Restaurant Review: Edgy Mediterranean at Host

Host is a trendy-looking spot near the bustling intersection of Julu Lu and Fumin Lu. Elements of the interiors come off as cool, while other parts seem a bit try-hard; seemingly superfluous iron grills stuck to exposed brick walls reminded us of a desperate-to-be-edgy on-Broadway production of Rent.

Menus are considerably less try-hard than interiors, consisting of a tired bunch of Mediterranean dishes, of which a startling number contained jamón ibérico, shrimps, squid and/or potatoes.

We started off with pulpo a la Galicia (baby octopus with paprika Charlotte potatoes, RMB60, above), which was fine aside from a slightly bitter aftertaste in the potatoes. Another small serving of garlic shrimps (RMB65, below) was perfectly acceptable, if a bit unimaginative.

Being a Chinese-run operation, Host serves all its entrees as dishes for sharing. Initially a little awkward as the two of us picked over a duck confit of asparagus and mashed purple (RMB138, below), sharing gradually became a pleasantly informal experience.

After all, ‘happiness is only real when shared,’ right? At any rate, the aforementioned duck was fatty and well cooked, paired with fresh, grilled asparagus. The mashed purple zishu（紫薯）potatoes weren’t to our taste, but are apparently a more of a hit with local diners.

Lobster linguine followed suit, with a halved lobster, mussels and baby tomatoes­ atop marinara linguine – and we have to admit, pretty damn good value at RMB165, below. 

We noted the linguine was most definitely not al dente – a cardinal sin in the eyes of many Italians – nor was any option for such preference offered. Again, this seems in line with the tastes of local diners, who apparently prefer it cooked through. Fair enough.

Apple pie with Mascarpone (RMB45)

For the drinks, there’s a decent selection of imported wines available at reasonable prices. Don’t bother with the cocktail list; our old fashioned (RMB65) was probably the worst we’ve ever tried. Think of three miserable melting ice cubes clinking around in what tasted like flat soda water and whisky (head over to Devil’s Share in Xintiandi if you want to see what a real old fashioned looks like).

Although it seems a fair effort has gone into making Host feel trendy and welcoming, it’s clearly geared towards local palates - and in a city of 23.9 million Chinese people who can blame them? As it is, Host is a reasonably priced spot for a dinner date if you happen to be in the area, but don’t expect to be swept off your feet.

Price: RMB350 per person

Who’s going: Young locals

Good for: Casual dinner, dates, Mediterranean food

> See a listing for Host.  

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