Those of us living in China might have been spared the tumultuous drama that our US counterparts have experienced in 2017, but like always, the Middle Kingdom has had its own fair share of attention-grabbing headlines. From the boom of shared bikes to a presidential visit from The Donald, our team has put together a list of 2017’s most unforgettable viral stories, recounting major events that defined the worlds of sports, tech, arts, fashion and food. Here’s to another year of eclectic, weird and wonderful life in China, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
For more, follow our full 2017 Year in Review coverage.
We've eaten our way through 48 reviews this year – some of them meh, some of them amazing – all with the point of shining a light on restaurants really worth going to. That makes this article one of our favorites from the whole year. Hope you like 'em as much as we did.
Jeju Izakaya
Coming in at the top of our list is Jeju Izakaya, a Korean eight-seater restaurant serving food that is comforting, occasionally tinged with Japanese and Italian influence... and sometimes insanely spicy (mhmm, grilled pork neck with Jeju island-style chili anchovy sauce).
Served directly by chefs who cook just feet away, this restaurant's live seafood tank, highball menu, and impossibly charming service courtesy of bilingual former scientist/manager Chan make it a yes from us.
The only downside? Reservations can only be made by adding their WeChat (ID: jejuizakaya). Don't be that guy who walked in and had to be turned away, hungry and forlorn, dreams of spicy crab ramen shattered.
Standout dish: spaghetti cacio e pepe with sea urchin
Diner
The American comfort food trend has shown little sign of slowing this year, with renowned local chef Austin Hu's Diner being case in point. Like its elder sibling Madison Kitchen, Diner offers indulgent but casual eats with serious bang for comparatively little buck. Being a small space with a no-reservation policy, a wait often precedes chowing down at Diner, though for smashed patty burgers and pancakes, we'll oblige.
Standout dish: meatloaf with chicken brandy gravy and cheesy mashed potatoes (above); smashed patty wagyu cheeseburger
Epicérie & Caviste 62 Le Bec
We could barely contain our excitement when we discovered that Bistro 321 Villa Le Bec chef-proprietor Nicolas Le Bec had opened a cheaper spin-off grocery-cum-café-cum-wine bar. Our enthusiasm was justified – this place is rammed with French wines priced at retail (be warned there is RMB100 corkage if you drink it there), fantastic patisserie, creamy dessert pots, croissants, baguettes and sandwiches.
They just so happen to make one of the finest and cheapest croque monsieurs in town. Available with smoked salmon or ham and practically overflowing with béchamel sauce, it's the best RMB30 you'll spend in Shanghai that isn't dumpling-shaped.
Standout dish: croque monsieur sandwich with ham (RMB30)
Kun Thai
Another place we feel strongly about that didn't get a lot of recognition, Kun Thai is about the closest you can come to real Thai food in Shanghai. Be warned, it's a deep cut: the must-order dish is braised pork knuckle, their tom yum will blow your head off, and the green curry isn't creamy like we've been conditioned to believe it should be.
We can't live without their crunchy fried chicken, minced pork with holy basil, and raw shrimp in fish sauce. If you love spicy food and are tired of Thai food adapted to local/expat palates, Kun Thai could be the hidden gem you've been searching for.
Standout dish(es): raw shrimp with fish sauce, garlic and chillies, fried chicken, tom yum soup
Oha
The reign of sharing platters and loungey seating has peaked; long live small plates, bar-side seating and 'low intervention' wines (whatever the fuck that means!) In other words, real estate-squeezed restaurateurs are borrowing the izakaya format of small eats that go well with drinks, and twisting it to fit entirely different cuisines.
That's what's going down at Oha, from the people who brought us Bar No.3, where local, artisanal ingredients wind their way through the minds of two chefs (one from Guizhou, the other from Australia) and onto small plates that surprise and intrigue. What we love is that the commitment is variable: you can have two dishes by yourself for under RMB100, or share a bunch of them with wine and cocktails for RMB200-300
Standout dish: blistered bell peppers with puréed century egg (RMB28)
Homeslice
One of the first restaurants to open in subterranean bar and restaurant spot Found 158, British restaurateur and chef Nat Alexander (also of the Yangjingbang pop-up series) raised the bar for pizza by the slice when he opened this fun New York subway-inspired spot.
