Food For Thought

Each month, our dining columnist gives you all the news that’s fit to dish. Find out the newest hotspots and the latest closings, as well as the tastiest events in town for January.

Welcome to 2014! Shanghai’s dining scene is continuing to grow internationally in the new year, including an ambitiously meta launch of Hakkasan expected in March at Bund 18. The Michelin-starred upscale Chinese restaurant hails from London’s West End and has already expanded globally, receiving rave reviews for its fusion cocktails and high-end Chinese food. It will be interesting to seeing how the concept fares in its own culinary culture. 

Last month, we had several openings that we we are excited to try. La Formaggeria (434 Shaanxi Nan Lu, by Yongjia Lu. Web: www.brazzale.com) is importing cheese from its source in Italy, including DOP-grade Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano. 1st Seasons (739 Dingxi Lu, near Yan'an Xi Lu) opened up on the street-food heavy Dingxi Lu, bringing a much-needed wine bar/cellar and bistro kitchen to the area. Matto, that Enzo Cartbone-owned Neapolitan restaurant with draft Prosecco in Lujiazui, is heading to Wulumuqi and Wuyuan. In its place over in Pudong is another Carbone-brand Mammamia (Super Brand Mall, GF50, 1/F, 168 Lujiazui Xi Lu, near Lujiazui Huan Lu). Already an F&B staple in Wuxi and Suzhou, the pizzeria opened in mid-December. 

If you’re looking for a great bite to cure a case of the Mondays, both Madison (Bldg 2, 3 Fenyang Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu. Tel: 6437 0136) and Franck (376 Wukang Lu, near Hunan Lu. Tel: 6437 6465) have revised their schedules and are finally open for business seven days a week. Chef Austin Hu is going to be even busier now, as he and mixologist Yao Lu (formerly of Alchemist and The Public) are searching for a spot in the former French Concession to open a small gastro pub. 

Speaking of The Public (2/F, 174 Xiangyang Nan Lu, near Fuxing Lu. Tel: 6417 1679), they’ve got great new lunch sets. Try the fried chicken sandwich – it’s to die for. And just downstairs, Lasagna House is setting up shop where Awfully Chocolate used to be (they’ve moved into IAPM mall around the corner).

We’ve got some good news and bad news from Sherpa’s (Tel: 6209 6209. Web: www.sherpa.com.cn). Let’s start with the good: happy hour times and dates are being expanded, so you get free delivery from any restaurant within a RMB 20 delivery zone every single day of the week from 1pm to 6pm. Not so great is their new “Dinner Time” rule. Orders after 6pm will have to reach a minimum of RMB 100. Also, if there’s rainy weather, orders from 6pm to closing time will be subject to a RMB 200 minimum.

And in some unfortunate news from the capital, Maison Boulud, one of Beijing’s best fine dining spots, has closed. Chef Daniel Boulud is most famous for his eponymouslynamed three Michelin star in NYC, but he told the New York Times he hasn’t given up on Beijing yet. Perhaps the capital closing (due to problems with Chinese partners) will spur him south to Shanghai. Fingers crossed!

Unfortunately, we’ve also had some closings in Shanghai. We must bid adieu to Chalet Suisse, the city’s premiere fondue spot, and just when the season calls for a pot of smoking hot cheese too. We’re hoping Kelley Lee finds a new venue for Sproutworks Puxi soon – our intake of fresh veggies diminished rapidly after the salad bar was closed to be made into a park. She’s got plans for a Xintiandi and Hongqiao shop.

In December, we also headed back to a couple of the city’s Spanish spots to check up on some changes. After a rocky opening, Loco (205 Wulumuqi Nan Lu, near Zhaojiabang Lu) has a new mixologist behind the pine. Jesus de los Mozos is pouring some interesting gin cocktails, including a deliciously floral lavender fizz we sampled recently. After Chef Franki departed for Samfaina (532 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Ruijin Lu. Tel: 5352 1361), the guys at El Patio (110 Fenyang Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu. Tel: 6437 5839) found Chef Pol Garcia to replace him. His resume includes stints with four Michelin chefs, including Martín Berasategui of Restaurant Martin (811 Hengshan Lu, near Yuqing Lu. Tel: 6431 6639), and has cooked up Spanish tapas in Morocco, London, Bangkok and Barcelona.