SmartShanghai's "Best of Shanghai"

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[My Weekender] with Katya Sawyer

A Shanghai life extraordinary with Katya Sawyer -
Fri 29 by SmSh

Thu 28 | Art & Stage »

Double Art Bypass

Culture comin' atcha from all four corners - By Morgan

Wed 27 | Dining »

Kung Fu Restaurant

Fast food chain kung fu chops your taste buds - By Michael

Tue 26 | Lifestyle »

High Profile: NuoMi

Breezy fashions from rising design talent - By Liza

Mon 25 | Art & Stage »

MP3 Monday: Proximity Butterfly

The sun, the moon, and the five wandering stars... - By Morgan

Wed 20 | Columns »

Wellbeing: Outdoor Pools

A bevy of outdoor pool options in Shanghai - By Myles

Tue 19 | Dining »

Pho No. 1 - The Sequel

Almost but not quite at Pho No.1 on Taikang - By Hien

Sunday Brunches

- Sat 30 in Dining by Oliver -

As the all-you-can-drink brunch represents the apogee of human achievement, just though we'd give you a little heads up on two of the newer brunch deals in town.

This Sunday, Le Royal Meridien launches their new brunch "La Vie en Rose," which will apparently try to appeal to a younger, hipper crowd with entertainment by a DJ, among other diversions. I've had their brunch a few times and always left happy and buzzing, but I would recommend getting there early because in the past they've run out of a few items towards the end (brie cheese in particular – what a travesty). Head on down this Sunday to rub shoulders with Shanghai's beloved cadre of journalist free loaders. Starts 12pm. 418rmb.

The other one I haven't tried out yet is Bonito's which sounds like good bang for your rmb, so I'm heading down there soon as well: 250rmb for all-you-can-eat tapas, montaditos, and Spanish dishes and free-flow on sangria and sparkling wine. Starts 12:30pm.

Bon Bon Still Closed

- Fri 29 in Nightlife by Carl -

If a night time taxi ride has taken you past the western end of Huaihai Lu in the last few weeks, you have probably noticed the lack of drunken youth clumsily spilling out of Bon Bon's entrance. Rumors circulated that the club's extended closure (now over a month) was a result of everything from over-zealous bouncers, to a major sound system upgrade, to the government trying to moderate the city's nightlife during the Olympics.

While the club has kept mum (nothing on its website) about the closure, it now seems rather apparent that the club was asked to close temporarily by the powers that be. Whether authorities saw it as a security risk similar to The Shelter or simply didn't think legions of zombie drunk kids stumbling around was good for the city's image, remains to be seen. According to sources an exact reopening date has not yet been given the green light, but in all likelihood the club should be back by mid-September.

New Newsletter

- Fri 29 in Community by SmSh -

The SmartShanghai weekly newsletter has been redesigned to be bigger, better, faster, more, more, more. Have a look here.

And go ahead and sign up for it here.

Money Art

- Fri 29 in Art by Liza -

We'd hate to be the cause of a stampede, but if you can take an hour off work this afternoon, you really should. Get down to Moganshan 50 for an historic event of immeasurable proportions: "Affordable Art."

Chinese art is being sold for as little as one-fifth its regular "value" at the Shanghai Affordable Art Fair, running from today to Monday, 11am to 7pm. That means the buyers seeking investment pieces already have a 3 hour head start on you.

[read on...]

Film Screening / Photo Expo @ Gin Gallery

- Thu 28 in Art by Sarah -

This Friday Gin Gallery in 50 Moganshan hosts David Verbeek, the director of Shanghai Trance for a screening of his short films / photography projects "Colours of the New Lands."

On the slate is the locally-based auteur's short works including "Melody Z," "Yu-Lan," "Always November," and an excerpt from his 2008 feature length Shanghai Trance. Read an article about that film here.

No cover. Free beer. Starts 6pm.

Deal of the Day

- Wed 27 in Dining by Oliver -

Not really a dinning deal (although they do give you free snacks with your drinks), but the Otto expansion on Nanjing Lu has a real reasonable happy hour: buy-one-get-one free drinks -- and big Tsingtaos are only 30rmb.

So if we do the math that's 15rmb a pint on a real nice patio -- perfect for a sweltering day like today. They've also got non-beer drinks like "wine," but not as large a selection as they have at the main restaurant.

Other happy hour deals on the SmSh happy hour map.

Stiller's Soft Opens this Saturday

- Wed 27 in Dining by Morgan -

German chef wunderbaaaar Stephan Stiller (soft) opens his new restaurant Stiller's this Saturday at The Cool Docks (a converted warehouse complex in the south Bund area). Stiller, you might remember, was the chef at Mimosa in Pier One.

The food at Stiller's will reflect the Germanic heritage of its chef -- sausages, sauerkraut and pork-knuckle -- but they'll class it up a bit...

Think schnitzel delectable enough for the last archduke of Prussia.

For more info on the restaurant, have a look at Stephan's development blog here.

More of The Wire here

Dr. Bob Jones

Bar Rouge celebrates being awarded the first international bar of the month by World Best Bars.com. Dj Bob Jones brings the funk.

Bar Rouge - Sat, 30

Unite Party III

The third installment of the Unite party at Anar sees a sampling of the cream of the local crop of electro DJs. No cover.

Anar - Sat, 30

Endless Summer

Tables off the dancefloor at G Plus to welcome back trance DJ Solaris, Kodama, and Yuta. Cover: 100rmb (five drinks incl.).

Club G Plus - Sat, 30

Riviera Pool Party

Last one kids. Get in there while you can.

Purple Mountain Hot.. - Sat, 30

Calendar

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Karin on Napa Wine Bar & Kitchen on Wednesday 27 -

"Food And Wine - A Perfect Match!"

After a series of quite unsatisfying experiences at some of the current popular "Shanghai In-Restaurants" I slowly started asking myself whether this simply stands as a symbol of the quite superficial, fast moving Shanghai Fun Society (also known as "Pool Party People" PPP) whose main focus rather lies on hedonism and lust for consumption than on quality and consistency. I scaled down my expectations in order not to be disappointed again by fanciless, bad food, mediocre service and exorbitant prices but this was unnecessary precaution. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find that "Napa Wine Bar and Restaurant" is in every respect a serious place that offers top quality food and wine, immaculate customer service and a lasting dining impression. And since every restaurant gets the patrons they deserve it was refreshing to find none of the regular Shanghai busy bodies and hip but shady fortune hunters around. From the moment my husband and I stepped into this beautifully renovated three-storey house on ... [...read on]

aurelplouf on Des Lys on Fri 29

"French?"

globaltraveller on Gourmet Burger Cafe on Thu 28

"I was not disappointed"

Meechy on Gourmet Burger Cafe on Wed 27

"Possibly the best burger in Shanghai"

razenstein on The Spot on Wed 27

"Relaxed place with good music and excellent food"

More User Reviews » Write a Review »

September 19-21

Shanghai Jazz Festival

A three-day, outdoor festival featuring locally-adored and internationally-revered jazz musicians including Laura Fygi, Giles Peterson and Incognito.

Details & prices »

September 6

George Benson & Al Jarreau

Don't miss these jazz living legends, multi-Grammy winning George Benson and Al Jarreu in their single Shanghai show at the Yunfeng Theatre.

Details & prices »

September 25 - October 12

AIDA the Musical

Winner of four Tony Awards, Sir Elton John and Tim Rice's pop musical AIDA is an epic tale of love, betrayal, death, and royalty condemned to the trials of slavery.

Details & prices »

See more shows »