Shanghai food blog | Sugared & Spiced

2012/08/282015/09/23

[Shanghai] Tang Gong 唐宫

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
Visited: Aug 2012

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.

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2012/08/272015/09/28

[Shanghai] Madison, Reopened!

restaurant

Madison

Add: 3 Fenyang Lu, near Huaihai Lu / 汾陽路3號，近淮海路
Tel: 6437 0136
Hours: [daily] 6:00pm~10:30pm, [Sat-Sun brunch] 12:00pm~3:00pm
Price: [dinner] 300 RMB, [brunch] 100~150 RMB
Visited: Aug 2012

…And it’s back! After a few months of hibernation, Madison – one of my favorite places for brunch in Shanghai – soft-opened its new Fenyang Lu location just this past week. Poached egg with pig trotter croquette, stuffed brioche French toast, refried potato pancake sticks…I have missed you!

The new Madison is divided into two parts: part one is the original Madison concept, while part two “Madi’s” is a more casual gastro-lounge at a lower price point, and is also where brunch is served. Our table wasn’t ready when we arrived at the restaurant, so we commenced our midday drinking at the bar. Here’s a Madison Mimosa (55 RMB) made with bubble, orange juice, and ginger orange sorbet.

Madison is currently using the old brunch menu, but rumor has it that they will be introducing some new items starting next weekend. Here are some old favorites, many of them I’ve described here so will just present you the pictures this time: refried potato pancake sticks (30 RMB).

Poached eggs with pig trotter croquette, housemade English muffin, xo hollandaise (48 RMB).

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2012/08/182015/09/27

[Shanghai] Nene

restaurant

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: Jun 2012

A cute little place on Yongfu Lu with delicious, delicious pasta.

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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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2012/07/252015/09/24

[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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2012/07/242015/09/27

[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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2012/06/222015/10/09

[Shanghai] Spread The Bagel x Amelia’s Jams

shanghai

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: Jun 2012

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…

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.

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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.

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2012/06/152015/10/07

[Shanghai] Seesaw Cafe

shanghai

Seesaw Cafe

Add: 433 Yuyuan Lu, inside Jing’an Design Center / 愚园路433号静安设计中心内
Tel: 137 6170 0535
Hours: 8:30am~10:30pm
Price: 15~25 RMB/coffee
Visited: Jun 2012

The very recently opened Seesaw Cafe has all the elements I look for in a coffee shop. Glorious coffee, 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.

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