The Shanghai Scoop – Food & Drink News (September 2018)

The Shanghai Scoop is a monthly column dedicated to the latest food and drink news happening in Shanghai. Here is a round-up of the newest restaurants and bars, hotel news, and upcoming projects.

As I’m rushing to write this on the last day of Golden Week, I’m reminded of how bizarre and completely normal it is how the city just stops every time a holiday rolls around. The same goes for new openings—pretty quiet.

Essentially, restaurants should have opened at the end of summer/the beginning of fall, the time when people get back from summer vacation and when school starts back up again. But if October holidays roll around and you’re not yet open, well, might as well wait until after.

(For the directory, scroll to the bottom of the article.)

New Restaurants in Shanghai

Currify x Taoker

Fast naans and deep bowls of thick, flavorful curries at great prices.

Currify, an Indian restaurant in Shanghai. Photos by Rachel Gouk

Currify is a great addition to the growing cluster of Indian restaurants in Shanghai. The curries are rich with spices, not overly salty, and are more than affordable. There are two locations on Taixing Lu and Wuding Lu.

The food here is great, and they come out piping hot in a jiffy. The Lamb Masala (¥52) is excellent, presenting tender cubes of lamb in a dense, spicy curry. The Chicken Tikka is a must-order. These are juicy, flavorful chunks of tandoori-cooked chicken, served with chutneys to dip. The naans are thin, pliable, and fresh.

Chicken Tikka at Currify, an Indian restaurant in Shanghai. Photos by Rachel Gouk

It’s authentic and really well priced. I’d eat there again, but realistically, I’d order the food before stepping in again. For a longer review, photos, and addresses, click here.

Hulu Sushi

A new omakase by Liu-san, a Jiangxi native who spent seven years working at Sushi Oyama, one of the highly regarded Japanese restaurants in Shanghai.

It’s tucked away in Columbia Circle within the cluster of restaurants by the pool. Here there are only 6 seats at the sushi bar, and they have two seatings every night at 6pm and 8:30pm for ¥680 per person.

The focus here is nigiri—raw (or torched) fish over vinegared rice. A succession of 10-12 bites of nigiri make up the bulk of the meal, coupled with a sashimi course, soup, and chawanmushi, depending on the Liu-san’s preference.

Hulu is only beginning to find its groove, and so, the next couple of months will be dedicated to Liu-san and his team’s chemistry in the kitchen and with their guests. Hulu has good bones, and with time, it can develop its own profile of omakase. Full review coming soon.

Comma

Comma is a casual Japanese spot on Xinle Lu. It’s first and foremost an izakaya and cocktail bar. Spread across two floors, the vibe is chill and minimalistic. Bar on the first floor, arcade console and larger seats on the second floor, and a patio out front.

Cocktails, highballs, beers, and sake (including a sake spritz) are on tap with quirky names like Save Hello Kitty, Pikachu Punch, and Crazy 88 Old Fashioned for cocktails. They also have a sizable range of bottled beers, wines, and sakes.

On the food side, they’re not reinventing the wheel. It’s rather a selection of foods you’d like to eat while drinking—skewers and small plates aplenty, and all cheap. The lunch sets are suited for frugal white collars working nearby.

Four sets are currently available—Vegetable Okonomiyaki (¥38), Chicken Skewers (¥48), Pork Tonkatsu (¥58), and Baked Salmon (¥68). All sets come with a house salad or potato salad, miso soup, pickles, rice, and fruit. Not bad.

*Comma is having week of grand opening events. Check out the schedule, scan QR code to follow.*

The Okonomiyaki is also available during dinner with deep-fried pork belly for ¥58.

It’s all right for food, but obviously, this place is made for drinks. Extra points for a cozy terrace.

Ma Tatin

It’s a humble French boulangerie patisserie on the quiet end of Jianguo Xi Lu by classically trained owner/patissier Momo. The space is small, but sufficient for what they’re offering. There’s also a patio space in the back.

The Apple Tatin (¥20) is their signature pastry. Thinly sliced confit apple are layered onto one another, placed atop crumbly pastry. It’s light, not too sweet, and quite enjoyable, even if you’re not too much into sweets like myself. You’re supposed to peel apart the thin layers, sheet by sheet to consume.

Served cold, the Vanilla Raspberry Pudding (¥35) is dense and creamy with swirls of raspberry jam mixed into the brioche, topped with crunchy bits crumble.

They’ve also taken French bread and fused them with Chinese ingredients, or toppings. Before you balk at the idea, it’s better than it sounds. Unlike those wimpy, soft, white breads you’ll see at [insert Chinese bread chain], these creations maintain all the things you like about French bread—crusty, chewy, sturdy and fragrant.

They use whole wheat breads, the tops of which are sliced crisscrossed, filled with toppings, and are baked again. It’s essentially pull-apart bread, all ¥49. The chicken and mushroom is more than enough for lunch. The shredded chicken is spiced with cumin and tumeric, cooked with plenty of garlic, and topped with cheese, which melts over in the second round of baking. Variations abound! Some other flavors: mustard, onion, and sausage; tuna, basil, and tomato; and Emmental and bacon.

