Updates from three hotel restaurants in Shanghai. Featuring 1515 West Chophouse and Bar at the Jing’an Shangri-la, Bespoke at St. Regis Shanghai, and Urban Cafe at Sukhothai Shanghai.
1515 West Chophouse & Bar
Address: Jing’An Shangri-la, 4/F, 1218 Yan’an Zhong Lu, near Tongren Lu 延安中路1218号4楼, 近铜仁路
Tel: 22038889
Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm
Book now with Chope
1515 West Chophouse & Bar is the steakhouse at the Jing An Shangri-La, West Shanghai, one of six dining outlets.
It’s a high-end steakhouse with an emphasis on branded steaks from Australia. Their prime cuts are Black Angus Wagyu M5 from Stanbroke Ranch, which are aged for a minimum of 45 days at the restaurant. Other cuts include Stockyard’s Wagyu Kiwami, which won Australia’s “best steak award” at the 2019 Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show. (I’d attend that expo.) But yeah, you get the idea—steak with lots of marbling.
They also have competition-hardened bilingual (English & Chinese) sommeliers and a substantial wine list. A full bar is located on the other side of the restaurant. Business lunch, ¥158 for two courses or ¥198 for three courses, is popular with regulars.
Steaks start from ¥288 for a 280g striploin and can go to ¥1,998 for a bone-in rib-eye.
In summary: The steaks are magnificent, and the sides, namely the cobb salad, baked potato, and fries, are good. Would return for the steaks and that baked potato (with extra sour cream).
Who’s going: People who want to make an impression, steak lovers, wine enthusiasts, and people celebrating special occasions. (There’s a long table for 20 in front of the open kitchen.)
Bespoke Modern Bar & Grill
Address: 2/F, 1008 Beijing Xi Lu, near Jiangning Lu 北京西路1008号2楼, 近江宁路
Tel: 22872877
Hours: Tue-Sat 6pm-11pm
Bespoke Modern Bar & Grill is also a steakhouse, located in the St. Regis Shanghai Jingan. In addition to steaks, Bespoke also specializes in charcuteries and seafood, and has an extensive wine list. (Bespoke was once housed in a different part of the hotel and used to only serve a monthly degustation menu.)
The steaks are dry-aged and are fired over a charcoal grill. Other dishes are Spanish-influenced, including a tapas menu—chef de cuisine Cesar Perez De Anda draws from the popular cuisine of his home country. There’s also a bar, featuring a short and simple menu of gin and tonics.
It’s a small, glitzy venue that is all about the table-side service. It’s only dinner for now, but lunch and brunch will soon follow.
Steaks start at ¥228 for 200g, and go up to ¥1,388 for a 1kg bone-in ribeye.
Who’s going: Steak lovers, special occasion goers, high rollers who buy logs of beef to dry age at their own pace, and business folk.
In summary: Steaks are great, table bread is fantastic, and would also recommend the beef tartare, croquettas, and mushroom side.
Urban Café
Address: 1/F, The Sukhothai, 380 Weihai Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu 威海路380号1楼, 近石门一路
Tel: 52378888
Hours: 12pm-10pm
Urban Café is the all-day dining restaurant in the Sukhothai Shanghai. It’s one of few restaurants that does good Southeast Asian food in Shanghai.
The new menu update comes by way of chef Rosarin Sripathum from Celadon restaurant at the Sukhothai Bangkok, who’s added more Thai dishes to the offerings.
Plus, it’s affordable—three dishes for ¥218, five for ¥328, and seven for ¥438. Listed below are a la carte prices.
Who’s going: Nearby office workers, business lunches, large groups, and families.
In summary: It’s a place I’d go to on a regular basis. Definitely recommended. Highlights include a deep-fried duck confit in tamarind sauce and grilled Australian beef cheek in thick, nutty Phanaeng red curry.
*All prices listed above are subject to service charge and VAT.
