restaurant | Sugared & Spiced

SUN with AQUA 東京和食

Add: Bund 6, 2/F, 6 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu 外滩六号2楼, 中山东一路6号, 近广东路
Tel: 6339 2779
Hours: [lunch] 11:30am-2:30pm [dinner] 6pm-11pm
Price: [lunch] 150+ RMB [dinner] 400+ RMB
Visited on: Jul 2012

In my years of living in Shanghai and frolicking on the bund, never once I did step into Bund 6, until last week. I was meeting up with a friend for lunch in the area and felt like having Japanese at the moment. Given the limited number of Japanese restaurants on the bund, SUN with AQUA seemed like the only option we had…so in we went.

I haven’t heard much about this restaurant at all, so was surprised to find it a bustling full house when I arrived at 12:30pm. In case you were wondering, the pictures below were snapped after the lunch rush so the dining rooms look empty.

A popular lunch set choice at SUN with AQUA is Tokyo Komachi Bento 東京小便當 (160 RMB), which comes in the form of 8 small dishes along with assorted tempura, udon, ice-cream for dessert, and tea or coffee.

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2012/08/012015/09/27

[Shanghai] Matto Bar & Pizzeria

restaurant

Matto Bar & Pizzeria

Add: Super Brand Mall, GF50, 1/F, 168 Lujiazui Xi Lu, near Lujiazui Huan Lu / 陆家嘴西路168号, 正大广场1楼, 近陆家嘴环路
Tel: 5081 0966
Hours: 10am~midnight
Website: www.mattopizza.com
Price: [lunch sets] 68~128 RMB [a la carte] 150~250 RMB/person
Visited: Jul 2012

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

Matto, the new pizzeria by JIA Hotel, has been generating a lot of buzz lately especially among my friends in the F&B industry. “Great food at reasonable prices” is the phrase I keep hearing. Time to trek across the river to give it a try?

“Matto” is a light-hearted term meaning ‘crazy’, ‘mad’ or ‘wild’, and this style is certainly reflected in the restaurant design. The interior is a blend of industrial and natural materials infused with a sense of play – the hand-sketched graphics and MATTO characters on the black walls both add a sense of fun and personality.

Chairs imported from New York.

A ceiling covered with European-style metal tin.

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2012/08/012015/09/24

[Shanghai] Sushi Naramoto 壽司奈良本

restaurant

Sushi Naramoto 壽司奈良本

Add: 1/F, 557 Yongjia Lu, near Yueyang Lu / 永嘉路557号1楼，近岳阳路
Tel: 6230 0226
Hours: 5:30pm~late
Price: 1000 RMB/set
Visited: Jul 2012

I remember hearing about Sushi Naramoto when it opened last year and thinking: “Woa, really? More expensive than Sushi Oyama?” An omakase dinner set priced at a whopping 1000 RMB…curious, very curious. Let’s see what it involves.

Naramoto’s original sushi bar in Jing’An is currently being renovated, so we went to his second newly-opened location on Yongjia Lu, diagonally across from Surpass Court. The new Naramoto occupies the first floor of an old villa overlooking a tranquil garden, and I expected the setting to be very serene, but somehow the ambience was rather uneasy when I walked in. It was around 6:15pm so it was before the dinner rush, yet I was barely acknowledged when I entered. Not a good first impression.

Here are the sushi chefs at work. Kenji Naramoto-san is the one in the center.

Appetizers: marinated mackerel and chopped tuna.

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2012/07/312015/09/27

[Shanghai] Mercato by Jean Georges

restaurant

Mercato by Jean Georges

Add: 6/F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu / 中山东一路外滩3号6楼, 近广东路
Tel: 6321 9922
Hours: 5:30pm-1am
Website: www.threeonthebund.com
Price: approx. 300 RMB/person
Visited: Jul 2012

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

When Mercato by Jean Georges opened last week at Three on the Bund, it instantly became one of the loveliest dining spots in Shanghai. It’s hard not to fall in love with this place, a stylish interior designed by Neri & Hu (the same folks behind The Waterhouse and Table No. 1) with a modern and extremely likable Italian menu.

The design at Mercato bridges the organic and natural with modernity, using a combination of reclaimed wood, warm leather, exposed steel, iron, and glass. Stylishly rustic, if you will. I especially loved the use of fresh herbs and vegetables, which added a warm and inviting touch to an otherwise very polished vibe.

Guests will first pass through The Mercato Bar, then arrive at The Pizza Lounge illuminated by an Italian wood burning oven. A perfect spot for a casual meal with a friend or two.

Towards the back, there are communal tables to accommodate large groups, as well as smaller tables for the more intimate dinners.

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2012/07/282015/09/24

[Shanghai] Maekawa 前川

restaurant

Maekawa 前川

Add: 4/F, 1157 Hongqiao Lu, near Yaohong Lu / 虹桥路1157号4楼，近姚虹路
Tel: 6270 6107
Hours: 5:30pm~12am
Price: [sets] 600~1000 RMB, [a la carte] 300~600+ RMB/person
Visited on: Jul 2012

If you are craving top quality nigiri sushi for dinner but want something lighter than a full-on Sushi Oyama-type of meal, try Maekawa. This understated sushi bar doesn’t have much superfluous flair to it, it simply serves very, very good fish.

I always go for the bar seats, but tables and private rooms are also available.

Complimentary appetizer.

Maekawa offers kaiseki sets that range from 600 to 1000 RMB, but we were in the mood for nigiri sushi only and decided to order by the piece. The meal started with Hiramasa 平政 (90 RMB/pc), a type of yellowtail that’s regarded by the Japanese as one of the finest sashimi fish. Its pale pink flesh is firm, sweet, and rich with a higher fat content compared to the other yellowtails. What a luxurious mouthful! I almost want to say that I like this more than tuna belly.