Ma Tatin also does a bunch of bottled teas, one of which, the Golden Tea, is made for social media virality. It’s Earl Grey, coconut sugar and gold powder, and glitters when shaken.

Speaking of marketing for social media, next door to Ma Tatin is Yu Shou, an omakase restaurant with a 3D gimmick.

A meal at the sushi counter at Yu Shou is all served on a stone slate, over which images are projected onto, such as outlines of different plates, rainbow lines, etc. Otherwise, there are booth seats with less obstructive views. The handwritten menu offers three sets at ¥898, ¥1198, and ¥1398.

I haven’t been to Anthologia, but I’m assuming projections over your plate like the ones at Yu Shou are not as intriguing as a show acted out by actual people.

Wukang Lu, Where Lines Are Formed

Not too far from Ma Tatin is Wukang Lu, a street where I’ll now always associate with the Farine/Franck Pecol scandal. Pecol’s restaurants, especially the ice cream window WIYF would have lines out the door. Those venues have since closed, and in their place are new and equally sensational restaurants.

Replacing Rachel’s (burger concept by Pecol) is Stack. On weekends it’s beyond hectic—not the best environment to enjoy brunch on the terrace. There are eight burgers, seven kinds of chips, salads, “plates,” and pancakes on the menu. Things like matcha pancakes, truffle fries, and all day breakfast burgers. Things that people who like to photograph their food would queue up for.

Didn’t get to try anything. Making “eyes” with the waitstaff proved useless despite the venue being only half full. They only just opened and it was a busy weekend. I’ll give them a break. Next time, Stack. On like, a quiet Tuesday.

Next door, LOKAL, a concept by Wagas, has taken over the space formerly housing Far West (from Pecol’s era) and is kicking ass (read: people queuing). All-day brunch offerings, a sunny terrace, and social media friendly backdrops. It was also packed.

New in Jing’an

MAS “food lovers since 1945” is a Spanish import with roots in Barcelona that’s known for stocking jamon. Located in Jing’an near the Yanping X Wuding nexus, MAS is a grocer/canteen stocking imported Spanish products with counter service for cold cuts, and sports a simple menu of sandwiches, salads, and pizzas. The sandwiches look promising.

Might have to stop by soon and add a sammie to my sandwich list.

Nearby, Little Catch has opened on Yanping Lu. Poke, bagels, coffee, and wine at this much-loved poke eatery.

Across from SIP is The Breakfast Company. The signage has been up for a while. I wonder what they’ll serve. The suspense.

Kagen, previously said to open in the Building 2 of 758 Julu Lu, is taking Chin Chin’s space on Fumin Lu.

Building 2 at 758 Julu Lu is a new block behind Lost Bakery. And remember what I just said about 3D omakase? There’s one here too—Mirai Waki.

Coming soon to the new block is bistro/bar La Festa, prosecco bar Valpasso, and another burger joint.

Over in Xintiandi is Italian restaurant Momenti. The Nest’s new Xintiandi venue, an all-day European bistro and bakery with a second floor bar, is now going to be called Rye & Co, instead of The Nestling.

Over To Huaihai Zhong Lu

NYX is a bar with club-like vibes operated by the Flask Group, located on the top (seventh) floor of WeWork on Huaihai Zhong Lu. It has a long bar with slew of taps pouring draft beers and “draftails”.

Beers like Kumquat Lager, Yuzu IPA, and Juice Milkshake IPA, and draft cocktails like Bourbon Peach, Liqueur Ginger, and Rum Peanut are on the menu. Soft opening date was September 28. (Photos from NYX.)

Also in this building is Mia Fringe. It’s a multi-concept brand spread across two floors that combines café, lifestyle boutique, restaurant, and bar all under one roof.

*Those chicken and waffles look mighty familiar…*

Food on offer is Western with items like chicken and waffles, steaks, crab cakes, burgers, and desserts aplenty. They also have lobster uni pasta. They’ll be having their grand opening on October 20, invitation only. (Photos from Mia Fringe.)

Mercado 505 is a deli, grocer, restaurant, and bar backed by importers Jiarui Fine Foods. It commands a three-story stronghold on the corner of Wulumuqi Bei Lu and Huashan Lu, and boasts an expansive terrace with plenty of seating.

Mercado 505 is actually the second location of Mercado de Waima. Waima, located at the Cool Docks, is comparatively smaller and does not have as large a menu as 505.

In addition to deli meats and cheese, you can also buy pre-packaged jamon, Rougie foie gras, steaks, and artisanal flavored butters (black pepper and seaweed, to name a few).

The dishes are Spanish inclined, given that Mercado 505 Head Chef Ferran Andreu (formerly Tomatito) and Executive Chef Juan Campos (Chef/Owner of RAW and Malabar) oversee the menu.