The Place
Veteran Shanghai chef and Austrian national Stefan Stiller has recently ended his tenure with the naked Retreats camp and opened a new Asian spot with wife Yoshi in the heart of Tianzifang, called East Eatery. Split between two levels, the ground floor focuses on quick eats like steamed baos and noodle soups, while upstairs serves a formal menu suitable for dinner.
The Food
Baos are certainly having a moment in the world’s culinary capitals over the last few years, from Baohaus and Momofuku in New York, Little Bao in Hong Kong and BAO in London. Until recently, Baoism had the market covered in fair Shanghai, and honestly many of East’s baos seem very similar. There’s the fried chicken bao, the pork belly bao, the tofu bao and so on. But, what they lack in originality they do make up for in flavor, offering a tasty, cheap lunch (priced from RMB25-45). We also tried their duck meatball noodle soup (RMB55), laden with charred leeks and soba noodles. Our party had mixed reactions; some people loved the rich umami broth while others thought it too sweet. Either way, it’s a decent portion for the price.
The upstairs menu covers a range of pan-Asian interpretations, including miso marinated duck breast with foie gras (RMB135) and East’s boldest dish – Korean bossam sirloin steak (RMB320). Served with fresh oysters, the idea is to eat steak, bivalve, lettuce and rice plus a leaf of kimchi in one bite – not for the faint of heart.
Food Verdict: 1.5/3
The Vibe
While upstairs has the feel of a casual, neighborhood restaurant, the bao-churning downstairs is a well-oiled machine. Service is wonderfully quick and efficient. If you’re looking for a tasty lunch on the quick, then you’ll find it here.
Vibe Verdict: 1/1
Value for Money
For the thrifty, we’d say visit East’s upstairs with a large group of friends since portions seem to be designed for sharing. The sizeable baos and noodle bowls downstairs will fill you up for under RMB100.
Value for Money: 0.5/1
TOTAL VERDICT: 3/5
Price: RMB60-90 for lunch, RMB250 per person for dinner
Who’s going: Locals, expats and Tianzifang tourists
Good for: baos, pan-Asian food, quick lunch, casual dinner
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