[Shanghai] Manne et Sante’ [2]

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[Shanghai] Manne et Sante’ [2]

Manne et Sante’

Add: 96 Shaoxing Lu, near Shanxi Nan Lu / 绍兴路96号, 近陕西南路
Tel: 5465 6297
Hours: 8am~10pm
Price: [afternoon tea] minimum spend 50 RMB/person,  [lunch/dinner] approx. 100 RMB/person
Visited: Mar 2012

It’s been a long while since I last visited Manne et Sante’, and I’m feeling very fortunate to have rediscovered this hidden gem. Take a look at this post, which will hopefully convince you to venture up its shabby and twisting staircase (be careful not to hit your head on the way up). Comfortable leather sofas, natural light streaming in from large window panes, Ella Fitzgerald in the air, and most impressively – affordable and delicious dishes! I wasn’t expecting much given the tiny size of the cafe and the presumably small kitchen, but I was very pleasantly surprised.

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[Shanghai] Ming Court 明閣 at The Langham Xintiandi

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[Shanghai] Ming Court 明閣 at The Langham Xintiandi

Ming Court 明閣 at The Langham Xintiandi

Address: Langham Xintiandi, 5/F, 99 Madang Lu, near Taicang Lu 马当路99号5楼, 近太仓路
Tel: 2330 2428
Hours: [lunch] 11:30am-2:30pm [dinner] 5:30-10:30pm
Website: intiandi.langhamhotels.com/restaurants/ming_court.htm
Price: [weekend brunch] 128 RMB/person [lunch] 250~300 RMB/person, [dinner] 300~500 RMB/person
Visited:  Jan 2012

With its 2 Michelin star standing in Hong Kong, Ming Court at The Langham Xintiandi raises expectations. To test it out, I gathered a group of 5 hungry dim sum lovers to try their 128 RMB/person all-you-can-eat dim sum brunch.  The verdict? It’s not 2 Michelin stars, but it’s an excellent deal.

We were seated in one of the nine private dining rooms, a pleasant space complemented with smooth and considerate service.

The 128 RMB price tag covers everything on the menu except drinks, and tea comes at 25~35 RMB per person. Among everything we ordered (all are of satisfying quality), my favorites were 鮮蝦炸腸粉 (deep-fried rice rolls with shrimps), 明閣四喜餃 (steamed dumplings with shrimps, fish roe, crab meat, and dried scallops), and 鮮蝦雲呑湯 (shrimp and vegetable wonton soup).

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[ShanghaiI] Kush

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[ShanghaiI] Kush

Kush

Add: 98 Yanping Lu, near Xinzha Lu 延平路98号, 近新闸路
Tel: 5175 9822
Hours: 11am-10pm
Website: www.kush.sh
Price: [starters & salads] 36~59 RMB [mains] 47~69 RMB [drinks] 30~60 RMB
Visited: Nov 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

After a most gratifying but artery-clogging meal at Kota’s Kitchen, I sought respite at Kush (“happiness” in Sanskrit), a vegetarian cafe serving light-hearted dishes. Lentil burgers, vegetarian pastas, hummus wraps, green smoothies…the dishes here can be hit or miss, but we all need a clean meal like this once in a while.

The place is small, with only 4 tables available. The decor is simple and light: blonde wood, white tabletops, and a scroll of The Heart Sutra hanging on the wall.

Numb from the freezing weather, I skipped the cold appetizers and went right into the hot dishes. I really enjoyed the Lentil Burger (59 RMB), complete with greens, sun-dried tomatoes, chives, walnuts, corn, avocado slices, fresh tomatoes, and pesto on toasted buns. It’s a wonder how meatless burgers can taste this good.

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[Shanghai] Kota’s Kitchen

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[Shanghai] Kota’s Kitchen

Kota’s Kitchen

Add: 2905 Xietu Lu, near Lingling Lu 斜土路2905号， 近零陵路
Tel: 6481 2005
Hours: 6pm-1am
Website: www.kotaskitchen.com
Price: 150~200 RMB/person
Visited: Dec 2011

There’s a warm buzz at Kota’s Kitchen that makes you feel you’ve come to the right place. This intimate, perpetually packed Japanese yakitori shochu bar has all the right elements – skewered items grilled to perfection over Japanese charcoal, supremely gratifying fried chicken, fried potatoes, fried anything, and Beatles posters all over its walls and classic tunes of “Love Me Do” and “Yellow Submarine” in the background. My favorite yakitori place in town, hands down.


A meal at Kota’s always starts with a plate of freshly sliced carrots, cucumbers, and daikons with accompanying mayonnaise and a mildly spicy sauce. This is probably going to be the healthiest plate you’ll see all evening.

