[Shanghai] Table No. 1 at The Waterhouse

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[Shanghai] Table No. 1 at The Waterhouse

Table No. 1

Address: 1-3 Maojiayuan Lu, near Zhongshan Nan Lu / 毛家園路1-3號1樓, 近中山南路
Tel: 6080 2918
Hours: 12~2:30pm, 6~10:30pm
Website: www.tableno-1.com
Price: [lunch] 178 RMB+15%/person, [dinner]300~500 RMB/person
Visited: Mar 2012 (visit 1, 2)

Please note that this was an arranged tasting.

I love Table No. 1 in daylight, but it is even more charming after dark. With candles lit on every table, this minimally decorated dining room becomes quite a romantic spot, and whether you are here for a date (choose a window seat) or a friendly gathering (choose a communal table), this place will not disappoint.

Our table looked into the interior courtyard, across which we could see some actions from the kitchen.

There’s also a semi-private room available for those looking for more seclusion.

I started the meal with a Dirty Lychee Martini (80 RMB), muddled lychee fruits shaken with lychee liqueur and Absolut raspberry vodka, while my friend went for TN1. Mojito (80 RMB), muddled mint leaves and lime mixed with Havana Blanco rum and topped with soda. Thumbs up to both.

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[Shanghai] Brunch at Jing’An, The PuLi Hotel

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[Shanghai] Brunch at Jing’An, The PuLi Hotel

Jing’An Restaurant

Add: 2F, The PuLi Hotel and Spa, 1 Changde Lu, near Yan’an Xi Lu / 常德路1號2樓， 近延安西路
Tel: 2216 6988
Hours: 11:30-2:30pm, 7:00-10:30pm
Price: [brunch] 398 RMB + 15%/person
Website: www.jinganrestaurant.com
Visited: Mar 2012

PuLi Hotel’s Jing’An Restaurant – adorned with dark woods, bamboo screens, lotus flowers, and huge plate-glass windows overlooking Jing’an Park – is one of my favorite places in Shanghai. Brunch here is a lavish affair, with two buffet tables in addition to a la carte orders of main courses and desserts, plus the optional free flow of Moet & Chandon Brut or Moet & Chandon Rose. What more can you ask for?

I usually don’t like buffet food, but the Jing’An version is quite nicely put together. What they entail: a fresh seafood station, charcuterie selection with dressing, roasted meats, freshly baked breads and pastries, imported cheeses, pickled station with pickled eggs, cucumbers onions and marinated mushrooms, fresh salad selection, a variety of homemade condiments, and fresh fruits.


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[Shanghai] 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA

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[Shanghai] 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA

8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA

Add: Associate Mission Building,  6-7/F, 169 Yuanmingyuan Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu  / 圆明园路169号6－7楼, 近北京东路
Tel: 6087 2890
Hours: [restaurant] 6pm~12am [bar] 4pm~late
Website: www.ottoemezzobombana.com
Price: 600 RMB+/person
Visited on: Mar 2012

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

That evening at 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo, I ate way too much, and I drank way too much. But can you blame me? The Shanghai establishment of Umberto Bombana’s Michelin three star restaurant just upped the ante for fine dining in this city. Situated in the newly renovated Rock Bund development, the restaurant boasts views of Lujiazui and The Bund, but really, I couldn’t care less about the view – it’s the food that draws me.

To see my review of the original 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo in Hong Kong, click here.

Our evening commenced at the bar. If you are overwhelmed by the lengthy menu like I was, let mixologist Dario Gentile whip up one of his original cocktail recipes for you. As I was in the mood for something sour, the Camomile Whisky Sour (80 RMB) was perfect.

Camomile Whisky Sour (80 RMB).

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[Shanghai] Mistral

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[Shanghai] Mistral

Mistral

Add: 133 Fuxing Xi Lu at Yongfu Lu / 复兴西路133号近永福路
Tel: 6433 4261
Hours: [Mon] 5pm~12am [Tue-Sun] 12pm~12am
Price: 300~400 RMB/person
Visited on: Feb 2012

Please note that this was an arranged tasting.

