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 July. 

Kota’s Kitchen, that yakitori joint with a Beatles soundtrack, is going through some serious inner turmoil with name changes at each of its four locations around town. The original in Xujiahui is now called Aki’s Kitchen, and the Huaihai spot has bought a vowel to become Kuta’s Kitchen. Waitstaff told us last month that all the nominal confusion is due to an owner dispute, and now we see a brand new Kota’s – spelled like the good old days – just around the corner from Kuta’s, right where Bella Mia used to serve crispy pizzas (1/F, Bldg 7, 10 Baoqing Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu). It’s all a bit confusing, but if you’re looking for a silver lining, that means we’ve got more spots to chow down on chicken skin while listening to the lilting notes of “Yesterday”.

The coffee-loving folks behind Sumerian have snatched up Amphora’s tiny storefront next door to their café and turned it into a little patch of Brooklyn. Dogtown (409 Shanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing Xi Lu) is welcoming bearded hipsters with pooches to nosh on delicious Mexican favourites, like vegetarian tostadas, pulled pork nachos and excellent frickles (deep- fried pickled jalapeños). There’s a decent beer selection and a few stools if you’re not taking your chicharrons to go while walking your pup. The mansion next door to Dogtown is also getting a new tenant.

Qimin Organic Hotpot (407 Shanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing
Xi Lu) is officially closed, with plants to reopen in Reel Mall later this year. Rumour on the street says Pistolera will be taking over the space following a successful new shop at 3307 Hongmei Lu in May.

Sproutworks’ Xintiandi location is finally open (Room 3B, 1/F, Bldg 6, 123 Xingye Lu, near Madang Lu), and they’re shooting for an autumn opening for their Hongqiao location out on Zunyi Lu. The Superbrand Mall food court spot has new competition with EQ Foods (B2, #3, 168 Lujiazui Xi Lu, near Lujiazui Huan Lu. Tel: 5845 0535. Web: www.eqfoods.com.cn),
a Danish version of Wagas that is serving excellent cooked-to-order pork sandwiches with pickled cabbage.

Also hitting hard with a pork sammie is Eduardo Vargas’s new salumeria, Porcellino (735 Yuyuan Lu, near Jiangsu Lu). Like the aforementioned porchetta, there are plenty of cold cuts and cheese on offer, as well as pizzas with San Marzano tomatoes and meatballs made from family recipes.

Along with Black Pepper, the Taixing complex (89 Taixing Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu) has officially opened
and some of the new spots include Petit Seafood Bistro, relocated from its cosy space on Danshui Lu, and Taste and
 See, a cake shop that also dabbles in cuisines from around the world. El Willy’s Tomatito and el Ocho Cocktail Bar continue to torment with pre-opening teasers, but should be good to go in July.

You may know Chef Enzo Carbone
f or his pizzas at Capo, Matto and Mamma Mia, but he’s also a whizz when it comes to chicken. Our first visit to newly- opened Gallo (101 Yandang Lu, near Nanchang Lu. Tel: 6308 5165. Web: www. gallogrillhouse.com) had us crowing about some of the best rotisserie chicken we’ve had in Shanghai.

The long-awaited steak frites concept from Vol group, The Cut (Unit L6-606, 6F, IAPM Mall, 999 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Xiangyang Bei Lu) is now serving up affordable steaks from Qingdao, Canada and Australia. While we love a bit of marbling, it’s their unlimited salad bar (RMB 98) we’re even more into.