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2012/07/252015/09/24

[Shanghai] Kappo Yu 割烹雄 (2)

restaurant

Kappo Yu 割烹雄

Add: 33 Wuxing Lu, near Huaihai Lu / 吴兴路33号，近淮海路
Tel: 6466 7855
Hours: 6:00pm-11:00pm, closed on Sunday
Price: 690 RMB/person, drinks extra
Visited: Jul 2012

My first visit to Kappo Yu was not as stellar as expected, but after hearing a few more good words about it (some claiming it to be as good as or even better than my favorite Sushi Oyama), I came back again to give it another try.

The atmosphere at this tiny restaurant is toned down yet light-hearted, with soft jazz floating through air. Patrons sit across its beautiful lacquered red bar, which only accommodates around 14 people. A private room is available, but bar seats are my preferred choice.

Kappo Yu serves a 10-course seasonal menu (690 RMB/set) that changes monthly. Here’s this month’s menu, available in Japanese, English, and Chinese, and scrolls of drinks lists for guests to choose from (if you order sake, you will also have a chance to pick your own sake cup).

To my surprise, Terada Yohei – the man behind the bar – remembers me even though my last visit was over a year ago. What an amazing memory. He is a friendly guy who will happily engage you in conversations if he senses your interest, the only drawback is that he doesn’t speak English and Chinese as well as Oyama-san does.

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2012/07/252015/09/24

[Shanghai] Le Bistro de L’Ouest

restaurant

Le Bistro de L’Ouest

Add: 287 Hunan Lu, near Wukang Lu / 湖南路287号, 近武康路
Tel: 6433 8561
Hours: 6pm~2am
Price: 200~300 RMB/person
Visited on: Jun 2012

Have you ever heard of that “small French bistro” on Hunan Lu, the one that “doesn’t even have a sign”? Well, I finally had the chance to dine there for a friend’s birthday dinner, and oh my, what a roaring good time it was.

Le Bistro de L’Ouest occupies two floors of a non-descriptive lane house on Hunan Lu. There are no signs at the door, so make sure you got the right building number and just walk right in.

The birthday girl knows the folks at Le Bistro de L’Ouest, who orchestrated a lovely family-style dinner menu for her at the cost of 200 RMB per person, wine included. Here’s everything we had, starting with the bread basket.

Saucisson.

Escargots.

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2012/07/242015/09/27

[Shanghai] Mr & Mrs Bund (2)

restaurant

Mr & Mrs Bund

Add: 6/F, Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu 中山东一路18号6楼, 近南京东路
Tel: 6323 9898
Hours: [lunch] Mon-Fri 11.30am-2pm, [dinner] Tue-Sat 6.30pm-4am, Sun-Mon 6.30pm-10.30pm
Website: www.mmbund.com
Price: [Lunch] 200~250RMB [Dinner] 400+RMB
Visited: Jul 2012 (visit 1)

It’s been a year and half since I last dined at Paul Pairet’s Mr. & Mrs. Bund (oh my, how time flies), and I was happy to be back again last week for another terrific meal here. The restaurant was quite full even on a Monday night, but I suppose I shouldn’t be too surprised – Mr. & Mrs. Bund was recently ranked #95 on St. Pellegrino’s World Best Restaurants, the first restaurant in China to ever enter the list. I’m not too obsessed with these rankings, but the status sure is a recognition for Mr. & Mrs. Bund’s popularity.

…Mad Hatter tea party from Alice in Wonderland?

The meal, as usual, started off with an airy tuna mousse served with thin crisps.

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2012/06/182015/09/24

[Shanghai] Franck

restaurant

Franck

Add: Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Lu, near Tai’an Lu / 武康路376号, 近泰安路
Tel: 158 2167 6767
Hours: 6~11pm last order (open daily)
Website: www.franck.com.cn
Price: 450~600 RMB/person
Visited on: Jun 2012

Despite all the negative reviews Franck has received (most of which targeted its service and price), I had a very charming dinner here just a few evenings ago. The prices are still up there, but the service has improved dramatically since the restaurant’s earlier days, while its ambience remained as bewitching as always with its Jazzy lounge music, exposed light bulbs, and dark wood furnishings. And the food? Fantastique.

The menu du jour, scribbled in French on two blackboards, offers a selection of hearty dishes that changes according to the availability of ingredients. Our waiter, a young Chinese man who has been working at the restaurant for 4 years, was knowledgable about the details of each dish and happy to explain.

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2012/06/172015/09/27

[Shanghai] Käfer by The Binjiang One

restaurant

Käfer by The Binjiang One

Add: Fucheng Lu, Shi Bu Jie, You Long Garden / 浦东富城路拾步街由隆花园, 近滨江大道
Tel: 5877 7500
Hours: 11:30am-11pm
Price: [brunch] 358 RMB [lunch] 148 RMB [dinner] 400+RMB
Visited on: Jun 2012

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

Käfer by The Binjiang One is a collaboration between two entities, namely the BLN Restaurants & Caterings (most known for their Paulaner restaurants) and Germany dining brand Käfer. It’s located in a corner of Lujiazui that I’ve never ventured to before, and upon entering the airy restaurant, I was surprised to find it abuzz with a mix of local and foreign diners. The brunch deal here, 358 RMB for a free flow of wine and other drinks, an appetizer and dessert buffet, in addition to an all-you-can-eat a la carte menu, has apparently attracted quite a following.

The theme is contemporary European dining, though there are some Asian dishes on the a la carte menu as well as on the buffet table, presumably to cater to different types of guests. Green bean soup for dessert? It’s got to be a request from Chinese patrons.