Boonna 2
I have thoroughly enjoyed the original Boonna Cafe ever since I arrived in Shanghai for its welcoming attitude and nonchalant wait staff that I could care less how long I sit there and work. However, ...
I have thoroughly enjoyed the original Boonna Cafe ever since I arrived in Shanghai for its welcoming attitude and nonchalant wait staff that I could care less how long I sit there and work. However, the space is small and always crowded in the afternoons, so I am often forced to find another work space. Since Boonna 2 opened, I need only head down Fuxing Road to find another great work space with cheap food and great coffee. Depending on one’s needs, Boonna 2 might even be my preferred cafe, as it has more space, less smoke, and great lighting for a computer screen or book.
Boonna 2’s menu is priced the same as its more bohemian original, but the menu is larger and offers more significant lunch and dinner choices. They even have a make-your-own sandwich option; we enjoy the tuna and bacon that is piled high with fresh cut veggies. Specials are another excellent option; I can get a healthy vegetable sandwich and a cup of uplifting coffee for 20RMB.
A pleasant walk down Fuxing Road, past the Iranian Embassy, and across the street from Club JZ, Boonna 2 is a must. Wireless internet should be working by May, but give them a call to be sure.
How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 to Changshu Road Station. Follow exit signs to Fuxing Lu, or take Huai Hai Lu and head west, about a block, until it intersects with Fuxing Lu. Head west on Fuxing Lu for several blocks, Boonna 2 is on the left across the street from Club JZ.
The Westin Brunch
Numerous great hotels in Shanghai offer fantastically elaborate Sunday brunches and meals on special holidays. The Westin’s brunch is particularly noteworthy – and for good reason. My first experience at the Westin was on the Sunday of New Year’s weekend, and it was ...
Numerous great hotels in Shanghai offer fantastically elaborate Sunday brunches and meals on special holidays. The Westin’s brunch is particularly noteworthy – and for good reason. My first experience at the Westin was on the Sunday of New Year’s weekend, and it was heaven. The food was fantastic, waiters attentive, champagne constantly flowing, and the entertainment was… well, entertaining (I have been told that on normal weekends the entertainment is a lovely opera singer, making the experience all the more amazing). Overall, it was a fantastic 3 hours of eating, drinking and relaxing. There is only one seating per brunch, so there was no rush. We ate slowly in an effort to manage at least a bite of everything that was served . This proved to be an impossible task as I got stuck on the sashimi and crab legs – YUM.
The price is 430RMB per person including a 15% service charge. Indeed it may be hard to imagine that anything in Shanghai could be worth so much, but not once did I question that the Westin was worth every Jiao. The waitress watched so closely that every sip of Champagne was immediately replaced. For those that do not enjoy Champagne, there is free flowing liquor bar as well. Those seated downstairs must also be sure not to miss the “Italian” food area upstairs – the risotto prepared in a huge wheel of parmesan is unbelievable. The Peking duck on the first floor is the best I have had in Shanghai. Don’t forget to leave room for dessert!
How to get there: Take Metro Line 2 to the Henan Rd Stop. Exit onto Henan Rd, and walk south. The Bund Center looks like a giant lotus flower – look up!
Coconut Grove Bistro
I try to write about restaurants that I like, because generally the locales that do not impress me much, I quickly forget. That is unless they are so bad that I can’t stop thinking about them! I found the need to write about Coconut Grove Bistro for two reasons. First, it is located i...
I try to write about restaurants that I like, because generally the locales that do not impress me much, I quickly forget. That is unless they are so bad that I can’t stop thinking about them! I found the need to write about Coconut Grove Bistro for two reasons. First, it is located in a spot where visitors and locals alike will often find themselves quite hungry. Second, despite the assumption that Plaza 66 – probably the most upscale mall in Shanghai - would and does include some trustworthy restaurants, Coconut Grove Bistro is not one of them.
It was not the service or atmosphere that made this an unpleasant experience (although they weren’t great either), the food was simply disgusting. The "spring rolls", which the menu labels as Vietnamese, were stale rice paper rolls covered in fish sauce, and stuffed with week-old, sautéed vegetables. The string beans were also covered in a fish sauce so strong it made the dish taste plain rotten. Amazingly there was no Pad Thai on the menu, but there was stir-fried noodles with shrimp that, simply put, tasted wrong. The green curry was just about the only edible dish, and one can certainly find better in Shanghai.
There are several great options for Thai cuisine in Shanghai (see Simply Thai, Lan Na Thai). If you should find yourself in Plaza 66 and starving, check out the Red Door, right next to Coconut Grove Bistro, it is 100% better.
How to get there: If you don’t know where it is, hopefully you will never come across it…
Lapis Lazuli
Like most of the restaurants on Dongping Lu, diners simply can’t go wrong with Lapis Lazuli. The restaurant has a cool ambiance, polite staff, and pricey yet tasty food. Even when one can’t avoid the wait for a table, Lapis Lazuli even has a well chosen ceramics shop downstairs that a...
Like most of the restaurants on Dongping Lu, diners simply can’t go wrong with Lapis Lazuli. The restaurant has a cool ambiance, polite staff, and pricey yet tasty food. Even when one can’t avoid the wait for a table, Lapis Lazuli even has a well chosen ceramics shop downstairs that always seems to be having a sale.
The food is mainly continental, with a little Asian flare tossed in for good measure. At night the restaurant is bustling, so I recommend making a reservation. The best time to come, however, is during lunch, when the patrons are mainly “ladies who lunch” and employees that work in the neighborhood. The lunch specials are quite a deal, and perfect for those with an appetite. I like the club sandwich special, which comes with a salad, soup and tea or coffee for RMB 48. At dinner time the prices are significantly higher, so while the food is indeed good… well, let’s just say it tastes a lot better when it’s not making such a dent in the pocket.
Nonetheless, Lapis Lazuli is a cool locale well worth checking out, and if dinner is all you have time for, I still recommend it. I love the wood furniture, which feels almost Thai, and the flowers and artwork definitely exude an enjoyable tropical feel. Try to swing a seat by the window to take advantage of a good view of the drinking crowds piling into Zapata’s and Sasha’s next door. The menu is really easy, so those worried by a group that might be hard to please can rest assure that the wide selection certainly won’t disappoint.
Take Metro Line 1 to Hengshan Rd station. Exit onto Hengshan Rd. and head northeast to Dongping Rd., about a 10-minute walk. Take a right on Dongping Rd. to find Lapis Lazuli.