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[Shanghai] Mo-Mo Paradise

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[Shanghai] Mo-Mo Paradise

Mo-Mo Paradise

Address: Hong Fang Zi, 2/F, 35 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Changle Lu 红房子, 陕西南路35号2楼, 近长乐路
Tel: 5236 6038
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 11:30am-3pm, 5-10pm [Sat-Sun] 11:30am-10pm
Website: www.mo-mo-sh.com
Price:  [lunch] 118~128 RMB/person, drinks extra [dinner] 138~150 RMB/person, drinks extra
Visited: Nov 2011

Last year, Sugared & Spiced kicked off the hot pot season with Qimin Organic Hot Pot (still a lovely spot to visit), and this year, it all started with Mo-Mo Paradise. Originally from Tokyo, this hot pot chain now has around 100 branches in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, and its Shanghai branch just opened earlier this year. For 118~128 RMB (lunch) and 138~150 RMB (dinner), they offer all-you-can-eat selections of quality meats and organic vegetables. Clean interior, excellent service, no fuss.

The appetizer plate.

Mo-Mo Paradise offers four broth choices: sukiyaki, shabu shabu, spicy miso, and curry. The most popular choice is the sukiyaki broth, a sweet and savory combination of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin (a rice wine with a 40~50% sugar content).

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[Shanghai] Goga (2)

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[Shanghai] Goga (2)

Goga

Add: 1 Yueyang Lu, near Dongping Lu 岳阳路1号, 近东平路
Tel: 6431 9700
Hours: 6:30-10:30pm
Prices: 300~350 RMB/person (without wine)
Visited on: Nov 2011 (visit 1)

Another casual dinner at the small but delicious Goga, and this time I made sure to reserve a bar seat where I could see the open kitchen in full action. Alas Brad Turley wasn’t there that evening, but it’s good to know that his staff is able to manage the place without his presence.

We started the meal with something we haven’t tasted before – Sizzling Kampachi Sashimi (95 RMB) with fresh yuzu, white soy, and white truffle. A few irresistible slices of kampachi resting a a puddle of white soy and white truffle, delicious.

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[Shanghai] Cuivre

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[Shanghai] Cuivre

Cuivre

Add: 1502 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu 淮海中路1502号, 近乌鲁木齐路
Tel: 6437 4219
Hours: [daily] 6-10:30pm [weekend brunch] 11:30am-2:30pm
Website: www.cuivre.cn
Price: [dinner] 250~350 RMB/person [brunch] 188 RMB/set
Visited: Nov 2011

It’s hard to not notice the warm glow exuding from Cuivre’s windows if you pass by its storefront. This upscale French bistro, adorned with copper coils (very approrpiate given the name Cuivre, “copper” in French), leather chairs, woven wood/bamboo light fixtures, is a welcoming and slightly quirky place. Fill the space with Michael Wendling’s straight-forward and delicious Southern French fare, and we’ve got a winning combination.

Bikes converted into bar seating? They don’t look very comfortable.


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[Seoul] Cheongdam-dong 청담동

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[Seoul] Cheongdam-dong 청담동

A short trip from Apgujeong is Cheongdam-dong, the Fashion and Art district of Seoul. The main street is lined with Hermes, Prada, Louis Vuitton and the likes, perfect for those with thicker wallets. Even if you don’t plan to max out your credit card, it’s still fun to venture up and down the hilly neighborhood to check out some ultra sleek architectural design or have a cup of coffee at one of the many chic cafes. You will undoubtedly spot many celebrities vans (black, with tinted windows), so you can also indulge with the thought that perhaps you just rubbed shoulders with Rain, Lee Hyori, Big Bang or Girls Generation…whomever suits your fancy.

This area is also home to many multi-shops, like the 3-story 10 Corso Como bookstore, cafe, boutique, and gallery complex.

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[Shanghai] Cafe & Deli Natural

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[Shanghai] Cafe & Deli Natural

Cafe & Deli Natural

Add: Room 101, No. 2, Lane 99 Ronghua East Rd, near Shuicheng Rd 荣华西道99弄金马公寓2号101室，近水城南路
Tel: 6219 9115
Hours: [Sun-Thu] 11:30am-10:30pm [Fri-Sat] 11:30am-midnight
Price: [lunch] 55 RMB [desserts] 25~50 RMB [dinner] 120~180 RMB
Visited: Nov 2011

Discovered another cozy cafe in Gubei. Polished wooden tables, leather sofa, eclectic knickknacks, warm palettes of brown and cream. What they serve – light and healthy Japanese comfort dishes, and a decent cup of coffee.

There are several lunch sets at Cafe & Deli Natural, all priced at 55 RMB. LOCO MOCO Hamburger Plate (55 RMB) came with a burger patty, a scoop of white rice, an over easy egg, tomato soup, and potato salad. The sizable beef patty was nicely done, though not as amazing as those at Big Apple.

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