Here are all the restaurant and bar openings we featured in our November 2019 magazine issue.
Restaurants
Azabu Dining
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
For a while, Shanghai was all about contemporary izakaya-style venues like Jeju Izakaya and Oha Eatery. We were patiently waiting for the next hot one to appear, when Azabu Dining snuck in below the radar. They opened at the end of last year on Nanchang Lu, across from Turkish institution Pasha. Combining Japanese ingredients with French and American influence, Azabu turns out several intriguing small bites and traditional Japanese standards in a serene setting.
Total Verdict: 4/5
Price: RMB400-900 per person
Whos going: mostly local and overseas Chinese
Good for: romantic dinners, small groups, private dining
Read the full review here.
Azabu Dining, 262 Nanchang Lu, by Ruijin Er Lu 262, .
La Maruja
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
La Maruja, like taitai in Chinese, has a connotation far beyond housewife. She is a powerful, influential, glamorous badass that can move mountains with the snap of a perfectly manicured fingernail. Women want to be her, and men want to be with her, making her the perfect entertainer and host. Helmed by Pol Garcia (formerly of El Patio), this restaurant embodies that sentiment. Imported products are the hero of this sexy Spanish hot spot that pays homage to gastronomic market concepts like Mercado San Miguel in Madrid and Mercado La Boqueria in Barcelona.
Total Verdict: 4/5
Price: RMB200-400 per person
Whos going: Spaniards, curious locals and other tapas lovers
Good for: Spanish food cravings, casual cocktails, patio catch-up sessions
Read the full review here.
La Maruja Tapas, 2/F, Yelaixiang, 210 Jinxian Lu, by Shaanxi Nan Lu 2102, .
Golden Lily
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
Golden Lily resides in a sprawling property on Jianguo Xi Lu replete with a retro British bar, mock frescos and gorgeous terrace that you might remember as the Notting House. The food is French-Vietnamese fusion. Considering the French influence already present in Vietnamese cooking, that seems like an easy menu to execute. In addition to a China Eastern pilot, the other partners have ties to Pho Joy and Roof325. Keeping things interesting, their chef hails from Yunnan.
Golden Lily serves a fairly affordable mix of French and Vietnamese dishes with things like Thai tom yum kung soup, beef carpaccio or burrata cheese salad thrown in for good measure. Pan-Asian meets European is a much more accurate description.
Total Verdict: 3/5
Price: RMB80-250 per person
Whos going: lots of Chinese diners, neighborhood folks
Good for: lunch sets, quiet dinners
Read the full review here.
Golden Lily, 515 Jianguo Xi Lu, by Wulumuqi Nan Lu 515, .
Bars
Perch
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
After another blazing hot and humid Shanghai summer, we were especially eager to welcome the transition to fall. The problem is that the typically small window of comfortable weather has shrunk even further, with lows hitting below 15-degrees as early as mid-October.
Enter Perch, a small-sized bar with a humongous wraparound terrace (seriously, follow it around the building, you will be surprised how much room there is). On our first visit, we sunk into the cushioned al fresco seats and thought to ourselves, Heres the bar weve looking for all summer.
If the bird-themed name didnt tip you off, Perch has loose ties to The Rooster down the street. While that means some of the key guys are involved, they are going for a different experience. There will be no sports on TV or noisy parties, but there will be after work wind downs and casual catch-ups.
Read the full review here.
Perch, Rm 107, 445 Jiangning Lu, by Wuding Lu 445107, .
[Cover image by Cristina Ng/That's]
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