Archive for the ‘french concession’ Category
[SHANGHAI] Nene
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Nene
Add: No.106, 47 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Lu / 47永福路106室，近复兴路
Tel: 6418 5055
Hours: 11am~midnight
Price: [lunch] 98~138 RMB/set [dinner] 200~300 RMB/person [brunch] 198 RMB/set
Visited on: 2012-06
A cute little place on Yongfu Lu with delicious, delicious pasta.
Open kitchen.
[SHANGHAI] Sushi Naramoto 壽司奈良本
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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 on: 2012-07
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, the waitresses were scurrying around to make seating arrangements, and no music in the air. 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.
[SHANGHAI] Cafe Paddy
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Cafe Paddy
Add: 394 Yongjia Lu, near Taiyuan Lu 永嘉路394号, 近太原路
Tel: 6466 8608
Hours: 11am~11:30pm
Price: [drinks] 25~45 RNB
Visited on: 2012-07
Look at this lush little courtyard garden. Doesn’t it just draw you right in? Welcome to Cafe Paddy.
The interior is filled with a curious collection of mannequins, carousel pony, skulls, and other vintage paraphernalia, but the atmosphere is far from eerie thanks to large windows and warm lighting.
[SHANGHAI] Kappo Yu 割烹雄 (2)
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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 on: 2012-07
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 of course the 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.
[SHANGHAI] Le Bistro de L’Ouest
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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: 2012-06
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 personally 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.
[SHANGHAI] Franck
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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: [Tue-Fri] 6pm-10:30pm [Sat-Sun] 12pm-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm (Closed on Mon)
Website: www.franck.com.cn
Price: 450~600 RMB/person
Visited on: 2012-06
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.
[SHANGHAI] Shari
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Shari
Add: 630 Yongjia Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu / 永嘉路630号, 近乌鲁木齐路
Tel: 5466 0320
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 11:30am~2:30pm, 5:30pm-11pm [Sat-Sun] 11:30am~2:30pm, 5:30pm-10pm
Website: www.shari-shanghai.cn
Price: 150~250RMB/person
Visited on: 2012-04
5 minutes before dinner, my friend called and said in an unsure voice, “I’m at the door, but this place doesn’t look like it serves sushi…” Indeed, the colonial villa in which Shari is situated in does not resemble a typical Japanese restaurant, but no one has ever decreed that sushi rolls can only be served in tatami-floorered rooms, right?
We started with an assorted appetizer plate (98 RMB), which included shari tofu (Japanese tofu mixed with mascarpone cheese), umani (Japanese traditional stewed clam), kamonegi (roasted duck and fried scallions with balsamic), tomato with avocado, onsen tamago (half-boiled egg with miso jelly), and nanbanzuke (fried white fish marinated in sweet vinegar sauce).
[SHANGHAI] Awfully Chocolate (2)
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Awfully Chocolate
Address: 169 Wujiang Road, Jingan District, InPoint Plaza #120 / 吴江路169号四季坊商场120号
. 174 South Xiangyang Road / 襄阳南路174 号
Tel: 6267 9390 (Wujiang Road) / 6267 9391 (Xiangyang Road)
Hours: 10am~10pm
Website: www.awfullychocolate.com
Price: [ice-cream] 27 RMB/scoop [cupcakes] 25 RMB [truffles] 73 RMB/100g
Visited on: 2012-04
I really just wanted one scoop of chocolate ice-cream when I visited Awfully Chocolate this afternoon, but things never go as planned…
[SHANGHAI] Ginger
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Ginger
Add: No.1, 299 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Huashan Lu / 复兴西路299弄1号, 近华山路
Tel: 3406 0599
Hours: 9:30am~9:30pm
Website: www.gingercafe.cn
Price: [drinks] 25~45RMB [food] 42~98 RMB
Visited on: 2011-04
I have been to Ginger a few times before, but never thought it was anything special. This past Wednesday I sat out with a friend in its tiny alley patio, and I gotta say, this is a pretty sweet spot for the Spring weather in Shanghai. I only had a pot of ginger tea so I can’t comment on the food…you will have to go and find out yourself.
Still full from lunch, all I ordered was ginger tea with honey (35 RMB).
[SHANGHAI] Cheers In Beer Delivery
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Cheers In
Address: 25 Yongkang Lu, near Jiashan Lu / 永康路25号, 近嘉善路
Tel: 6418 8400
Hours: 9:00am~10:00pm
Website: www.cheers-in.com
Tasted on: 2012-03-27
Why yes, Shanghai is certainly getting warm! With the high at 22°C today, I think it’s time for some beer. Here are a few bottles delivered from Cheers In, a beer shop with 2 physical stores (click here for the addresses) and an online delivery service. Well then, let’s drink!
The afternoon started with La Trappe Blond Trappist (27 RMB, 330ml) from Abbey ND Koenigshoeven Brewery. Clear, sparkling, and golden blond in color, this beer has a fresh and fruity taste with a soft bitter aftertaste, and a smooth aroma with a bit of butterscotch and floral notes. 6.5% vol. alc., pouring temperature 8-12 ºC.
