Listings:

This massive, minimalist warehouse of a Japanese restaurant is easy to miss; look for an unmarked doorway in the gray wall and follow the bamboo-lined path beyond. Shintori is immensely popular, more for its hip decor and vibe -- lofty ceilings, fully-open kitchen, polished concrete warehouse interior -- than its decent food. There's a wine list in place of sake or shochu and English-speaking...

Small and quaint, Velvet packs a punch with some of the best cocktails in the French Concession. Located in an old picture book villa, touristse are bound to be impressed with this place and its late night crowd. If you get the munchies while, the pizzas here are among of the best in town.

People 7 is a large, low-key cocktail bar with a full Asian-fusion food menu. It's on the pricy side but the place is nicely designed, with visual tricks scattered around to beguile guests. Just finding the way to open the front door is a puzzle in itself. It's gimmicky, but a nice ice-breaker, though the jokes wear a bit thin after your first visit.

Set in a refurbished colonial building overlooking a private garden, Casanova is a fusion of modern and traditional Italian fare. You'll find some rare seafood here such as baby octopus and soft shell crab, as well a selection of sinful desserts.

A longtime expat favorite. This restaurant does Nepali standards like curries, kormas, samosas, fresh-baked naans and parathas, and lentils in various forms. The food is good, but the draw is most definitely the decor. Low-slung tables and cushions for seats give it an air of exoticism. A fine choice if you're dining with a large group.

Maya is a popular, upscale Mexican restaurant whose slightly odd location on the second-floor of an apartment clubhouse is a reminder that good food trumps weird locations. The cooking is contemporary Mexican, with a few concessions like tacos and quesadillas, but if it's Tex-Mex you're looking for, you might want to keep looking. Great tequila selection.

Kartel is a cocktail lounge and wine bar. Three different floors offer three distinct looks and feels. The main floor is an eclectic mix of bling and urban decay with wrap-around windows and a quirky bathtub motif. Downstairs takes on the character of gentleman's lounge.Then there is the rooftop terrace. Simple in design with a 360º view of the French Concession. A rolling selection of 20 wines...

Wildly popular and eminently affordable, this izakaya does a brisk business in crispy gyoza, yakitori, and other snacks that make you want to guzzle down lots of beer, sake, and shochu. Their beef tongue comes highly recommended.

Hair salon with stylists from Italy specialising in Styling, colouring and all other hair services in their salon and also available for Events. The Salon also retail sunglasses and bags. The salon also with English spoken specialists for waxing, manicure & pedicure.