Shanghai | Sugared & Spiced

[Shanghai] Afternoon Tea at The Living Room, Park Hyatt (2)

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The Living Room at Park Hyatt

Address: 87/F, Park Hyatt Shanghai, 100 Century Avenue, near Dongtai Lu 世纪大道100号, 上海柏悅酒店87楼, 近东泰路
Tel: 6888 1234
Hours: [Afternoon Tea] 2:00pm~6:00pm
Price: [Afternoon Tea Set] 218 RMB + 15%, [Tea/Coffee] 60~65 RMB + 15%
Website: www.parkhyattshanghai.com
Visited on: 2012-02-24

I’m quite a fan of Park Hyatt’s afternoon tea set, but this time I went back to try their alluring array of à la carte desserts. Cream puffs, fresh fruit tarts, cheese cakes, mango puddings, chocolate mousse…ready for a sugar high afternoon?

The Living Room at Park Hyatt

The view

Caught this reflection by chance…please excuse the digression :)

Reflection

Reflected

Voilà, here they are. Classic French pastries baked fresh daily, just sitting there quietly in their glistening crystal shields, tempting folks like you and I with their alluring colors.

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2012/03/152015/09/28

[Shanghai] Souper Fresh Gubei Branch

restaurant

Souper Fresh (venue closed) Add: 99 Rong Hua West Road Bldg.4 #101 / 荣华西道99弄4号101室 Tel: 3250 8277 Hours: 11:00am~9:00pm Website: www.souperfresh.com Price: 58 RMB/person Visited: Mar 2012 After much ado, the Gubei branch of Souper Fresh is finally in operation. I gave it a try this week – didn’t take any pictures, but it’s basically the same deal as…Continue Reading “[Shanghai] Souper Fresh Gubei Branch” →

2012/03/102015/09/24

[Shanghai] Cafe des Stagiaires (3)

paris

Cafe des Stagiaires Add: 54 Yongkang Lu, near Xiangyang Nan Lu / 永康路54号, 近襄阳南路 Tel: 3425 0210 Hours: [Tue-Sun] 10:00am~midnight Price: 20~30 RMB/coffee Visited: Mar 2012 (visits 1, 2) Are you sick of me posting about this place yet? Yes, I was back at Cafe des Stagiaires again. A snapshot of my afternoon: a cup of latte, a cup of cappuccino,…Continue Reading “[Shanghai] Cafe des Stagiaires (3)” →

2012/03/092015/09/27

[Shanghai] 8 ½ Otto e Mezzo BOMBANA

restaurant

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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2012/03/042015/09/29

[Shanghai] The Grumpy Pig (2)

restaurant

The Grumpy Pig

Add: 65-4 Maoming Bei Lu, near Yan’an Lu / 茂名北路65-4号, 近延安路
Tel: 6217 3355
Hours: [Sun-Thu] 11am~10pm [Fri-Sat] 11am~12am
Price: 100~200 RMB/person
Visited: Mar 2012 (visit 1)

Back at The Grumpy Pig for their famed tonkotsu ramen which I didn’t have room for on my previous visit. With natural light pouring through the skylight, this little space is equally charming during the day as it is after dark. A perfect lunch spot for those working in the area.

Love these light bulbs. Maybe I can find them at aroom?

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2012/02/282015/09/28

[Shanghai] Sunday Fried Chicken at The Public

restaurant

The Public

Add: Sinan Mansions, Block 2, 4/F, Lane 507 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Chongqing Lu / 复兴中路507弄2号楼4楼, 近重庆路
Tel: 3368 9419
Hours: [Wed-Sun] 6pm~late
Price: [food] 100~200 RMB/person [drinks] 65~80 RMB/cocktail
Visited: Jun 2012

I was so curious about The Public’s Sunday Fried Chicken that I came back within a week of my last visit. The fried chickens here have been garnering great reviews since their Apothecary days, and many diners – despite bashing the place for its strict rules and unsatisfactory service (both have been effectively remedied since the restaurant’s rebranding) – reluctantly admitted that the chickens are a hit.

Here it is, a glorious plate of Whey-Poached Fried Chicken with Buttermilk Biscuits & Coleslaw (half chix w/ 2 biscuits 125 RMB, whole chix w/ 4 biscuits 240 RMB). Free-range, organic chickens that grew up on honey-fermented grains are seasoned (they say it takes 24 hours), battered, then deep fried to a satisfying golden brown. Under the crackling crunch is fragrant, juicy, and tender meat filled with flavor.

