Pronto opens on the corner of Xiangyang and Julu Lu tonight. It's a "New York-style" Italian restaurant, which, I guess, means red sauce and Italian-American standards. It could even be authentic inauthentic Italian-American food, as all three times I've seen the chef, he's been wearing an old leather jacket. I think that counts for something.

Dishes on their menu, via their PR blurb: "Fried Calamari, Pappardelle Bolognese, Lasagane, Ravioli, Bruschetta, Zuppe De Pesce over Linguine, Chicken Marsala, Veal Milanese and signature dishes such as Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb, Snapper Portofino and Jumbo Prawn Scampi."

They already take credit cards, which is nice for a brand-new venue, but there's one catch -- they've gotta be breaded, deep-fried, covered in red sauce, and have a slice of mozz melted over the top. Zing.

Weekend warriors, glittery club M2 is moving locations, vacating their Plaza 66 location and picking it back up at the end of April at their new location on the 4th floor of the Hong Kong Plaza, off Huaihai Lu.

From the M2 team: "The new M2 will be bigger and the design style will be different than it is now. My advice is that we just tell the party people there will be a new, better M2, and they will expect it."

M2 at Plaza 66 closes for good on February 28, with their "Hand Over Party."

SmartTicket is taking orders for the third Maybe Mars record label showcase, featuring performances by the following radness: Carsick Cars, AV Okubo, Guai Li, and newcomers Birdstriking.

Four hot, hot, hot bands from Beijing's Mars label. Music is post punk, indie rock, electro punk spazz and more. Door tickets are 100rmb, presales are 70rmb including delivery. Starts 9:30pm.

That one's on February 27 at MAO Livehouse. Have at it: click here.

A hotel has done something interesting. A Sheraton. In Pudong, no less. Imagine!

It is a weekly Friday evening promotion called Tiffin, wherein their Nepalese chef lays out a spread of Indian and Nepalese curries and breads, they throw Himalayan music on the soundsystem, the beverage menu turns Indian, and the air becomes really thin. It's 258rmb and then they sting you with the 15% surcharge, and there's no alchohol involved, but, hey, caffeine is a drug too and it's unlimited soft drinks.

Here's the listing.

Delhi Zaika's Pakistani BBQ and cold baingan bharta was a favorite of mine. Their location, on an out-of-the way Hongqiao street, killed them. They closed recently. Took some time to think about it. Re-grouped. And opened a new restaurant, Ebeneezer's. On Zhangdong Lu.

Where the hell is that?

I'll tell you. I went today. You take Metro line two to Zhangjiang Hi-Tech Park, where the subway system goes above ground and connects to these new Maglev-looking street trolleys. And then you take a motorcycle taxi. You turn left at the field of cucumbers, right at the sprawling car dealerships, and then when you feel yourself fall off the map, you look for the low-rise corporate campuses devouring the farmland. That's Zhangdong Lu. To my surprise, it is home to a Charmant. .. read on »

The Lit Fest is classing up Shanghai from March 5-21 this year. Peter Hessler is the marquee name, but you cultured people already knew that. He's nattering away in the final slot, at 5pm on the 21st. Tickets are sort of, maybe, perhaps on sale via Mypiao. Here's the Mypiao website; buying tickets today involved a call, an email, a confusing explanation, and maybe delivery on Wednesday.

The full author lineup is in this PDF right here.