Head In The Clouds is an all-day bistro and brunch restaurant on Zhenning Lu in Changning district. They’ve just launched all-new bistro dishes to go with their daily brunch menu.
Book & get some dining deals! Complimentary dessert & half-off wines by the glass. Click here to book.
Head In The Clouds
Head in the Clouds opened early 2019 and commands a loyal neighborhood crowd.
A big draw of the space is its large terrace, a shaded deck on the corner of a quiet street. Inside, it’s modern and welcoming, a warmly lit spacious dining room with high ceilings.
In between lunch and dinner, it’s favored as a quiet alternative workspace. The entire space is also pet-friendly.
New Bistro Menu & Daily Brunch
Brunch, served daily, draws a steady attendance. Dinner is more subdued. The brunch menu features popular staples like Eggs Benedict and Breakfast Plates, whereas dinner is a bistro menu of Western dishes with Asian inflections.
The bistro dinner menu has just gotten an upgrade with new dishes, featuring Squid Fettucine, Bell Pepper Caponata, Grilled Chinese Cabbage, Gnocchi, and Grilled Ox Tongue.
Of the new dishes, the Squid Fettucine is the most memorable for its unexpected presentation and robust flavor. Squid is molded into a sheet, thin, almost translucent and very smooth like rice noodles.
Within are tender ribbons of squid (like fettucine), green papaya, and pomelo salad. It’s very much like a Thai-style papaya salad, a spicy kick but less zest and a sweeter profile due to the tomato chutney.
Another highlight is the Bell Pepper Caponata with Homemade Ricotta Cheese. I think the star is the ricotta cheese, crumbly in appearance yet smooth on the tongue, and has a clean and light milky flavor. The peppers are charred then skinned, adding nice texture and smokiness. The spice powder blend complements the cheese and doesn’t overwhelm with heat.
The Gnocchi is tossed in a thick cheese sauce with a little sambal for an aromatic hit, topped with tiger prawns, a blend of east and west, and one that does well to satisfy cheesy cravings.
The Grilled Chinese Cabbage is served with mussels and a clam beurre blanc sauce as a sharing appetizer, and Ox Tongue is sliced thin and grilled, served like a steak with kimchi and green pepper.
Signature dishes remain, which include the Wagyu M7 Beef Angel Hair, essentially a pasta version of Shanghai’s favorite scallion noodles. Angel hair pasta is cooked al dente, tossed with scallions and scallion oil, topped with a dry shrimp and luxurious wagyu beef. It’s very easy to love.
Another signature is the Chef’s Lasagna, a textbook slice made with layers of bechamel, tomato sauce, and slow-cooked shredded beef. Extra sauce for dipping pleasure.
For something a little lighter and more refined, there’s the Pan-Fried Halibut. Pan-seared and lightly seasoned fish is served in a sauce made with vermouth and seafood stock along with mussels, clams, and dill.
There’s also a Roasted Chicken, half portion, boneless, served with mushroom ragout and fried polenta sticks. The chicken is well seasoned and juicy, but honestly, the polenta sticks steal the show, which are crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Pity, the polenta sticks aren’t available as a side dish.
They also do a Korean-inspired Beef Tartare, flavored with spicy-tangy kimchi, topped with egg yolk and served with rice crispies instead of toast.
For dessert, the Pomelo is a light palate cleanser, fused with sake and fresh with basil. Otherwise, I’d recommend the Caramel Ice Cream & Corn Brûlée. The custard has corn mixed in, which gives it a nice toasty and roasted aroma. It’s topped with salted caramel ice cream and caramelized popcorn.
As for brunch, it’s served daily from 11am to 4pm. Of the brunch signatures, there’s the French Ham Benedict and Salmon Benedict, both ¥88. Head In The Clouds has also been ranked by Dianping as the top #1 for eggs Benedict in Shanghai for five consecutive years.
The Wines
As for drinks, Head In The Clouds has a curated selection of high quality wines, highlighting nearly 50 varieties, 70% of which are the classics and 30% natural and organic labels. Try the Chardonnay from Domaine La Combe Saint Paul (¥88/glass, ¥458/bottle), a smooth and crisp wine with ripe apple notes. Wines by the glass start from ¥78, bottles from ¥398.
Their wine of the month is the Prestige Chocolat (¥88/glass, ¥688/bottle), a sparkling made exclusively from Chardonnay, fused with chocolate. It was created by Denis Barrillon, Valmont de Peronny cellar master and oenologist, who took on the challenge to “bottle chocolate.”
Nomfluence Readers Deals
Book via the link below to get some great deals! Complimentary dessert and half off wines by the glass! Deals valid until November 30, 2024.
- Complimentary chef’s selected dessert. Limited to one per table. Portions limited to 20, first come first served; and/or
- Second glass of selected wine 50% off / selected bottles 20% off.
Deals above are for dine-in guests only. Deals above may not be used with any other on-going promotions.
Click here to book now!
Head In The Clouds 走神
Address: 217 Zhenning Lu 镇宁路217号
Hours: 33531773, 17317319219
Tel: Mon-Fri, 10am-10pm; Sat-Sun, 9am-10pm
