Shanghai Suprises

Take a gastronomic grand tour to celebrate the city's diverse culinary landscape

- Jasmine Ji And Valerian Ho

In the early 20th century Shanghai emerged as a major trading city known around the world for its cosmopolitan mix of peoples and vibrant style. As international investment poured in, and British, French, American and other entrepreneurs developed the city, they brought with them foreign cuisines that became widely accepted by the food-loving Chinese, adding to famous food traditions from Huaiyang, Canton and Zhejiang to create a smorgasbord of restaurants offering superb dining to suit all tastes.

Today there are so many excellent restaurants in Shanghai it’s almost impossible to give anything more than a broad overview of the city’s culinary landscape, but we’ve collected a few personal picks that give a taster of Shanghai’s stylish dining options.

LAGO BY JULIAN SERRANO

Talented US chef Julian Serrano recently introduced his famous restaurant from Las Vegas to the Bellagio Shanghai, bringing a dining concept that highlights Italian small plates and side dishes – following the modern trend of “appetizers as the new main course.” LAGO offers Italian dishes such as vitello tonnato (cold sliced veal), strozzapreti pasta and ABG dry-aged tomahawk steak, and if you love dessert, you shouldn’t miss the classic Italian affogato.

The restaurant’s interior design has a space-age feeling; walking through the long, glass-decorated tunnel at the entrance you’ll see a shining red-hued wine cabinet, within which more than 300 bottles of wines from around the world are stored (the accent is on Italian, of course). The spacious dining area is connected to an outdoor terrace with expansive views of the Huangpu River and Lujiazui district (there’s also a private dining room). OPEN 6:00 PM – 10:30 PM daily ADDRESS 6/F, 188 Beisuzhou Road, Hongkou District CONTACT [phone]; bellagioshanghai.com

ULTRAVIOLET BY PAUL PAIRET