Coconut Paradise

Thai restaurants in Shanghai tend to me more upmarket than most of the local fare but the food, setting and service make Coconut Paradise the best of a decent bunch. The ambience is right on the money, an old French town house with an attractive garden. Inside deep red walls and very dim lighting make it better for dinner than lunch. Most of the dishes were old favourites but imaginatively presented. The hint of lemon grass in the excellent fish cakes (55RMB) was just right, although they maybe over spiced the spicy stir-fried shrimps (70RMB), as hot as anything on the menu at the first-rate Gu Yi Hunan restaurant just over the road. Fortunately there is an extensive range of salads (38-68RMB) and vegetable dishes (38-50RMB) available to help cool down. All of this is served by friendly if at times slightly chaotic staff. Worth booking at weekends.