9 New Openings To Try This Month

It’s a new year, and here are the new bars and restaurants that have made a splash starting off Year of the Rooster on a firey note.

RESTAURANTS

BOMBAY BISTRO

Address: 47 Yongfu Lu, 2/F, near Fuxing Xi Lu

Hours:  Daily 6pm-1:30 am

Tel: [phone]

Price: Around RMB150 per person 

Bombay bistro takes place in the regretted Bocado’s local. Which closed two months ago because the owners wanted to reorient their activities. Same large venue with amazing light coming from large windows, matching perfectly with the turquoise, purple and golden glow The design is impeccable and detail oriented.  Chairs are comfortable with couch seating, made more appealing with the subtle colors of the pillows.  This  is a nicely executed blend between traditional bistro style and New Delhi exciting vibes.  

Butter chicken RMB118

Bombay Bistro’s cuisine is simple, but packed with colors and a touch of spice. You won’t go crazy looking at an extended 200 pages menu. Food is upfront and specific to the point.  The dishes offer a variety catered to specific foodie types. You can find vegan and gluten free on the menu. Classics include  butter chicken, nans and samosa. As well as regional cuisine that is rare to find amongst other Indian restaurants. The cuisine is well-orchestrated with    an explosion of colors, flavors and spices hailing straight from India, served in a trendy and glamorous venue. Let the fireworks begin!

SVEA

Address: 188 Rui Hong Lu, Ruihong Tiandi Hall of The Moon, 1/F, 21/B

Hours: Daily 10:30am-10:00pm

Tel: [phone]

Price: Around RMB300 per person

SVEA offers a simple yet sophisticated setting. Located at 188 Ruihong lu in a upscale neighborhood, SVEA is enclosed in a modern, open-air shopping area which has a bunch of notable international brands (Zara, H&M, Uniqlo…)   

Slow braised Australian prime rib RMB158

Rich crayfish soup, raw fried lobster and juniper cured venison, low braised prime rib and creamy seafood casserole will surly hit the gong. And, of course, the classic Swedish meatballs. Made from equal parts fresh minced pork shoulder and RUMP beef, served with a creamy gravy, potato puree and accompanied with lightly sweetened lingonberries and pickled cucumber. This dish makes for perfect comfort food with a hint of sweetness at RMB 108.

Pan fried cod loin RMB 238

The cod loin is one of the best cuts of all fish species in Sweden, so it’s no surprise that SVEA offers pan-fried cod loin as one of its specialties. Fried in butter and served with chopped egg, arctic shrimps, horseradish and dill in brown butter, and lightly blanched asparagus, this dish brings all the freshness of Nordic cuisine right to your plate. RMB 238 

DODU

Address: 81 Changshu Lu, Julu Lu

Hours: Monday-Sat 6Pm- 10 Pm; Sun 12Pm-10Pm

Tel: [phone]

Price: Less than RMB100 per person

Newly planted Dodu, on Changshou Lu is a cozy and intimate French rotisserie. Seating only 18-persons, Dodu is small in size, but packs in huge flavors and French flaire. It is a rotisserie and they offer a simple but delicious menu. From rotisserie to simply fulfilling sandwiches, it is one casual dining place to look out for if you are in the neighborhood.

HANABILI

Address: No. 254 Yuyuan Road 

Tel: [phone]

Hours: 11: 30-2: 00 (Fri-Sat);11: 30-1: 00 (Sun-Thur)

Price: RMB 140 per person 

There’s a delightful new Japanese restaurant in Shanghai, near Jing An temple. What to expect? Grill, Japanese rice bowls and lots of seafood. Before you start worrying about the price, don’t! The food is amazing and affordable. 

You can find sashimi, grills, sushi rolls as in every Japanese restaurant, however, this is not the point of HANABILi. Shanghai has enough high-end, super expensive Japanese restaurants. Here are unpretentious Japanese recipes which correspond more to everyday consumption. 

JOE’S PIZZA

Address: 280 Wujiang Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Mon-Thu, 5.30-8.30pm Fri-Sat, 11.30am-8.30pm

Closed on Sun

Joe’s Pizza recently opened right in the middle of West Nanjing’s bustling shopping area. They’ve got huge slices, given to you on paper plates for around RMB 20-25 each. Word on the street: this pizza is as good as New York pizza, our prayers have been answered. 

AMERICAN CHAINS

FAT BURGER

Address: B2-2. Shanghai Tower, 158 Hua Yuan Shi Qiao lu, Pudong

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Mon - Sun: 11am - 10pm

After rocking Sinan mansions with their first store in October, Fat Burger opened up their new location in Pudong which includes a ‘Fat Bar’. They’ve got cocktails, great beers on tap and of course, the heaping American-style burgers that made them world-famous. 

TACO BELL

Address: 1/F, 55 Shiji Dadao, Pudong

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 10am-11pm

This December Taco Bell got back in the Chinese saddle, opening up a huge new location in Lujiazui. In addition to their normal American menu offerings they’ve added a welcomed range of alcoholic drinks like mojitos and margaritas

BARS

TRIO

Address: No. 3-36 Tai'an Lu, by Xingguo Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Open Tues-Sun, 7pm-2am

This craft cocktail lounge is right across the street from Dagu Brew Pub, and has great drinks and unexpectedly great food to go with it. The idea behind Trio is that every great cocktail has three main ingredients, which  you can find displayed on their menu in small triangles that are the actual color of the cocktail. Most drinks are in the RMB 80-100 range but are well worth that considering the quality of ingredients and top-shelf liquor used.

SHANGHAI REPUBLIK

Address: 418 Dagu Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Sun-Thu, 11am-midnight, Fri-Sat, 11am-2am

A pop art-inspired, bar with an enormous Mao painted on the wall. If the location looks familiar, it might be because this location used to be NOVA. Republik is owned by four French guys, one of which is the former manager of NOVA, another owns Planet Kebab. Their specialty is Mojitos and they’ve got some damn good ones. Apart from the classic there’s also strawberry, mango, raspberry, pineapple, as well as their recommendation: passion fruit, all for RMB 50 each. There’s also a good selection of bottled and tap beers, a solid lunch set and rotisserie chicken beginning late February.

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