Kyu-Hai (玖杯) is a snug Japanese restaurant in Huangpu slinging chicken broth ramen, izakaya-style small plates, and yakitori skewers.
The Space
Tucked into the Palais Vallon building on Nanchang Lu — just behind IAPM, in the corner space formerly occupied by Co. Cheese — this unassuming eatery charms with its compact, curved layout, hugging the open kitchen’s bar. It’s tight, sure, but that’s part of its appeal. Outside, the seating offers more breathing room, weather permitting.
By day, it’s a brisk, no-fuss eatery, humming during lunch and dinner rushes. Come evening the energy shifts: glasses clink as it takes on the convivial buzz of a classic izakaya. At the helm of it all is chef Hajime Fujita, who was previously based in Shenzhen.
The Food
The star here is the Chicken Ramen (¥52), its broth simmered fresh daily and offered in salt or soy sauce variations. It’s one of tue cleanest tasting broths I’ve encountered lately — way lighter than tonkotsu, yet savory and flavorful, leaving you satisfied rather than comatose.
The noodles are thin, springy, with just the right resistance, topped with tender chicken slices and boiled pork (don’t let the pink hue fool you — it’s fully cooked).
Then there’s the Oil-Splashed Dry Noodles (¥52), a tangle of noodles slick with a house XO sauce that carries a slow-building heat.
These noodles are thicker and have a hint of chew. It’s topped with fermented bamboo shoots, the ones with that ammonia whiff, but its pungency is thankfully restrained. If forced to choose between the two, I’d go for the chicken ramen.
The menu, scrawled on chalkboard walls, is Chinese-only — a hurdle for non-readers, though WeChat translate handles the tidy handwriting surprisingly well. Beyond noodles, expect salads, a daily sashimi selection, and izakaya staples like yakitori and crispy fried bites.
Speaking of sashimi: the Sashimi Selection (¥128/three cuts) — mackerel, white fish, tuna — does the job. No fireworks, but reliably fresh.
