The Place
Way back in July, we covered the mezcal mecca that is La Mezcaleria and Tacos El Paisa, two of five new venues to open in the same AUNN creative hub building off of Yanping Lu, all part of the Armada Group.
READ MORE: The Taco & Mezcal Gods Have Spoken: La Mezcaleria Is the One
Image courtesy of Bonica
After fast becoming one our favorite openings of last year, we happily returned time and again to dip our toe into two of the other three spaces currently open: Bonica – a Mediterranean grill (that just won the That's Shanghai 2021 Food & Drink Award for New Restaurant of the Year) and La Barra – a club-lounge upstairs.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Loggia, the café you walk through upon entering, offers daily coffee and lunch sets, plus rose, wine and bubbles are available all week long.
Image courtesy of Bonica
But the eye-catching, debonair masterpiece (that just so happens to be the focus of this particular article) is Bonica.
The space is broken up into courtyard dining, a cocktail bar illuminated by hanging Edison bulbs at various heights, open-air seating at repurposed wood tables (overlooking the open kitchen led by Executive Chef Marco Chavez), a walk-in 360° wine cellar with over 220 bottles.
It’s a lot of dark wood, slate, granite and cool-toned fabrics, accented by sea-inspired illustrations, while plants abound – basically it’s straight out of a Restoration Hardware gallery.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
The cuisine concept is heavy on Mediterranean-style grilled and roasted proteins, with meat, seafood and veggies aplenty, plus a curated wine list, cocktails and fantastically knowledgeable and focused staff, many of which cut their teeth at The Shanghai EDITION.
Image courtesy of Bonica
Continuing the upcycled wood trend, La Barra is equally modern, but with a lux lounge vibe: plush fabric couches, wicker chairs and tables of various heights and lengths to accommodate parties of all sizes.
There is also a double bar situation, the second of which plays into the newest cocktail trend – a floating, eco-friendly bar.
Image courtesy of Bonica
By floating, we mean that guests can come at it from all angles: there is no back. This is because there also are no bottles.
For simple mixers, like G&Ts and highballs, prices are kept affordable because of the use of ecoSPIRITS – a closed loop distribution system where high-end spirits are delivered to venues in large refillable containers, eliminating costs for bars and reducing packaging waste. A cost saving that also translates to better menu pricing.
On weekend evenings, the live DJs play anything from house to synthetic techno to trance.
Weekdays see specials, like RMB168 for a dozen oysters on Mondays. Sunday is all about a very bubbles and oyster-heavy brunch.
READ MORE: 3 New Fall Menus: Highline, La Barra & Madam Zhu's
The Food
If you have dinner plans tonight, cancel them. They aren’t important. Instead, make a beeline for Bonica, and here’s why.
The menu is simple, straightforward and unabashedly Spanish, peppered with hints of Mexico, Italy and the Middle East. Portions – particularly of mains – are generous, ideal for sharing. Be it from the land or the sea, Bonica covers those trans-oceanic flavors.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Imported from Spain, the buttery Sardines (RMB78) melt on the tongue in waves – first a hit of aromatic oil rolling back into a deep saline finish.
Enveloped in a thick layer of olive oil after marinating in garlic, thyme and juniper, the sardines are then cured in salt. A velvety pil pil sauce acts as a resting ground for the pilchards, made from confit fish bones.
Grilled Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (RMB75), Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
A mix of Peruvian and Mexican style, the Seafood Ceviche (RMB158) sees a blend of octopus, scallops and codfish, with a crunchy raw onion and cucumber backdrop.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Charred and crisp, the Grilled XL Tiger Prawn A La Diabla (RMB158/2 pieces, RMB298/4 pieces) is more akin to a lobster tail in size and heft, but still bounces back with that springy snap in each bite.
Grilled over lemongrass, it affords the crustacean a grassy, citrus pop, balanced by a lick of garlic and chili heat, and a lingering smokiness that acts as a common thread throughout the entire meal.
