All the Food You Need to Eat This Month

It’s my favorite time of the month again; a time to reflect on all the meals I had and to choose the most outstanding bites to share with all of you. There have been quite a few new openings as well as new menus, being launched to kick-start the warmest season of the year. That said, we’ve also revisited some of the Shanghai classics that seem to always get better the more we try them. 

Raspberry-n-Stout Grilled Ribs at The Nest

Address: 6F, 130 Beijing Dong Lu, near Huqiu Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-1am

The Nest recently launched its new spring menu and I had a blast sampling my way through it. The Raspberry-n-Stout Grilled Ribs (RMB 458) will have you rolling up your sleeves and diving face first into this monster serving of slow-smoked Iberico pork spare ribs. Brushed with a raspberry and dark beer vinegar glaze, these saucy and fatty morsels are charred to perfection and the textbook definition of finger-licking good. 

The Broccoli and Cheddar cocktail (RMB 98) tastes as crazy as it sounds yet, somehow, it really does work. The earthy sweetness of the broccoli comes through and is brightened by the addition of lemon juice and sea salt, yet it’s mellowed out by the cheddar cheese garnish. This cocktail fits perfectly in the hunter-gatherer theme present in all of The Nest’s dishes, making it all the more memorable. 

I know corn for dessert sounds like something out of the next diet craze, but Corn for Dessert (RMB 68) at The Nest is anything but that, in a good way. The corn ice cream is surrounded by toasted marshmallow and garnished with croutons, chewy corn kernels, and thyme. This is for those of us who would rather order another entrée than dessert since the only sweetness comes from the corn’s natural sugars and a little extra kick with a bite of ooey-gooey marshmallow. 

Shakshouka at Bread, Etc.

Address: 1486 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Tongren Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 7am-6pm

A restaurant with the word “bread” in its name doesn’t usually draw me in, but Bread Etc. is definitely an exception. I come here for a dish that is surprisingly easy to make, yet I’ve been burned by too many places before where they all rave about how their shakshouka is the best. 

Well, right now, in the city of Shanghai, Bread Etc.’s Shakshouka (RMB 64) takes the cake. Served boiling hot with tender tomatoes braised in a perfectly-spicy and thick stew and topped with the gooiest, soft egg that oozes yellow yolk all over as you cut into it, this shakshouka is something even my Israeli family members would enjoy. The portion is large and comes with three thick slices of grain bread or nearly half a loaf of challah, so you definitely won’t be hungry until dinner. 

Browned Butter Cake at Apollo

Address: 201 Anfu Lu, near Wulumuqi Zhong Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Monday to Friday, 11am-12am; Saturday to Sunday, 10am-12am

I know you're thinking you don’t need to order more dessert but, trust me, at Apollo, you do. The Browned Butter Cake (RMB 58) is without a doubt one of the best desserts I’ve had in a long time, and something I find myself craving at the oddest times (who knew I had a sweet tooth in the wee hours of the morning?) 

The luscious semifreddo muscovado (cane sugar) ice cream compliments the deconstructed buttery cake and crunchy homemade caramel popcorn. Bites of butterscotch caramel are dotted throughout the entire dessert, bringing a salty, sweet, and creamy texture to the combination of squishy and crunchy pieces of crumbled cake. 

The Eastender at Pie Society

Address: 688 Shaanxi Bei Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 11am-9:30pm

When I’m craving some unpretentious and down-to-earth comfort food, Pie Society is my go-to spot. With a constantly rotating selection of British-style meat pies, I find myself stopping by their new convenient Jing’an location more and more often. The Eastender (RMB 52) is a meat pie that is baked with love as one of the main ingredients and despite the warm weather, I still find myself daydreaming about that thick, buttery crust and saucy Angus beef and veggie filling on the regular.

