" Great Terrace View.... Never Mind The Dining Experience "

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

We were at New Heights yesterday for a birthday dinner on the outdoor terrace with a party of 12, including several kids -- so we came early, at around 6pm. The first impressions were good; and show that there's probably solid management behind the place. The staff were very helpful when we made the reservation and offered us an alternative inside in case of rain. Also when we did have a few spats, they rolled down the sun cover and changed our table setup to make sure we would not get wet. The kids were given crayons and drawing paper, which was absolutely great.The adults settled on a very nice white Chenin Blanc and the kids loved their juice shakes. The waiting staff however made us feel uncomfortable as he tried to push us into ordering more sparkling water and wine, and constantly tried to empty our bottles into any glass on the table, despite indications from some at the table that they had enough. Furthermore, the staff almost forgot to take orders from one at the table (we almost did not notice because of animated discussions at the table) and then did not make a table map (indicating who ordered what), which resulted in a chaotic scene around the table when the dishes arrived. The food was not very impressive - the fish and meat were fresh and tender and imaginatively prepared, but the vegetables and sauces disappointing. As the quantities of meat, fish and vegetables were rather small, it was surprising that no rice, potatoes or the like were provided with the regular dishes. We ended up ordering extra bread to make sure we had enough. The two medium-rare tenderloins we ordered were well-done. The staff did offer to change it but since that would take another 15 minutes and the rest of the food was on the table we decided to give it a pass. No manager came by during the dinner to check if everything was ok and we were not offered anything as a token of apology. When someone at the table had finished, the staff immediately removed the plate and started to clean that part of the table. This may be common practice in the old-school chinese restaurants but it was certainly not appreciated by us. Particularly not because we were dipping some of the extra bread in the remaining sauce on our plates to get a full feeling. The desserts were good - not great, but a high note after the dinner. The view is great -- more of the bund than of Pudong, which gives it a more romantic feeling than the bar terrace at the river side facing Pudong. However it is not ideal for a romantic date or anniversary because the restaurant allows non-clients to step onto the terrace and make pictures. During the course of our dinner we had about 8 couples/small groups coming over, making pictures and making excited remarks. A chinese couple on their oyster starters and half bottle of Bollinger decided to move indoors to have more privacy. In the end, I'm not sure what this place is aiming to be. The food is bistro-quality but the prices and service make it poor value. With such a view, wouldn't it be better of as the ourdoor extension of one of the great restaurants at one of the lower floors at 3 on the Bund? June 2008