Reel Mall's B2/F food court opened up over the weekend. What's down there? Everything. Everything is down there. Okay, not exactly. But there're a ton. Camel Group's Hooked and D.O.C. Express, Al's Burgers, L.A. Pho, DODU, Pure&Whole, and these things that are like waffle donuts. All of it, in a mall.

*** Here's the list of spots that jumped out at us as we ambled along underground; - Hooked and D.O.C. Express were packed next to each other, looking mostly like take-out joints catering to the bustling lunch crowd rather than sit-down venues. - Al's Burgers is serving up a cut-down menu focused on burgers, fries and shakes, with Gracie's ice-cream (natch). - Pure & Whole Kiosk has a counter with no space to sit; grab your vegan wrap and go sit in the foodcourt at the end of the hall. - DODU is in right across from the McDooglez. They say they've run out of chicken three times already feeding the ravening mallrats and from the harrowed, hunted look on the face of chief rotisserierer Hugo, that's likely. - Shanghai's best burrito-to-price ratio providers Mex & Co are still ripping off Chipotle, in front of a larger audience than their now-defunct K11 venue, but possibly on parr with that stall they have set up on Wujiang Lu. - Hip-with-the-kids coffee spot Seesaw Coffee has a counter, Awfully Chocolate has a stall and it's still only take-out, Sunflour is doing bakery (though the sign's blocked by ceiling lights), L.A. Pho is doing its pho thing, and Petit Pree is scooping ice-cream and macarons. Macaroons? - Also, there's this place called Kuko that does what I can only describe as donut waffles. They looked good, but there were streams of lunch-goers between me and their counter, and you know what they say about crossing streams. Honourable mentions; Very Thai Noodles, Meat Up, A Sushi, Da Fu Dong, Paul Lafayette... guys, there's a lot of stuff down there. There's everything. Judging by the size and jostle of the crowds, it was probably a smart move putting no sharp angles on the counters down here. Most of the rent is probably going towards replacing the floor tiles when they're worn through. So that's what's happening downstairs. Upstairs, Joel Robuchon continues to smile wanly like "yeah, I can afford to squat a property like this for over a year." Ain't nobody moving Robuchon downstairs. *** Reel Mall's foodcourt is located at B2/F, 1601 Nanjing Xi Lu. It's open every day 10am-10pm. Venue's opening times may vary.