" Awesome Food! "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Having been here before, the restaurant didn't seem to have the same bustling atmosphere it did last year. This time I was greeted with a more quiet atmosphere that truly highlighted the great interior design of this hidden gem at the base of URBN hotel. When making the reservation, I was asked whether I preferred dining outside in the garden or inside. I chose to sit inside as my mom didn't want to deal with the bugs and what not that hovered over you as you ate. The atmosphere of the outside patio was dark yet romantic , perfect for a night out with the girls or your beau.

Upon being seated, a friendly and informative server that spoke fluent English handed us the menus and also made some recommendations on some of the more popular dishes. He also brought us some fresh bread with a hummus-like dip that was spiced with a hint of cumin and some butter for the less adventurous. After taking an extensive look at the vast menu, we decided on three appetizers: Seared Fois Gras with assorted mushrooms , Salmon Gravlax, and the Steak Tartare. Personally I don't eat Fois Gras (yes I know , what a waste right?) but my mom enjoyed it and said that it was bursting with flavour and oily goodness. However, I did try the mushrooms that were drenched in a light wine flavour that was also very flavourful. The salmon gravlax was my brother's favourite appetizer and was basically thinly sliced salmon sashimi that is slightly salty served with a cucumber slaw, topped with green tobiko and white sesame seeds. This dish was light and perfect for salmon lovers who are craving something fresh and light. The steak tartare was my preferred appetizer which was raw beef that was minced with pickles served with creme fraiche and thin toasted brown bread. The bread with crisp paired with the freshly prepared steak. The creme fraiche was the perfect complement to the savoury beef and by spooning it onto the thin toast, it was a good appetizer for sharing amongst others.

Shortly after finishing the appetizers, the main courses were served quickly and efficiently. Starting with the mustard crusted lamb rack served with a tomato salsa and grilled eggplant, the dish was very good as the meat was moist and cooked well. The suckling pig served with a butternut squash mash and caramalized onions on sauteed spinach was not a favourite at the table. the meat lacked flavour even though the skin was crisp and the meat was moist. The grilled prawns served with a potatoe and tomato side was excellent. The shrimps were spiced well and cooked just right, not rubbery at all. The potatoes were slightly spicy but were also very good and flavourful. Lastly, the austrailian steak served with potato wedges and assorted mushrooms was cooked just until medium rare with the meat being tender and satisfying.

With prices for appetizers under 100 RMB and the main courses for less than 200 (except for the austrailian steak which was 238 RMB), the food was comparable to the food served at restaurants on the bund. The atmosphere was great and the servers were friendly and extremely well-mannered.

overall 8.5/10 for food, 9/10 for service!

On a side note: DO NOT order water here as they charge 65 RMB for Evian Water in which case you should just get a glass of white wine or even better, the Elderberry Martini in which I've heard a lot about but still have yet to try.

" THIS Is How It's Done "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Finally a lunch which boosted my morale. Ok, it was my 1st visit to Roomtwentyeight even though i had it on my task list for months. Good weather and all i headed down there to be seated inside (fully booked patio). The salad with freshly grilled liver was a nice opener even though the diced-tomatosauce was optically not too nice. bread was fresh ad refilled fast, accompanied by butter & a dip. My main was the tagine with beef ..mmmh Well done. Succulent and rich even though i thought the sauce mushed up the couscous alittel, but later found it matched it very well. The harissa kicked butt. Topped the luch set (98kuai for 2 dishes) off with atight espresso and back to work. I'll be back

" Perfect Brunch "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

I just had brunch this Sunday at the terrace of room 28 and really liked it. It was a perfect moment with sun warming my back, good friends and delicious food. The place is sophisticated and food is good and tasty. There are not many brunch that I enjoy in Shanghai because they all look the same or they’re too expensive. This one is good value for money as well as more original than others. I particularly recommend the desserts!!

" Always A Sure Bet "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

I have been to Room 28 several times with friends as well as entertaining out of town visitors and the quality of the food and service has always been consistent. The food is well presented and are big in portions. The service is attentive but not overbearing. The environment is sophisticated and the wine selection is broad. I love their Sticky Date Pudding.... Probably the two things on the minus is that they need to improve their art of cocktail mixing and put the Lamb Shank back on the menu. BTW, I received bread everytime I went without having to ask......

" Average At Best "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Went there for a Sunday brunch and was hoping for a good, relaxing meal. Off the bat, the service was dour and unresponsive despite several attempts to get a waiter to take our order. The food was okay but unmemorable and the portion sizes were on the small side. I liked the decor -- very bright and open with a stylish look without being stuffy and pretentious. One tip -- you have to ask for bread. The waitress told us that they only give bread to those customers who ask for it... they don't automatically serve it to everyone. All in all, it was a pretty average experience. At 350 RMB for two people, I would rather spend that extra bit more and have a memorable brunch on the Bund.

" Enjoyable For The Ocassional Visit "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Ah, the room that isn't. We were told it is named the way it is because the hotel has 26 rooms... but no answer to what happened to room 27. Must be that lucky number 8 thing. Venue is very open, sort of a walk in type of space. Quite nice, and depending on angle of seating you'll forget you're in a hotel. To state you have the best possible lunch set for 100rmb is just selling the venue for what it doesn't offer. Both in food selection and service (pace and preparation times), it is not set for a lunch crowd that wants to get in, order, eat and scoot. So it is usual the lunch you have planned ahead in time, because you need to impress some folks (business or social). For this room28 lends itself quite nicely, sort of stuck between what most downtown western restaurants lack in offer and mood versus what you feel you overpaid going to the Bund. Saying there is no pretence here, well I think it says more about yourself than the restaurant. Fine Dining is not a pretentious offer, and is worth paying for - if done right. Room28 sort of flirts with that thin red line. There is just oo much thought and effort put into the interior, the finishing and furniture, the food offer, staff uniforms, etc. There is a genuine effort to have a different menu offer, but that works both ways. For some it is too unfamiliar, having them opt for what they recognize, and then they compare it to better experiences. This when the quality is very acceptable, and some dishes are surprisingly good. They could give some more effort in calming the staff down, some still look like they are scared out of their mind when called to the table, or ask for other staff to answer rather straight forward questions about the food (like, does it need long time to prepare). But the seniors demo some seasoned management skills. In recap; we have not (yet...) been disappointed, and would call the whole eating experience as good, enjoyable, above average, but not for frequent visits. I guess we're too intimidated by the over-sized, sharp cornered menu boards, and the inevitable table jousting you get into when having 4 guests on one table...

" Great Value And No Pretence - How Refreshing!! "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

We have been to roomtwentyeight several times for different reasons and enjoyed it each time.

We often go for the best value lunch in Shanghai. 98 rmb for two courses / 128 rmb for 3 courses mon-fri. The food is light and great for lunching with colleagues.

We have also taken friends from overseas there and they were all very impressed. Those amazing lights make it a relaxing atmosphere. I rate the cocktail list and the prices on the wine list are by far the most realistic in town - I know my stuff here - Its probably the best value wine list going around (and there are some real gems on the list).

One thing i must make clear. I do not consider it Fine dining. It has no pretentiousness at all. The service is relaxed and friendly and the pricing is very good value. For me this is the best example of a value for money restaurant in Shanghai as I have seen so far.

Do yourself a favour - you won't be disappointed

" A Fine Dining Place Or Not? "

Value for money		Suitable for...
The food		.. a date
The service		.. business dinner
The decor		.. with friends

Dinner was delightful, especially the service staff,food is not bad,but one thing we all noticed there was no salad knife and fork, we had to eat our salads with the main course cutlery, it confuses me, a fine dining place or not?