Shanghai There are thousands of restaurants in Shanghai and we have obviously not been to them all, not even skimmed the surface. What we have done is compile a list of the absolutel best. There may be some criticisms but they are minor.
No other country has ever undergone such rapid social and industrial change in such a short period as China and the Chinese are well aware their future is bright. They relish their new–found wealth, the changes to their cities and the fact that they are again the global centre of attention. Shanghai’s architecture is a modern as five seconds ago and in combination with renovations of exquisite Chinese, French and English architecture it is a paradise for those with a love of modernity and history and of course food.
The Chinese are obsessed with food and will spend hours on the street assessing the worth of a street seller’s hairy crab or turtle or queue patiently for the best wood cooked duck in the district. With an ancient heritage of eating out it is not surprising that with newfound prosperity middleclass Chinese are flocking to join expats and tourists and enjoy a variety of Western cuisines. The similarities between the Chinese and Italian kitchens have not been lost on young Chinese and Italian restaurants have burgeoned in the hundreds.

Local markets are vibrant and colourful and taking a walk in the suburbs, especially the French Quarter is a ’must do’ when visiting Shanghai. There are also some excellent architectural tours –and we recommend LUXURY CONCIERGE CHINA.

Meal prices range from a minuscule $2 on the streets to the many hundreds one might expect to pay in Europe or America’s most expensive restaurants. Most remarkable, is the opulence and imagination of restaurant interiors. The exquisite buildings of the Bund and French quarter and the space age architecture of Pudong house some of the most exciting restaurant spaces in the world today. The grand proportions of the dining rooms has meant that there is space between tables and a sense of private dining no longer found elsewhere in the world.
At Chinoise Story in the exquisitely restored government owned old Jin Jiang Hotel, Philippe Starck designed chairs embellish their private rooms. Starck’s work throughout Shanghai is flawless, but it is a stroke of genius to upholster with the traditional Chinese bright red white and green fabric covered with full–blown pink and white peony roses. The massive curved window of the original architecture flow into cream leather banquettes and that is just the start of the intelligent and exciting use of the stylish space.
Architects Neri and Hu turned four levels of No3 on the Bund into breathtaking and totally different restaurant spaces. All have spectacular views across the river to the ’Blade Runner’ new city of Pudong but it is their design that makes them unique. Laris Shanghai with its grey and white marble and gold leaf, exquisite flower arrangements, glassware and fabulous seafood bar. Jean Georges, dark and dramatic, with flashes of purple and red, massed red roses at the entry and a restrained three roses on each table. Jean Georges has all the nostalgia of old and decadent Shanghai and their kitchen is a stage with chefs in starched white and high torques, flashing silver cloches and enviable rows of polished copper pans.
The Wampoa Club is no less opulent and exotic with its colonial style and modern interpretations on Shanghainese food. Across the street at No5 the darling of China’s dining scene, Michelle Garnaut is another polished player with M on the Bund and the Glamour Bar both venues delivering everything they promise. Garnaut’s style is quirky, minimalistic, even sparing in some areas, over the top in others with lampshades made from beads and bits of vintage junk. Add clever use of mirrors, antiques, hanging crystal curtains and incredible flowers Garnaut is a girl who knows when to spend, and when not.
The fantastic Grand Hyatt was the first international player in Pudong and remains iconic for its faultless style and service and dizzying views. The Shangri–La is a series of gastronomic rides that are as theatrical as they are experimental. Jade their signature restaurant is hidden until the last second when you break into their dining room through a narrow dark passage to a sparkling light show view of the Bund through their incredibly high floor to ceiling windows. Window seats are not recommended for anyone suffering from vertigo. It’s one stunning location after another, but, you can’t eat the décor and some restaurants still suffer from lack of great produce, especially seafood. Since we reviewed in Shanghai in 04 there have been many improvements as chefs have learned to deal with the shortcomings and lack of really fantastic Australian/European produce. All will admit that some things are better than they could find anywhere else, like duck and goose foie gras from just $10 AUD per kilo, excellent pork and a fungi selection that is way better than anywhere else in the world. They will lament the lack of fresh herbs, especially tarragon and chervil. Regardless, most of the older players have found stability in their cooking. Some improvements are due to better produce and others simply coming to terms with what is available. Eric Johnson (Jean Georges) for instance has cleverly substituted Thai basil for tarragon with such a subtle hand it was impossible to detect the difference. Of course it only works in raw dishes as prolonged heat can destroy basil to the point of bitterness. Australians used to very fresh seafood, with the exception of crab, eel, squid, prawns, king fish, tuna and pearl meat will find most seafood in Shanghai disappointing. Particularly disappointing is the cod and half dead Maine lobster. Oddly the same does not apply to haute couture Chinese cuisine, where you may well find live Australian Southern Rocklobster. You would be well advised to check the price before ordering, as it is very expensive.
The Chinoise Story at the superbly renovated historic Jin Jiang Hotel. A brilliant restoration in the middle of the seductive shopping area of Maoming Road the entire building is a treasure worth exploring and Singaporean Sam Leong’s food is some of the best fusion in the world today.
Diagonally across the road, keeping Polo Ralph Lauren on your left walk down for a couple of minutes until you see an open door set back under a balcony with stairs leading up. Di Shui Dong2 is a local Huanese restaurant that is highly recommended. Always busy you may need to wait for a table. The picture menu will help you make your choices or you can point to your neighbours’ dishes. This is a great place to try frog, river fish and tofu, but remember to order rice as everything swims in a sea of chillies and some tempering is often required.
Whilst we have not reviewed any Japanese restaurants in Shanghai as yet, there is an abundance of really good Japanese food in Shanghai and some of the venues are utterly spectacular, especially Shintori which is one of the oldest.