Catering cheesy carbs to tipsy expats isn't exactly a hard sell, but what makes Homeslice special are robust and flavorsome 48-hour aged sourdough bases, and quality toppings like housemade fennel sausage, fresh ricotta, mozzarella and many more. Best of all was when they started doing delivery via Sherpas.
Standout Dish: white pizza with artichoke, sausage, gremolata and Parmesan cream (above)
Highline
An ambitious all-day dining project by proprietors Cody Allen (Le Baron), Michael Sun (Muse Group) and John Liu (Coquille, Scarpetta), Highline became worthy of its 'wanghong' (celebrity) status when power chef duo Anna Bautista and Sean Jorgensen were brought on board to curate a menu of elevated American cuisine with a California soul. Since then they've rolled out an extremely popular brunch menu, and seen the restaurant's stunning al fresco terrace become one of the hottest tables to book during warm weather.
Standout Dish: Slow-roasted M5 wagyu prime rib; fried chicken and waffles (above, brunch service only)
The Chop Chop Club
Paul Pairet continued his reign as monarch of the Bund with this sophisticated grill concept inside Three on the Bund. Inspired by his childhood 'race to the dinner table,' guests must bid for their choice of either a single or whole portion of Chop Chop's large format dishes, like côte de boeuf and Dover sole. We also loved their 50 percent of booze before 7.30pm mandate; who can say no to an RMB150 bottle of wine on the Bund?
Standout Dish: grilled octopus with lemon and aoli (above); chargrilled chicken 'Americain'
Colca
Vibrant Peruvian food in portions big enough to share, served in a buzzy – some would say loud – atmosphere with globe-like gin and tonics, chef-patron Eduardo Vargas' follow up to the always-busy Azul looks like it has staying power. Again, watch out for the terrace when warmer months hit.
Standout dish: spice-crusted halibut 'cau cau' stew with mussels, scallops, shrimps and octopus (RMB198), crispy pork ribs
Xime
Fun, kitsch, chill and with prices that won't elope with the contents of your wallet, Xime is now one of our top recommendations when people ask us for authentic Japanese food that isn't an RMB60 cab ride away in Hongqiao. The menu is long but studded with gems, including Japanese-style hotpots, DIY sushi, deep-fried udon noodles with curry sauce dip, bargain whisky highballs (just RMB40) and artisanal house-infused shochu liquor.
Standout dish: lemon and pork hotpot (RMB98)
Dodu
Fancy French rotisserie has been something of a recurring theme with this year's new openings, and Dodu, a pint-sized operation on Changshu Lu, has led the charge thanks to their juicy 'Label Rouge' specification chickens. They were also one of the first restaurants in China to receive a nod from the Compassion in World Farming Awards for using exclusively ethically raised chickens.
Standout Dish: roasted chicken with cauliflower cheese gratinée and pesto green beans.
Moka Bros
Healthy but not worthy, Moka Bros is a living room for all the millennial creative types that work in the offices nearby their bustling Xiangyang Lu location. You'll notice them draped over beanbags, spearing their forks into poke bowls and brainstorming startup ideas over green smoothies.
The food is easy, everyday casual that yeah, you probably could make at home if you tried. But then again you'd have to go out and buy ingredients, prep, cook, clean up. And let's face it, that ain't gonna happen.
Standout dish: aloha poke bowl with tuna, mango, macadamia and bonito flakes (RMB70), spinach and artichoke dip with nachos.
Okaeri
Atmospheric Okaeri is a quality addition to the Jiashan Market area, serving contemporary, feel-good flavors of Taiwan in a buzzy izakaya-like setting, where drinking whisky highballs and shochu is of parallel importance to eating.
Particular favorites include the deep-fried oysters, fried chicken with calamansi and scallions, sake-steamed clams, and the signature braised 'lo mei' platter. The only downside? the menu is in handwritten in cursive Taiwan Mandarin with a Sharpie pen on brown paper – bring a Chinese-reading pal!
