Shanghai Food & Drink Gossip: February 2017

By Betty Richardson

New Restaurants
First up, we're delighted to inform that there's been an influx of new pizza-by-the-slice joints around town, ready to be enjoyed by gluten-loving infidels everywhere.

Joe's Pizza, of New York, is open and every bit as oily, waxy cheesy and pepperoni-y as you'd hope. Provided you're not Italian and/or vegan you will likely find it delicious.
Get the whole, gargantuan pie for the low, low price of RMB170 (RMB23/slice), which may be pound-for-pound the most carbohydrate per yuan you can find in Shanghai, excluding baozi. That's chief editor Dominic Ngai said he finished one in a single sitting. Crazy. Don't mess with him.

Speaking of pizza, Nat Alexander's (he of Yang Jing Bang pop-up acclaim) Homeslice is very close to opening. Also looks righteous. Here's a preview:
In a more Italian tradition is new Zozzo Pizza on Zhaojiabang Lu. They're doing pizza by the square rather than slice, to be eaten while sipping from tinnies of Birra Italia. Beer from a tin is classy when it's Italian, OK?

Little Catch now have competition on the poke bowl front from Poke Poke, which just opened on the Changle and Xiangyang Bei Lu intersection. Are they similar? Maybe a little derivative. It might help if they didn't also have one called 'Spicy Sambal.' But all things considered, in a city of 23 million people there's room for two places that sell poke.Meanwhile Dodu, the new French rotisserie place on Changshu Lu has opened. Catching a lot of love already. We tried to get a res on a Tuesday, but damn, they're booked up until Thursday. What is this, New York or something?
Other things coming soon include the long-awaited Chop Chop Club, new carvery by a Mr Paul Pairet inside Unïco. That'll be open after the Chinese New Year holidays, and constitutes Mr Pairet's first dalliance with casual food.

The new Hard Rock Café on Maoming Bei Lu has also exhibited signs of a pulse. Find typical eats like hot wings and burgers, such memorabilia as Britney Spears’ tank top and Jerry Only from the Misfits’ beanie hat, plus classic Hard Rock slogans like "SAVE THE PLANET."
Beijing export Tribe is also planning a grand debut in March. The healthy eating institution will be on Changle Lu next to Bistro Burger. They say opposites attract…

On the ramen front, seven new shops from different parts of Japan just opened at 'Ramen Arena' on the seventh floor of Joy City mall, with seven more also on the way. Think of it as ramen overkill in the best possible way.

Having closed late last year after 10 years in the game, T8 restaurant will be shuffling back onto this mortal coil – at a new location in Hubin Dao Shopping Mall. The soft-opening is pegged for mid-February, more details to follow on whether they'll be pursuing molecular cuisine again.

The La Bota guys have also revealed a brand new healthy eating concept at the Cool Docks: PITA. Find 'Grammable eats like dragon fruit smoothie bowls, pita sandwiches, salads and assorted juices.

New bars that have cropped up on our radar include Healer, on Tianping Lu. There be a cocktail program with a twist of local influence, presided over by mixologist Phoebe Han, formerly of The Nest and Kee Club.

Dagu Lu continues to make serious inroads into becoming the new bar street du jour with the addition of new Shanghai Republik. Looks like a chill student bar with vaguely hipsterish communist leanings, as demonstrated by the charmingly lurid Mao wall murals.

Things That Are Closed
Mr Harry, Shanghai's "first" British restaurant; Amelia's on Julu Lu, AND The British Kitchen. It's a terrible month for British food in Shanghai to be sure. Here's a gratuitous TBK cake that we will never eat again.
Also currently closed, but mercifully opening again is Cha's, AKA the greatest, surliest Hong Kong diner in Shanghai. They've been renovating apparently, but will open once more, actual ragged vintage interiors intact, to serve our favorite chicken wings, HK-style French toast and shrimp scrambled eggs with utmost disdain. We wouldn't have it any other way.

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