually conjures up memories of Sunday afternoons grilling up a barbecue feast in the backyard. Unfortunately, backyards are a commodity here in Shanghai, and although buying a mini-grill for your balcony might do the trick a couple of times, ...[ read full review ]
En Shanghai EN-ough Japanese Flavor
Entering EN Shanghai, you are greeted with "joo koso i-ra-sjai-ma-se", a formal Japanese welcome. Right from the beginning, the friendly staff at this restaurant and lounge bar does everything in their power to make you feel comfortable and important.
With thirty ...[ read full review ]
Unlike some of Shanghai's venues, including many of the myriad Japanese bars and membership-only eatery Closed Door, Hidden Courtyard is obscured rather than actively concealed, secreted away on the third floor of a building on SiNan Road. Its name calls ...[ read full review ]
Steakhouses: the word conjures thoughts of dimly lit, smoky saloons and big juicy slabs of meat; food that remains a commodity in Shanghai, perhaps even more so than in the West. There has been a surprising rise in the popularity ...[ read full review ]
There was nothing inherently wrong with Racks: relaxed ambiance, reasonable prices and more pool tables than you could shake a cue at are nothing to complain about. For the owners, however, the name just didn't say enough for their kitchen. ...[ read full review ]
How to move forward from the Shanghai Expo has been a concern sloshing around the minds of many restaurateurs who occupied the site during last year's six-month exhibition. For Palmiro Petrini, the excitement of hosting Chinese and Italian political figures, ...[ read full review ]
If you haven't noticed already, most of the Shanghai locals have a sweet tooth. Around schools, hospitals and parks you will find people selling what appears to be fruit on a stick, or tanghulu (糖葫芦) in Chinese. If you look ...[ read full review ]
The Food Central Variations on a Theme of Authenticity
Initial impressions on entering The Food Central are, basically, high-end food court. Its name and the multiple stations creating pizza, sushi, steak, noodles and salads lend credit to this assumption.
However, to call it a food court really does the owners ...[ read full review ]
As mentioned in last week's issue, compiling a list of common street foods in Shanghai deserves its own column. For those of you who have been here a while, I apologize; you've probably read half a dozen of these before. ...[ read full review ]
Settebello Sette-ling Somewhere New
Transplanted from its old location on HuaShan Road, Settebello has come to join the big boys of AnFu Road, bringing with it the same chef and the same menu, but a different owner. Fans of the old restaurant are no ...[ read full review ]
