1. Urban Diner
[venue:13354]
What It Is: Diner food on the rooftop of mall, with a prime view of . We're talking heart attack classics like beef neck nachos, burgers, chicken wings, chili-cheese fries, and steaks. The diner is run by a real chill couple from Beijing. The husband, Jacky (Zou Bing), is an old-school DJ who's been friends with legacy Beijing headz DJ Wordy and MC Webber for like a decade. Nice to hear some Beijinghua in Shanghai. They used to have an Urban Diner on Nanchang Lu near the Science Hall, but that closed a while back. This is V2.0 for the 2-0-1-6. If at first you don't succeed...
The menu comes courtesy of a couple of chefs who have been doing quite a bit of consulting around town lately. Some are gonna compare this place to , but this is more straightforward diner food without the Asian influences and ice cream.
We're calling it: 2016 is the year of sandwiches, comfort food (whatever that is), and diner fare.
(Actually, every year is the year of sandwiches.)
Area: The roof of Joy City Mall, which is really chill on a clear day. Going along with the DJ theme, the boss of has the second outpost of his restaurant, right next door. Also recently opened is another of those and this Spanish chain called , a beer shop, a 3D-printing store, and, of course, that Ferris wheel. ?
Atmosphere: Modern, minimalist diner vibes and a decent-sized patio. White walls and neon signs. Music is well-selected, old-school funk and boogie. Heard some Prince and Morris Day on a recent Friday.
Damage: Dishes around 60rmb to 90rmb. They're serving diner-size portions, though -- huge plates, ideal for sharing. Probably looking at about 100rmb per person. A bit more if you're getting steak.
First Impressions: Welp, it's a diner and they still don't have bottomless coffee. Hopefully, they get that soon. But they've got some of the best nachos I've tried in Shanghai. Huge chunks of slow-cooked beef neck, lots of cheese, and chips cooked to order. Again, huge portions -- enough to share among 2-3 people. Wings are similar to wings but spicier. Also great. Milkshakes would be a nice addition to the menu. Overall, a solid option for Western food in this part of town, if the kitchen can keep up the quality once the consultants leave.
- Ian L.
2. Tai'an Table
[venue:13379]
What It Is: Longtime Shanghai chef and restaurateur Stefan Stiller (, ,
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