Mistral, a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar on Fuxing Lu, has got an understated storefront, a heavy black metal door, and a little TV scribbled with “turn off TV, turn on music”. First impression – quirky! – I loved it.

Enter the door, and it’s casual, rustic, with simple white-washed walls. The first floor has a few tables and a small patio, and the second floor has two private rooms and terrace seating – no doubt a nice spot on a balmy day.

So what’s in the name? “Mistral” is a strong wind from the Northwest of France that affects its eastern Mediterranean coast from Marseille to St. Tropez and is what makes the charming weather in these sunny regions. And the food? Rustic Spanish, with lots of French and a bit of Italian additions.


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[Shanghai] Media Dinner at Greenology 大蔬無界

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[Shanghai] Media Dinner at Greenology 大蔬無界

Greenology 大蔬無界

Add: 392 Tianping Lu, near Zhaojiabang Lu / 天平路392号, 近肇嘉浜路
Tel: 3469 2857
Hours: [lunch] 11am-2pm [tea] 2-5pm [dinner] 5-10pm
Price: 150 RMB/person for a la carte, 268~688 RMB/person for prie fixe menu
Visited: Feb 2012

Please note that this was an arranged tasting.

Greenology (大蔬無界), literally “boundless options of a vegetarian lifestyle”, offers a refined selection of Chinese fusion dishes using innovative combinations of fresh, organic, and origin-conscious produce. Last week, I had the pleasure of tasting a 10-course dinner orchestrated by guest chef Tony Chang, who was invited as part of the restaurant’s International Vegetarian Culinary Exchange. It was, to say the least, a mesmerizing evening.

The interior of Greenology’s 6-story building, designed by a Buddhist monk, corresponds to the five elements of Chinese philosophy: water, wood, fire, earth, and metal. The tasting event was held up on the 5th floor, a contemporary space complete with dark wood furnitures, floor-to-ceiling windows, a picturesque park view, and a show kitchen.

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[Shanghai] Song Fang Maison de Thé 宋芳茶館

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[Shanghai] Song Fang Maison de Thé 宋芳茶館

Song Fang Maison de Thé 宋芳茶館

Add: 227 Yongjia Lu, near Shanxi Nan Lu /永嘉路277号, 近陝西南路
Tel: 6433 8283
Price: [tea] 40~70 RMB/pot, [cake] ~40 RMB
Website: www.songfangtea.com
Visited: Dec 2011

Song Fang Maison de Thé is an enchanting tea salon located in a converted former French Concession lane house. From the 1st floor retail space, climb up the winding wooden staircase to arrive at its bright and airy tea salon adorned with vintage tin cans, wicker chairs, and nostalgic floral red prints from Northern China – you probably wouldn’t have guessed that this place is opened by a French lady, would you? With light jazz floating in the background, this is a truly stylish retreat.


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[Shanghai] Mr. Pancake House

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[Shanghai] Mr. Pancake House

Mr. Pancake House

Add: 877 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu / 武定路877号, 近胶州路
Tel: 6255 1648
Hours: 7:30am-10:30pm
Price: 30~50 RMB/person
Visited: Nov 2010

This small pancake specialty shop in Jing’an area is so popular that they don’t even take reservations (not on weekends, at least). The food and the decor are just ok, but the the price is unbeatable – for less than 50 RMB, you get pancakes, sausages/bacon/ham, eggs, home fries, plus coffee or tea.  Better yet, they serve breakfast until 3:00pm!

On this particular Sunday early afternoon, we waited about 20 minutes before we got seats for four. A word on the outdoor seats – if you choose to sit outside, expect to breathe in excessive car fumes as you chow down the pancakes because you will be sitting next to a busy road.