Vongole & Vongole Pizza at Scarpetta

Address: 33 Mengzi Lu, near Xujiahui Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, Dinner, 5:50pm-10pm

Scarpetta’s chef Patrick Leano is one of the hottest new chefs in town, and the foodie community is fully united in its obsession with the restaurant’s revamped menu. Instead of overhauling the menu and starting from scratch, chef Patrick decided to use the potential of each dish to the fullest by creating the best possible version. Through a trial-and-error approach where he experimented with various ingredients and after organizing several pizza workshop nights, every dish on the menu is at least a 9 out of 10. 

One of the absolute standouts in terms of both creativity and flavor is the Vongole & Vongole Pizza (RMB 158). After experimenting with different types of clams, different toppings, and even a clam jelly that seeps into the crust for a juicy and clam-filled bite, they finally arrived at the version that is served today. Topped with meaty pieces of pancetta, a clam chowder béchamel, razor clams, small white clams sourced from the nearby wet market, and brightening lemon rind, this pizza is the world’s best and most whimsical clam chowder. 

Make sure not to skip the patron-infused tiramisu for dessert; a chocolate and coffee lover’s dream come true.

The Octopus at Together

Address: 546 Yuyuan Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 6pm-10pm 

The Octopus (RMB 118) at Together is worth changing your dinner plans for. Make a quick reservation and pop over for an unforgettable meal. Covered in crumbs and charred to a crisp, I was worried it would taste acrid but the first bite was actually sweet, opening up to layers of heat from the Korean gochujang sauce. Next, cool it down with a dip in the homemade garlic aioli. The octopus is cooked to perfection with a meaty and  springy bounce without being chewy.

The Royale N. 2 Oysters at Oxalis

Address: The Waterhouse, The Cool Docks, 1F, 1-3 Maojiayuan Lu, near Zhongshan Nan Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, Lunch, 12pm-2:30pm; Dinner, 6pm-10pm

Oysters are always a win in my book, but I never knew how plump and juicy they could be before trying The Royale N. 2 Oysters (RMB 138) at Oxalis. Imported from an oyster farmer in France, these crustaceans have their shell shaved regularly so that the oysters are forced to live in a small space and thus grow fatter instead of longer and thinner. Served with sautéed baby spinach, shaved almonds, and a creamy curry hollandaise, these oysters are sinfully scrumptious. 

I’m not the biggest steak eater; in fact, I rarely crave it and usually opt for something lighter instead that won’t give me the meat sweats. However, the M9 Rangers Valley Wagyu Steak (RMB 168) at Oxalis is one of the most expertly cooked steaks in the city. This intercostal cut (consisting of lean tissue that lies between the rib bones) is served beautifully pink in the center and yet charred on the outside; so delicious that it could arguably convert even the most devout vegetarian. The dish is served with artichoke 3 ways - puréed, char-grilled, and fried into crisps as well as a tomato puree béarnaise sauce. 

The Charcoal Grilled Turbot at Taian Table

Address: Building 1, Lane 456, 161 Zhenning Lu, near Xinzha Lu

Tel: RSVP via web only

Hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 6-8pm

Web: www.taian-table.cn

The Charcoal Grilled Turbot at Taian Table is a classic dish that I will never tire of; a fillet of fish that held a delightful melt-in-your-mouth texture. Accompanied by a bed of slightly crunchy Sauerkraut and a topping of caviar, it was both beautiful to look at and wonderful to eat and I couldn't be happier that it's still a part of their newly launched menu concept: TT 2.0. 

Off the core menu, we're sure that the Charcoal Grilled Pigeon will be a massive hit. The dish was absolutely divine, tender and came accompanied by burnt barley, yeast and confit onion in a combination of flavors and textures that work really well together. 

With their new concept, you're given the opportunity to choose between a 10- (RMB 1,128), 12- (RMB 1,358), or 14-course (RMB 1,588) menu that consisted of a set of core dishes supplemented with add-ons from their classics and specials. Stemming from Chef Stiller's desire to offer guests more flexibility than the fixed tasting menu, the starting point for the experience is an 8-course core menu that changes every 7-8 weeks - but classics are changed every two to three months, while specials will change on a weekly basis.