Dinner and a drink is practically a prerequisite for a night on the town in Shanghai. While there ain’t nothing wrong with starting an evening with a refreshing Tsingtao and a steaming bowl of la mian, we decided to check out Shanghai’s classier alcohol and food fusion options. Wandering from the French Concession to, well, the edge of the French Concession, we popped into some of the city’s newest restaurant-bar hybrids and dropped back into some old favourites to see who was pairing what.

Avalon

What: Wood Grill & Wine Bar

Why: Sous Vide for sous RMB 100

How Much: Appetizers from RMB 35 to RMB 95. Mains from RMB 95 to RMB 378

Where: 139 Changle Lu, near Ruijin Er Lu. Tel: 5382 0862

Avalon seems to have the elusive and mystical recipe for success in Shanghai’s fickle F&B industry. The French Concession restaurant started when the wine savvy of owner Howard Quan, former VP of ASC wines, joined forces with Chef Hilary Ambrose, who has worked under culinary heavy-hitters Jean Georges and David Bouley. Their combined talents merit a dining experience replete with stiff prices and a stuffy atmosphere, but they have taken an egalitarian approach to fine dining by making the menu insanely affordable.

Our high expectations were met with gusto when the appetizers arrived. A beautifully plated Steamed Farm Egg (RMB 55) with gnocchi and prosciutto arrived floating in a sea of garlic, coconut foam. The plate sounded overly busy, but the flavours melded so well that I almost forgot to sip the woody Te Mata Sauvignon Blanc (RMB 78) that the sommelier-cum-bar manager paired with the dish. The Phyllo Crusted Prawns (RMB 68) hit all the right notes when it arrived swimming with a school of scallops and calamari in a silky tomato herb broth.

The grilled whole red snapper (RMB 198) was the most expensive item we ordered, but also the least favourite dish of the night. Not to say that our table didn’t enjoy the fish – the wild rice polenta and passion fruit sauce were inspired trimmings – but Ambrose’s talents seem to shine best when it comes to swine. The smoked ribs (RMB 128) are marinated for 24 hours until they practically fall off the bone, and the winner of the night was undoubtedly the pork belly (RMB 95). Sous vide to perfection, this succulent cut was so tender that a knife was superfluous.

Curious to see if Chef Ambrose’s cooking chops extended to sweets, we ordered the olive oil biscuit with golden raisin pudding (RMB 76) and the warm chocolate pudding cake (RMB 78). The biscuit proved to be the perfect post-dinner bite for diners without a sweet tooth, while the cake – accompanied by a trio of strawberry, chocolate and lavender gelato – was enough to put anyone into a delectable diabetic coma. Quan himself recommended the Moscato d’Asti wine (RMB 58), a floral mix of peaches and rose that magically transported the drinker to a summer garden.

The dessert wine is reason enough to return, but diners won’t need any excuses to check out the latest developments. With a new “hard opening” menu featuring even more morsels of mouthwatering pork and an extra room on the third floor of the building that is still under construction, Avalon isn’t done wowing Shanghai yet.