Archive for the ‘Shanghai food blog’ tag
[SHANGHAI] Tang Gong 唐宫
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Tang Gong 唐宫
Add: 1/F, 103 Dong Zhu’anbang Lu, near Jiangsu Lu 东诸安浜路103号维景酒店公寓1-2楼, 近江苏路
Tel: 6251 6148
Hours: 7:30am-10:00pm
Price: 50~80 RMB/person
Knowing that I won’t be able to get any good dim sum in Paris (not at this price, at least), I went for a dim sum brunch at Tang Gong right before my departure. Cha siu sou, shrimp dumplings, roasted pigeons, turnip cakes, egg tarts, cha siu buns, chicken feet, stir-fried noodles with beef…The best part? We stuffed our faces, yet the bill came out to be less than 60 RMB per person!
[SHANGHAI] Nene
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
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] Matto Bar & Pizzeria
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
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 on: 2012-07
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.
[SHANGHAI] Kappo Yu 割烹雄 (2)
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
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] Mr & Mrs Bund (2)
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
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
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.
Doesn’t this seating arrangement remind you of the Mad Hatter tea party from Alice in Wonderland? ;)
The meal, as usual, started off with a complimentary can of delightfully airy tuna mousse served with thin crisps.
[SHANGHAI] Spread The Bagel X Amelia’s Jams
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
The Pantry
Add: 90 Nanyang Lu, near Xikang Lu / 南阳路90号, 近西康路
Tel: 138 1871 9543
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 7:30am~6pm [Sat-Sun] 8am-6pm
Website: www.bytheco-op.com
Prices: [cookies] 35 RMB/bag of 5 [bagels] 45 RMB/half-dozen [jams & chutney] 35~45 RMB/jar
Visited on: 2012-06
If you remember my post on Strictly Cookies, I had an absolutely sugar high afternoon in Lexie’s kitchen space where she fed me just about everything in her delicious repertoire. I was back there again this week for a little rendezvous with Christine Asuncion from Spread the Bagels and Amelia Heaton-Renshaw from Amelia’s Jams, two of Lexie’s buddies from The Pantry. Uh oh, here comes another afternoon of serious overeating…
Please note that the pictures below were not taken at The Pantry, but at a separate kitchen space.
In the picture above, from top left to bottom right: White Knight (white sesame), Cinnarella (cinnamon raisin), Parmesan Pleaser (parmesan), Plain Jane (plain), Cocoa Fever (chocolate chip), and Everything Supreme (everything!) – 45 RMB for a half-dozen.
Bagels might look simple to make, but it’s actually a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. At Spread the Bagel, the whole drill takes about 16 hours in total and involves steps of making the dough, flavoring, letting it rise, shaping, letting it rise more, chilling, letting it rise more, boiling, then baking. This gives the bagels a shiny, caramel-colored crunchy exterior and a dense chewy interior, which, when paired with freshly-whipped cream cheese (available in regular, scallion, honey walnut, etc.), is just about as simple (yet gratifying) as breakfast gets.
[SHANGHAI] Franck
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
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] Brunch at Käfer by The Binjiang One
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
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: 2012-06
Please note that this is an arranged tasting.
As the name suggests, 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.
[SHANGHAI] Seesaw Cafe
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Seesaw Cafe
Add: 433 Yuyuan Lu, inside Jing’an Design Center 愚园路433号静安设计中心内
Tel: 13761700535
Hours: 8:30am~10:30pm
Price: 15~25 RMB/coffee
Visited on: 2012-06
The very recently opened Seesaw Cafe has all the elements I look for in a coffee shop. Glorious coffee (but of course), clean and stylish decor with courtyard seats, friendly baristas who are passionate to share their knowledge, and – drumroll please – buttery, sugary delights from Strictly Cookies.
A friend and I ordered a “coffee set for two” (58 RMB), which includes two cups of coffee and a selection of 4 dessert bites. We opted for a cappuccino and a latte, which came strong and smooth, with beautiful latte art.
[SHANGHAI] Strictly Cookies
Like my FACEBOOK PAGE or follow me on TWITTER / 微博!
Strictly Cookies
Add: check website for various locations
Tel: 137-8894-0337
Website: www.strictlycookies.com
Price: 35 RMB for a pack of 5 cookies
Visited on: 2012-06
My afternoon with Strictly Cookies definitely went overboard. Lexie Comstock, the girl behind the cookies, fed me a total of 9 different varieties – 5 of the regular flavors, plus another 4 of their new ice-cream cookie sandwich creations. I was effectively on a sugar high an hour into these cookies, and in the back of my head I was calculating how many laps I need to run to burn them off, all the while stuffing yet another piece in my mouth because these are so addictingly good. Life of a food blogger, you know, it’s really tough.
First, there are a few classics like the Strictly Chocolate Chip, Call Me Sugar, and Oatmeal Raisin the Roof. No surprises here, just plain awesomeness. The cookies are soft, chewy, sugary in the typical American way – not ideal for the body but does wonder for the mind (because eating these will make you a very happy person).
There are also a few modifications, like the Skinny Chocolate Chip, which has the same recipe as the classic Strictly Chocolate Chip, except it only uses 1/3 the sugar. The sweetness was perfect for me and, because there’s less sugar, the cookie doesn’t flatten out as much when baked, resulting in a more cakey texture.
Then there’s the Unifier, which ingeniously combines a brownie and a cookie – not much, just two of the best things in life. Underneath the thin crust is a gooey heart, so soft it just melts in your mouth.
