The Place
They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and it’s clear that Where Supperclub is a project carried out in earnest, with a big budget and lofty ambitions to boot.
We’ll get the obvious out of the way, the place is a lot like The Nest in both vibe and appearance – unsurprising given it was designed by the same people. Like the aforementioned, it hopes to become the hot dine, drink and low-key club venue du jour for Shanghai’s beautiful and damned.
The Food
Unlike the Nordic Wave informed fare of The Nest, Where takes a finer tack, hosting a spread defined by seafood with lashings of crowd-pleasing black truffle and steak.
Portions can veer on the small side in places, and we’d advise treating the appetizer menu more like a tapas selection. Black truffle gougères (RMB68) are like dwarfish profiteroles filled with cheesy cream and just a hint of the promised truffle, though they are served warm and make apt bar snacks. 
Other things lack seasoning – looking at you, shrimp chips (RMB88). Simultaneously spiky and mushy, this intriguing appetizer is screaming for a dash of acidity instead of vain little salad fronds and gold leaf, to bring out the flavor of its chopped scallop core.
Soy sauce pan-seared turnip (RMB88) fares better in the seasoning department, comprising a richly braised daikon radish encircling a scallop topped with a shrimp topped with salmon roe. It’s complicated but worth it, like an edible version of Inception.
Black truffle risotto (RMB68) is a busy-looking pile of dry Arborio rice with extremely roasted porcini poking out at humorous jaunty angles. Somehow there are foams, crumbs, lengths of shredded zucchini, cress and purple basil involved – and we wouldn’t mind if the underneath had actually been made into a risotto.
Arguably the winner of the evening is a signature: boneless pigeon with black truffle (RMB128), which was really, really close to being fantastic. No offense to any pigeons out there, but they can be a complete pain to eat. Where takes the bones out, stuffs the critter full of rice that absorbs its flavor and removes the mafan. It just needed more seasoning.
Being equal parts gastrolounge (and club too once the live DJ and bottle packages kick in) and bar, Where’s cocktail game is reassuringly strong. Standouts included the fresh and faintly gingery Williams-Pear Martini (below, RMB68), and sparkling Apricot Tree (RMB78).
Food Verdict: 1.5/3
The Vibe
Will Where become The Nest of Xuhui? Perhaps. Right now the place seems torn between catering to adult palates (and budgets) and club kids. Hopefully both will stay if they keep the drinks flowing.
Vibe verdict: 1.5/2
Total Verdict: 3/5
Price: RMB300-400 per person
Who’s going: mainly locals
Good for: groups, cocktails, dinner that turns into partying
See a listing for Where? Supperclub
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