[Radar]: Shanghai Slims

 

Area: The Sinan Mansions, a relatively quiet retail and dining area that is soon to be flush with Kelley Lee and David Laris ventures.

What it is: New York Style Steak and Burger's rise to a higher tax bracket. Shanghai Slim's is that quintessential American seafood, steak and chophouse. Running the kitchen is Adam Levin. He's most immediately recognizable for his work at New York Steak and Burger. But he's a China veteran, having made his mark on the Mainland about 12 years ago with Aria in Beijing's China World Hotel. If you've lived in Shanghai long enough, you might remember Zin on the edge of Ludi Park (it has since been The Naked Cow, Bling and, most recently, Lotus). That was his place, too. His resume also boasts stints under several gastronomic giants – Wolfgang Puck, Daniel Boulud and Jean Georges Vongerichten to name a few.

Levin's menu is, for the most part, golden age Americana – Waldorf and Cobb salads, steak tartare, shrimp cocktail and seafood towers. It's the kind of stuff you see Don Draper and Roger Sterling eating in Mad Men. Steak is on offer. And it's dry-aged USDA Prime, but there are only two cuts available, a boneless ribeye and a petit filet. It's not so much about turf here as it is about surf – namely Boston Lobster. It’s flown in several times a week and kept live in tanks. And he's found a lot of uses for it: Baked in a pot pie, wrapped in pot stickers, steamed, grilled, thermidored, risottoed, souffled, fondued, bisqued even mac & cheesed. Then there are the other items that don’t fit into the 'Steak, Lobster, Seafood' tagline – dishes like slow roasted osso buco with saffron polenta and herb crusted lamb chops.

The wine list skews heavily toward California – lots of big name Napa reds like Silver Oak, Harlan Estate and Ridge – but there is also a formidable bloc of First Growth Bordeaux and a few Super Tuscans thrown in for good measure. The cocktail list highlights Martinis, of course, and their house pours are Belvedere and Bombay Sapphire.

Atmosphere: Given the menu, you'd think a place like Shanghai slims would follow that old school template of plush leather booths, brass and hardwoods suffused with cigar smoke. But the décor is a total departure. Blond wood on the floors and rafters and pale green walls give it a bright, cheerful, and - I dare say - feminine feel. Vaulted ceilings and stacked slate fireplaces make the place look almost like Swiss ski chalet. And on our visit a soundtrack of tracks by everyone from Skid Row to Cyndi Lauper maintained a sense of levity about the place.

Damage: Compared to the competition in town, steaks here are surprsingly reasonable and they're plated with a starch, veg and sauce, to boot – no need to order separate sides. As always, it's the lobster that will beef up your bill. All the same, two people could walk out of here sufficently full for just under 500rmb.

Who's going: At the moment, it's curious Shanghairen wandering the empty alleyways with money to burn. Once word gets out, though, this element will likely give way to carnivorous Americans as well as New York Steak and Burger's loyal devotees.