Most of the breakfast sets are similar – 2 small pancakes, 2 eggs any style, home fries, and sausages/ham/bacon – my favorite being the German sausages. If you’d rather not do sets, the banana walnut pancakes (28 RMB) would be a safe choice, though they are pretty much just plain pancakes topped with banana slices, a dollop of cream, and a few walnut bits.

German Sausage Breakfast (48 RMB).

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[Shanghai] Dakota

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[Shanghai] Dakota

Dakota

Add: 30 Donghu Lu, near Xinle Lu / 东湖路30号, 近新乐路
Tel:  5403 8906
Hours: [Mon-Sat] 11:00am-midnight [Sun] 11am-6pm
Price: [Brunch] 100 RMB/person, [Dinner] 200 RMB/person
Visited: Nov 2010

2014 update: venue closed.

An American bistro located on Donghu Lu close to Sushi Oyama and El Willy. Lunch and dinner seem a bit overpriced, but come here for a comfortable brunch featuring classic items such eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, omelettes, Croque Madame, seafood chowder, and the likes. It’s simple, and it’s good. The wood-paneled and black leather chair interior is not my usual favorite vibe for brunch, but to occasionally diverge from the typical ‘sunny patio brunch’ path is not so horrible either.

Other than the items mentioned above, you’ll also see shrimp and grits, brisket hash, frittata, egg salad tartine, apple crepes, etc. If you come with a big group, there are some big plates to share as well: “roast leg of lamb served with bone marrow butter, salad, and duck fat frites”, and the “bone-in ribeye served with frisée salad, duck fat roasted potatoes, and béarnaise”.

We started with the Seafood Chowder in Sourdough Bread Bowl (50 RMB), which was thick and creamy with chunks of salmon and other seafood. The sourdough bread bowl was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. A good start.

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[Shanghai] Anna Maya

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[Shanghai] Anna Maya

Anna Maya

Add: 3 Taojiang Lu, near Hengshan Lu / 桃江路3号, 近衡山路
Tel: 6433 4602
Hours: 10am-10pm
Price: 110~150 RMB/set
Visited: Nov 2010 (visit 2)

Anna Maya has caught my eye several times before with its vibrantly yellow wall, but it wasn’t until this past week that I decided to give it a try. This vegan cafe is all about natural, whole, and unprocessed food – macrobiotic philosophy, if you know what that means (I didn’t). Let’s see what it entails.

The owner of the cafe, a cute little Japanese woman, greeted me as I entered the door. Upon my request to see the menu, she made detailed recommendations and explanations on the dishes, which all sounded surprisingly delicious even though there is absolutely no meat or dairy involved. The menu is of course hand-written and updated regularly with seasonal changes.

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[Shanghai] Issimo

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[Shanghai] Issimo

Issimo

Add: 2/F, 931 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Taixing Lu / 南京西路931號2樓, 近泰興路
Tel: 3302 4997
Website: www.jiashanghai.com/web/RoomsAndRestaurants/detail/Restaurant/eng/
Price: [lunch] 148~178 RMB/person + 15% [dinner] 300~400 RMB/person

2014 update: venue closed.

Apparently Issimo isn’t what it used to be, but there are several reasons why you should still lunch there. First, the food – it might not be terribly inventive, but it’s satisfying (and bears the name of celebrity chef Salvatore Cuomo). Second, the location – 2nd floor of the stylish JIA boutique hotel, which conveniently sits on Nanjing West Rd/Wu Jiang Lu. Third, the value – for 148 RMB (as opposed to the 400+ RMB/person dinner bill),  you get a 3-course meal inclusive of an appetizer, a pizza/pasta, a dessert, a drink (fresh juice, soft drink, or wine), and Illy coffee. 178 RMB for an additional main course. Not so bad, eh?

The design at Issimo is modern and sleek but still comfortable and cozy.

For drinks, choose from fresh juices (orange or grapefruit), house red/white wine, and soft drinks.

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