Generally, I am not one to dine in Shopping Mall, except perhaps if it was in the USA and about to go to the cinema, then it would be fast food, however Shanghai certainly raises the bar with a number of brand-named restaurants in many of the higher end Shopping Malls, as was the case this past Friday.

W&S Dafu Yakiniku Bistro operates on the 6th floor of the recently renovated Shui On Plaza, renamed as Xintiandi Plaza, the group behind W&S Dafu Yakiniku Bistro certainly remained true to the term of a Bistro serving moderately priced meals in a modest setting with alcohol.

It is said, that Bistros likely developed out of the basement kitchens of Parisian apartments where tenants paid for both room and board. Landlords could supplement their income by opening their kitchen to the paying public.

This top floor venue was packed at 19h45 on Friday evening and pleased that I had made a reservation with my regular dining partner, for there were a number of people waiting for a table in the lobby area.

We were promptly seated, and menus presented for both food and drinks. With an order taken for a bottle of Hawkes Bay Rose, at an affordable price of just 238RMB, along with a draft beer at 58RMB.

The following dishes were ordered

Kimchi Combo – taste was fine, it was kimchi after all, but presentation not as the image portrayed on the glossy menu, the combo was just slopped on a plate so to speak.

Thick cut outside skirt – this is the only dish that you cooked yourself over the embers that were placed in the centre of the table, unsure whether it was my cooking skills or the quality of the beef, but the beef was amazingly tender and flavoursome.

Pork with Miso – this was succulent, not full of fat like the one at Zizzi, that lost their top recently.

Red wine Curry Udon – the noodles just right, enjoyed slurping through this dish.

Eel Kamameshi – great presentation with the Eel placed on top of the rice, which was then brought to life with a stock served from a small tea kettle.

I can normally sense/taste when Ajinomoto or MSG, has been added to food, and as we know somewhat customary to be used in the majority of Asian cooking, I generally tend to drink copious amounts of  green tea with an Asian meal that has seen an overuse of either Ajinomoto or MSG, and have to say this was not the case in any of the dishes served at W&S Dafu Yakiniku Bistro.

The service from the waiters was excellent, efficient, smiling and friendly, the damages for two pax came to 593RMB / 296RMB per pax.

Would I return, probably not, having said that can absolutely recommend the venue if one were browsing in the Shopping Mall, a plus side is that you don’t come out smelling that you have been BBQing your dinner either.

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