THE POCKET GUIDE lists our top pics for Shanghai. If you are lucky enough to know a chef get them to take you onto the streets to eat — don’t be scared after a total of six months in Shanghai we have only skimmed the surface when it comes to street food. Wood smoked duck, mouth scorching dumplings and noodles to die for, little skewers of octopus, egg tarts endlessly fantastic!

ADVICE
If you are Australian Qantas fly direct from Sydney to Shanghai every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday… … no nasty waiting in airports for half a day and arriving exhausted.

NEVER LEAVE your hotel without a card with the destination written in Chinese to show the taxi driver and always make sure you have your hotel’s card or you may never find it again. Arriving at 1.00am from Pudong Airport it was lucky we knew where our hotel was because the driver didn’t. Don’t be scared, Shanghai is a very safe city and if your taxi driver gets lost stop at the first international hotel and ask directions.

Galaxy Guides Pocket Guide to Shanghai

Club Jin Mao Grand Hyatt Shanghai
88 Century Boulevard, Pudong, Shanghai, Telephone 5407 1234 ext. 8778 — classical Chinese food in opulent surroundings

Da Marco
103 Dong Zhu An Bang Road, Golden Bridge Garden, (between Zhen Ning Road and Jiang Su Road), Shanghai, Telephone 6210 4495 — Chef owner Marco runs one of the busiest dining destinations in Shanghai. Generous old–fashioned food they have a very good Italian only wine list that is sold at preices well under most other establishments in Shanghai. Da Marco is the only restaurant in Shanghai were you see bottle after bottle of wine rushing to the table. Modest surroundings Da Marco is very good value for money.

Di Shui Dong
56 Maoming Rd (Near Changle Rd), Telephone 62532689 — Huanese and very local. In the fours years we have been going there one now sees Westerners amongst their diners. Point or ask anyone who speaks English to order for you.

ISETAN department store
try their Basement Food Hall at Nanjing Road, Shanghai for a terrific range of local food in a location that suits many people who can’t bring themselves to eat on the street

Jade on 36
The Pudong Shangri–La, 33 Fu Cheng Lu, Pudong, Shanghai, Telephone 6882 8888 — modern fusion

Jean Georges
Floor 4, No 3 The Bund, Shanghai, Telephone 6321 7733 — French and fabulous!

Jessie’s
Shanghai, Xintiandi, Tai Cang Road, Shanghai, Telephoning is pointless, just arrive — Shanghainese

Laris Shanghai
Floor 6, No 3 The Bund, Shanghai, Telephone 6323 3355 — Contemporary Australian

M on the Bund
Level 7, No 5 The Bund, Shanghai, Telephone 6530 9988 — Contemporary Australian

Palladio the Portman Ritz–Carlton
Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai, Telephone 6279 8888 — Italian

Pane e Vino
207–7 Maoming Lu, near Yongjia Lu, Shanghai, telephone 5465 2177 — Italian
We have not eaten at Pane e Vino, but chef owner Antonio Sciaraffa is an old friend who shares our passion for quality ingredients, good cooking and great wines. Our Shanghai spies tell us Pane e Vino delivers on all counts without emptying your pockets paying for something it is not. Wines are well priced and conducive to the second bottle. We can’t wait for Antonio to have his head and cook for us on our next visit to Shanghai because we love his food and still remember in minutest detail the last time he cooked for us in Shanghai — it was heavenly!

Pier One
88 Yi Chang Lu near Jiang Nin Lu, Changhua Lu, Shanghai, Telephone 5155 8318 — International

T8
No Xintiandi North Part, Lane 181 Tai Cang Road, Shanghai, Telephone 6355 8999 — Australian

Tanfu Cuisine restaurants
Nanzheng Branch, 4th Floor, Nanzheng (Southern Security) Building, No.580, Nanjing West Road, Shanghai, Telephone 6267 1436 and Hongqiao Branch, 4th Floor, No.3190, Yan’an West Road, Shanghai, Telephone 6465 6666 — Classical Chinese in superb environments

The Chinoise Story
No 59 Mao Ming South Road, Shanghai, Telephone 6445 1717 — Modern Chinese the cooking of Sam Leong rates very highly with us!

FOOD EDITOR’S NOTE It has never been our policy to review without paying however in Shanghai we are unrestrainedly treated by friends and colleagues eager to show their sustained food or new dishes. Regardless, the truth of our impressions has been rigidly applied, and the fact remains these restaurants are all the créme de la créme of Shanghai and there are no better places to eat (or drink) in this amazing city.

STREET FOOD We have eaten street food all over the world and have had food poisoning six times in our own home city and only once anywhere overseas. We do have a couple of rules that we always forget at home. When eating on the street always eat food that is hot and just been cooked and NEVER eat moon cakes with egg yolks in them as occasionally they can make you very ill and why risk ruining your holiday feeling like you are going to die?