ibis Shanghai New Hongqiao

Yue Hai Tang is the brainchild of an experienced chef who has worked in some of the most prestigious kitchens of Shanghai. His team, which has been with him for a long time, rustles up a wickedly enticing Cantonese barbecue. Besides the main menu, you will also see seasonal offerings and a selection of painstakingly crafted dishes, such as lobster and crab meat in pastry. The wine list boasts over 500 choices. Booking and pre-ordering dishes is recommended.

Antique furniture and oil paintings complement the refurbished century-old mansion, whose all-white interior exudes modern European charm. The head chef has over 30 years' experience; Peking duck and Jiangzhe classics are his strong suit. His signature braised "lion's head" pork balls are prepared differently according to the season – with longsnout catfish and bird's nest from May to July, with crabmeat and roe in stock from August to October.

This household name, famous for traditional Shanghainese dishes, now occupies a bright cosy venue in a mixed-use complex. Modern silhouettes and glitzy finishes notwithstanding, the menu is still beautifully handwritten like in the old days. The phenomenal eel claypot rice is a must – sizzling, plump, oily fish with steamed pearl rice nicely scorched on the bottom. Oil-blanched shrimps impress with remarkable wok hei and precise heat control.

Brace yourself for nostalgia aplenty: velvet tufted chairs, walls covered in vintage blue bricks, art pieces from around the world…Most ingredients are shipped from Anhui, including mouldy tofu – a speciality you can’t miss. Wine-scented fermented mandarin fish is another classic slightly adapted to suit the local palate. The Anhui-style braised pork trotter in soybean paste is cooked in a 30-year-old marinade for exceptional depth and layered flavours. On top of the à la carte menu, you can also have one tailored in advanced.

Scilla is a blue-flowered Mediterranean plant, a nod to the fact that this restaurant focuses on the region's food, but with a twist – local ingredients, especially seafood, are given the Mediterranean treatment, for a unique fusion cuisine. The signature BBQ Taizhou yellow croaker with bouillabaisse and rouille boasts crispy skin, rich broth and creamy sauce. The underground wine cellar carries some rare finds from the Mediterranean coast.

Restaurant

Japanese