Standout Dish: deep-fried oysters with Thai basil (above)
Eli Falafel
Having a Syrian chef in the kitchen is probably why Eli Falafel has so many people coming back for seconds. We think the thing to order here is the chicken shawarma, which constantly rotates pride of place like a glistening mirage-like hangover cure, cooked low 'n' slow in that way that only kebab shops can do. See also falafel, and their salty yoghurt drink labneh aryan.
Standout dish: chicken shawarma (RMB45)
Styx
Tucked away around a corner in a new patch of F&B turf on Hengshan Lu (also home to Colca, Crafted by Bistro Burger, Krū), STYX is restaurant you'd have to know about before finding. But find it you should, because cute little places that aren't expensive can be hard to find in this city. The MO is substantial skewers, each one inspired by the owner's life growing up in third cultures.
Standout dish: 'babi guling' pork belly skewer with spicy sambal and garlic-flecked green beans (RMB68)
Deli Boys
The fertile minds behind Kate & Kimi produced a real brick and mortar restaurant this year, hidden down an alley in just off Panyu Lu. Their house-smoked pastrami is tight, and stacked relatively generously (though don't come expecting your jaw to be unhinged), on a buttery challah bun, French fries, slaw and very good, and, er, lengthy pickles.
Standout dish: ‘classic Montreal’ smoked beef brisket (RMB73/88)
Palmetto
Southern food done right – Palmetto charmed us with its affordable and delicious homey dishes, notably the chicken fried steak, cornbread with sorghum butter, hushpuppies and free-flow sweet tea. Outside, this relaxed and cheerful spot benefits from a patio terrace, and hosts the Shanghai Comedy Club open mic every Tuesday and Sunday.
Standout Dish: buttermilk fried chicken with pickles (above)
Sushi Taro Ten
This immaculate sushi-ya is set to give Shanghai's Japanese omakase institutions a run for their money. The restaurant's original branch in Fukuoka has Michelin Star pedigree and is noted for its reserved style, which head itamae Nakanishi Hirohisa represents faithfully here in Shanghai. The set menu here affords plenty of top-quality marine delights, including luscious chu-toro (fatty tuna belly) and uni (sea urchin) from Nagasaki.
Standout Dish: N/A (seasonal menu, chef's choice only)
Brut Cake Cafe
One part food blogger and one part chef, F&B power couple Priscilla Young and Jun Wu made their mark with Melbourne-style café and kitchen, Brut Cake Café. Opened in partnership with local furniture brand Brut Cake and local roastery MQ Coffee, the cozy space offers cheerful and good value lunch and brunch sets, and has a stepped decking out front that catches the afternoon sun.
Standout Dish: Red coconut curry grain bowl
Ban Ban by Sproutworks
On rare days that we feel compelled to 'eat clean,' this new opening from the Sproutworks clan makes the job a game – and a tasty one at that. Start with either a grain, green (read: kale) or noodle base, choose a protein and 'style your bowl' with one of six flavoral themes and head to the free-flow topping bar afterwards. At RMB65 a throw, we say this is the one of the best ways to nutrient-load, though for extra virtue, add a bowl of on-trend bone broth.
Standout Dish: 'Soul in Seoul' bowl with chopped steak (above left)
Honorable mentions
New places we liked, but didn't formally review.
The Habit Burger
We ate a lot of burgers this year, rounding out with a last minute entry from California-export, The Habit Burger. Serving chargrilled burgers the size of an 8-year-old child's head, onion rings, fries, a free-flow pickle bar and fantastic fresh ranch dressing, it's clear they've gone all-out making the place as good as the original.
The Rice Garden
Superior, small-batch rice steamed to absolute perfection, paired with traditional home-style dishes like lurou (chopped braised pork), sweet 'n' sour chicken, red-braised pork belly and Shanghai-style pork ribs.
Beef & Liberty 2
Like the first one, but way bigger.
White Castle
420-worthy sliders and sweet, sweet potato fries.
Read more Shanghai Food & Drink Guides
For more 2017 Year in Review coverage, click here
0 User Comments