[Radar]: The Fat Olive

 

Area: The Fat Olive is on the sixth floor of the Silver Court Building, which is a very expat-orientated escape from the chaos that is 1 Huaihai Road. 1 Huaihai is where the massive shopping street collides into that hectic fringe of the Bund. Multi-lane roads collude into massive intersections, and if you walk a bit south on Xizhang Road you'll see the Silver Court Building (228 Xinzhang -- also home to Element Fresh and the Frazier Residences). Go around the corner and enter that building from the Souning Lu entrance and up to the 6th floor for The Fat Olive.

Other stuff nearby? DKD, Club Love, Dunken Donuts... probably if you like any of those though, you're not going to The Fat Olive. No judgements though. Different strokes.

What is it: The Fat Olive is David Laris descending the Bund (slightly), and partnering with the people who brought you Maya and the Velvet Lounge to open up a wine & mezze bar. Also in the mix is Torres Wine (the "Not Just Another China Winery" -- you might remember them if you've had a meal at el Willy's or Sushi Oyama lately), and The Fat Olive is a modest and relaxed velvet-couched lounge inside with an spacious adjoining patio (white couches galore). To accompany the booze is a moderate and inexpensive selection of Greek snacks and sides (hot and cold mezze, Greek dips, salads, Greek desserts, etc.)

Basically, take Laris on the Bund, make it into a more-relaxed patio, drop the prices on drinks, and add in some Greek snacks, and you’ve got The Fat Olive.

And so the wine. Here is my cardinal rule for wine: always order the second most expensive one, no matter what it is. At The Fat Olive I would be drinking a glass of South African Chardonnay for 36rmb (white), a glass of Argentinean Red for 38rmb, or if I was with a friend getting married or something, the Frexinet Sparkling Wine for 45rmb. I like the Frexinet.

They've also got a selection of Citrus and Earthy Whites by the bottle. So wine starts in the 34rmb range for a glass, mixes at 40rmb and up, beer is standard.

Atmosphere: Yeah, it's a nice place. Relaxed and comfortable. For all the talk about "the view" at venues in Shanghai, there's not a lot of variety -- it's usually just staring at the same buildings. At The Fat Olive, the view is relatively unique and the patio seating is spacious and comfortable.

Selling Points: With a patio that boasts a unique view of Old Town and Pudong, The Fat Olive is basically one of those, 'wow, this is a really nice space' places. The only thing they needed to do was to know how to not screw with it. They didn’t screw with it, so it sells itself to the young, posh crowd looking for cheaper wine in a new place... "by David Laris."

Damage: How much do you drink on the patio after work? Or if you're meeting up with friends on Sunday afternoon? Times that number by 40rmb. Food is cheap with a medium sized selection of dishes for 28rmb to 48rmb, and a more filling option: a "pita burger" for 68rmb.

Who's going: People who like Laris of course. It's all very shrewd. A nice new patio space just in time for summer with the prices that are conscious of the fact that most people aren't actually rich, they just pretend they are. The space lends itself to the corporate function rather well, but I would think it's also going to catch on with the after work drinkers, the pre-Bund club drinkers, and the lazy Sunday afternoon drinkers.