Roast Beef (RMB218), Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image courtesy of Bonica
The French and Spanish imported Cheese Plate (RMB260/150 grams, RMB450/260 grams) offers pungent Occelli aged in Maggengo Hay, Occeelli Al Barolo, a crumbly, wine-aged St. Nectaire AOP Dischamp and luscious Brie Prince La Fontaine.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
It’s no frills, honest and best enjoyed with any variety of the boutique wines recommended by the Bordeaux-trained sommelier. Many of the wines are made by renowned winemakers, affording them an academic level of appreciation without the exorbitant price tag, and making them approachable to the everyday wine drinker.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
The restaurant’s signature dish is a hefty 300-gram portion of Grilled Octopus (RMB208), twisting tentacles that swirl around a dollop of green chili cream sauce. Cooked evenly from top to tail, the flesh is springy yet tender, displaying an expert level of cooking that's hard to master.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
The crispy, charred bits on the tentacle’s end are just as coveted as the meat near the top, a textural contrast that honors the invertebrate, accented by a lingering spice.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
The smaller sides seem unassuming on the menu, but are anything but as they arrive tableside. Roasted Cauliflower (RMB78) is first baked for 24 hours, then topped with a creamy cauliflower purée and toasted coconut chips.
Wok-fried Pan Seared Mushrooms (RMB52) are sprinkled with fried chilies, garlic and soy sauce.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Each distinct grain of rice in the warming bowl of Seafood Rice Caldoso (RMB130) is chewy and firm, absorbing the umami richness of the seafood soup that acts as the base of the dish. Speckled with bits of seafood, and topped with a scorched tiger prawn, the sultry smokiness pervades each bite.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Flaky yet buttery, the Charred Sea Bass (RMB168/350 grams, RMB288/700 grams) shares the same smoky appeal as the tiger prawns, accented by a coupling of green salsa and chipotle chili.
Bonus: the fish is fully deboned for maximum mouthful bliss.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Like sitting next to a campfire, the Escalivada “Bonica” (RMB75) is an earthy blend of scorched eggplant, bright tomato salsa, tart piquillo pepper and charred onion perched atop a grilled wedge of beefsteak tomato.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Dessert sees rippling waves of sliced fig fanned across the top of a buttery crust as the Fig Tart (RMB72). Inside rests a thick layer of Fig Newton-esque jam nestled underneath layers of tangy cheese, pistachio and whipped citrus cream.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
A sweet ending that crosses into brunch territory involves a caramelized honey, thick-cut slice of Brioche (RMB88) topped with a melted sheet of homemade Nutella and flecks of sugared almonds.
Playing to the child inside all of us, this is a souped-up version of Nutella on toast that qualifies as comfort eats at any hour of the day.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Other equally standout desserts span a Warm Apple Tart (RMB88) – with interlacing slices of pan-fried apples and thyme encircling a butter cake atop a flaky tartlet – and a Bonica Chocolate Bar (RMB72) – a layered masterpiece of dense chocolate cake and a shmear of chocolate ganache studded with dots of buttercream, accompanied by a tangy quenelle of yogurt ice cream resting on shaved almonds.
Many of the smaller dishes can be found on the snack-focused menu at La Barra, in a more nibble-friendly form.
The Drinks
Move upstairs after dinner for a tipple or two at La Barra. Aside from the ecoSPIRITS drinks at the oval-shaped, floating bar, the main bar sports a menu of craft cocktails, designed by Mark Lloyd (J. Boroski).
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Similarly inventive as the sips at La Mezcaleria next door, La Barra’s are more classic combinations with unexpected additions.
The Flying Lemur (RMB78) balances sweet and refreshing with spiced dark rum, chocolate, tart mulberry, lemon and herbaceous basil and tomato, while the Rafflesia Riffles (RMB88) is all about the spectrum of bitter to tart with gin, mestizo limonoso, lime leaf, and the Italian aperitivo Rinomato.
Tipsy Pangolin (RMB78), Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
The Vibe
While Bonica is a refined, classy, go-to spot for date nights, La Barra is contemporary, trendy and approachable. For people who aim to avoid the crowds of La Social, or seek more than the casualness of Funkadeli, La Barra finds that sweet spot middle ground, while serving as a space for a chill drink that dials up to a party on weekends.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Because of the multi-level layout, the dynamic space is less pretentious; inviting, with an air of exclusivity that lures in an interesting cross-section of local and foreign guests to sip, chat and dine. Essentially, you come here to see and be seen.
Price: RMB250-550 (Bonica), RMB70-200 (La Barra)
Who’s Going: The Spanish contingency, gaggles of women dressed to the nines (we applaud you, this is not a bad place to pick someone up or be picked up), the upscale party-goers that don’t want to commit to an entire night on the Bund
Good For: Celebratory catch-ups, date dinners followed by dancing, weekend partying without the guilt-inducing price tag
See a listing for Bonica and La Barra.
Read more Shanghai Restaurant Reviews.
[Cover Image by Sophie Steiner/That's]
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