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 March.

Get ready for a side of government involvement with your dinner. After closing several popular night markets last year, the Shanghai Food & Drug Administration is planning to build ersatz Shilin Night Markets in Shanghai’s

outer suburbs come late summer or early fall. With government-issued sanitary certificates in tow, these hawkers will have access to running water and electricity. While it sounds like good news for the city’s digestive health, it probably means your favourite chaomian guy will be chased out of your neighbourhood by the chengguan in the next couple months. Not to be outdone by the FDA, the local police department set up a “Food Safety Detective Division” to crack down on all those unlicensed vendors, as well as the purveyors of the headline-grabbing fake steamed buns and rat meat hotpot. Part of Premier Li Keqiang’s edict to make food safety a priority, the task force also means upgrading safety protocols when it comes to chicken to help prevent the spread of bird flu.

All that food safety awareness is good news for newly-opened Dos Locos (B1, #11, Kerry Center, 1,515 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Changde Lu. Tel: 6218 7887). The best Chipotle knock-off we’ve seen in Shanghai (from the guys behind Piro) is marketing its “honest ingredients” and open sourcing at the burrito shop. Keep an eye out next month for their new fried chicken joint – Captain Rooster – just a few doors down from Piro. There’s talk of pairing the Southern classic with champagne, as well as craft beers.

Not to be confused with Piro, Piri Piri (5 Wuxing Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu. Tel: 3461 6682) is fresh on the scene and also peddling chicken, but in the form of the Mozambique-Portuguese dish of the same name.

Coquille (29 Mengzi Lu, near Madang Lu), the Vietnamese-French seafood bistro from John Liu of Scarpetta, is finally soft-opened after months of delay.

Yongkang Lu’s Handle Bar (50 Yongkang Lu, near Jiashan Lu) officially reopened last month after a bit of a revamp that included hiring a new bartender (with some delicious signature cocktails) and adding Oh My Kebabs, which sells exactly what you’d expect from the name.

And as always, the onslaught of new Italian restaurants in Shanghai continues. Perhaps you’ve tried Grappa (3/F, #S3-5, Jing’an Kerry Center, 1,515 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Changde Lu) in the HKG airport or Pacific Place mall. Now Hong Kong’s popular spot for casual Italian dining since 1990 will open in Shanghai in April. Also from the SAR and opening in April is El Pomposo (L4-408, iAPM mall, 999 Huaihai Lu, near Xiangyang Lu); a Spanish restaurant with a sprawling terrace.

Pasta Lab (1106 Wuding Lu, near Yanping Lu. Tel: 181 1631 8495) showcases freshly-made noodles in a build-it-yourself bowl, with your choice of strands, flavours and sauces. It’s not worth a trip, but if you work nearby, go for the lunch sets (RMB 55 for soup, pasta and soft drink). We’re still waiting on House of Lasagna (174

Xiangyang Nan Lu, near Fuxing Lu) to open, but in the meantime we have newlylaunched La Cucina di Gnocchi (1,216 Dingxi Lu, near Anhua Lu. Tel: 6211 8552) for all our pasta-specific dining needs.

If you prefer your noodles from China, try Shui Hu Xiao Guan (Yanqing Lu, near Donghu Lu). The Anhui-style noodle lunch sets start at RMB 38 and include a side and freshly squeezed juice – if you go down the street to Element Fresh, your whole juice would cost more than this homestyle meal.

Beijing’s favourite Persian restaurant Rumi is opening on the corner of Xinle Lu and Shanxi Lu come early April. They tend to clean up at the capital’s restaurant awards, and if you’ve ever tried their kebabs, you’ll understand why.

After you read our review of T for Thai, get excited for Michael Wendling’s other new concept. The chef behind Cuivre (1,502 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu. Tel: 6437 4219) is opening a bar next door. Sticking with the elemental theme, it’s called Cu2+ (the chemical symbol of the copper ion), and is opening in early March.

More details about Jean Georges’ new spot – opening in late April/early May – have emerged. Named Chi-Q (2/F, Three on the Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu), it will feature kimchi, Korean barbecue, seafood and shochu. Expect a late April opening.

If you haven’t already, start following Shanghai Pickleback Co on Instagram (@shpickleback). They’ll be announcing the location of their St Patrick’s Day pop-up via the photo app, so go join the legions of spicy brine followers and become one of the hipster insiders.