On a separate plate came the coleslaw…

…and buttermilk biscuits, which weren’t too shabby, but the restaurant staff still assured us that they are working on the recipe and will soon come out with a leveled up version of these buttery goodness.

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2012/02/262015/10/09

[Shanghai] aroom

shanghai

aroom

Add: No. 15, Lane 120, Tai’an Road / 泰安路120弄15号
Tel: 5213 0360
Hours: 12~8:30pm
Price: 20~35 RMB/drink
Visited: Jun 2012

Aroom is a well-hidden cafe/shop on Tai’an Road – so well-hidden that you definitely won’t discover it if you weren’t specifically looking for its door. There are a few wooden tables and leather sofas for those who want to linger for the coffee and cakes, but the focus here are random objects collected by its owners (a Shanghainese couple, I hear). It’s one of those places where I get so busy trying to capture everything on camera, but there’s just too much…

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2012/02/242015/09/29

[Shanghai] Anna Maya (2)

restaurant

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: 68~110 RMB/set
Visited: Jan 2012 (visit 1)

Almost forgot about a delightful lunch I had at Anna Maya at the very beginning of this year. Like I said last time, this vegan cafe will not please everyone, but for those looking to sooth the stomach with some light and healthy macrobiotic food, this is a must visit.

Wooden floor, wooden furniture, and wooden utensils.

Order a la carte or set menus, which range from 68 RMB (1 drink/soup + 1 salad) to 110 RMB (1 soup + 1 salad plate + 1 main dish). We sampled 2 soups, 4 salads, and 3 main dishes – it’s been more than two months since I had these, so I’ll have to skip on detailed descriptions…sorry!

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2012/02/222015/09/27

[Shanghai] Issimo Re-Opening Party

restaurant

Issimo

Add: 2/F, 931 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Taixing Lu / 南京西路931号2楼, 近泰兴路
Tel: 3302-4997
Hours: [breakfast] 7~10:30am [lunch] 12:00~2:30pm [dinner] 6:30~10:30pm
Website: www.jiashanghai.com/web/RoomsAndRestaurants/detail/Restaurant/eng/
Price: [lunch] 118~148 RMB/set [dinner] 300~400 RMB/person [brunch] 288 RMB/person
Visited: Feb 2012

Just came back from Issimo‘s re-opening party, an absolutely raucous event filled with people having a very good time. The 12-meter-long olive-wood counter was covered in a sumptuous spread of focaccia, grissini, mozzarella, parmigiano-reggiano, sun-dried tomatoes, pickled olives, ham and salami of all sorts, not to mention the cohort of waiters waltzing around with plates after plates of hors d’oeuvres…

2014 update: venue closed.

“More mozzarella? Some olive oil and pepper? Tomatoes! How about some olives? Bread, ah yes more bread!” The friendly chefs behind the counter served with such passion, I couldn’t resist anything they put on my plate. Not complaining.

Champagne, refilled a little too promptly for my own good.

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2012/02/212015/10/07

[Shanghai] Éclair at Andaz

shanghai

Éclair at Andaz

Add: Andaz Shanghai, 88 Songshan Lu / 嵩山路88号上海安达仕酒店1楼
Tel: 2310 1720
Hours: 7am~10pm
Website: www.andazshanghai.com
Price: 18 RMB/eclair, 30~50 RMB/coffee or tea
Visited: Feb 2012

Éclair at Andaz specializes in – you’ve guessed it – éclairs. But before we go on, here are a few words on Andaz for those of you who are unfamiliar with this hotel collection. It is Hyatt’s new line of contemporary, boutique-inspired hotels, located in hip cities around the world like London, New York, and LA. Shanghai’s Andaz, opened only a few months ago in October 2011, is the first in Asia and the sixth in the world. Next time you are in Xintiandi, be sure to drop by and check out its chic designs.

Back to Éclairs, where éclairs take center stage. These oblong-shaped pastries are made from pâte à choux, baked until crisp and hollow inside, then filled with flavored pastry cream and glazed with fondant icing. The word éclair actually came from a French word meaning “lightning” or “flash of lightning”…Why? Je ne sais pas.

Also available: a selection of chocolates, cupcakes, tarts, quiches, breads, and the likes.

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