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Shintori Null Ii
The warehouse industrial-chic interior here resembles a set from a Peter Greenway film, from the eye-catching open kitchen, which looks like it should house Hannibal Lector, to the sleek staff running around like an army of ninjas. The menu is equally witty; try the cold noodles, which come in a bowl made of real ice. The green tea tiramisu is a classic Shanghai fusion dish. Reserve.
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Shǔ Dì Làzi Yú Guǎn
Most celebrity-owned restaurants in China are temples of style over substance. Not this place, which is the brainchild of a famous Sìchuān actor. Both the prices and décor are decidedly downmarket, but there's nothing cut-rate about the food. An intriguing mix of Sìchuān and northeastern classics with a dash of Shanghainese flavour, they're consistently tasty. Try the fried shredded beef with preserved chillies or the spicy fish. English menu.
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South Beauty
This elegant Sìchuān-Cantonese hybrid facing the Bund offers a little something for everyone. For spice, try the spicy beef; for milder fare, the half-roasted duck infused with tea should please. Reserve a seat in front of the glass-paned kitchen, and the secrets of Chinese haute cuisine might be yours before the night is out. There's another branch in the French Concession (6445 2581; 28 Taojiang R). English menu.
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Southern Barbarian
There's nothing remotely barbaric about the food here. Fine, MSG-free Yunnan cuisine is served by friendly staff in a laid-back atmosphere. The barbecued freshwater snapper with a cumin and peppercorn glaze is a sublime explosion of flavours, the spicy beef with crispy fried mint leaves is almost as good. But leave room for the chicken wings, covered in an addictive secret sauce. They also serve bottled Belgian beers. English menu. Reserve.
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Spice Market
Spice Market is a Who's of Asian dishes, from pad thai to nasi goreng , along with more interesting fare like the grilled whole fish with chilli, dry shrimps and coconut stuffing. Thai dishes are authentically fiery, with sweet tamarind sauce to cool the mouth, and there are lots of lime, coconut and satay tastes. The décor is divided into traditional Thai, Singapore and Malay seating.
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Tairyo
All-you-can-eat deals are popular in Shanghai, but nothing compares to Tairyo's teppanyaki steak house. The cooks here may lack the savoir-flair of true teppanyaki chefs, but the branches keep opening (there are now 11) and no one seems to complain. Don't limit yourself to the grill; there's also excellent sashimi and pitchers of sake - all included in the buffet - so start working up an appetite. Another branch at 15 Dongping Rd; 6445 4734.
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Vedas
Shanghai's best Indian restaurant presents classic northern Indian cuisine, with a smattering of vegetarian dishes from south India, in a soothing atmosphere. You can sample one of the decent cocktails in the separate bar area before heading into the main dining room for your rogan josh or korma. As with all Indian restaurants on the mainland, it would be nice if the curries had a bit more bite but the flavours are spot on.
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Xiǎo Nán Guó
Despite the impressive and spacious dining room in the elegant grounds surrounding the Ruijin Guest House, this is one of Shanghai's more affordable chains. First-rate dishes include pork trotters braised for six hours, the crab claypot with glass noodles, deep-fried snake and the usual run of Shanghainese dumplings. It's a good place for group meals. English menu
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Xinjiang Fengwei Restaurant
A visit to the Fengwai, the best of Shanghai's many Xīnjiāng restaurants, is both a rewarding culinary experience and fun. When the music and dancing get going later in the evening, you could be in Kashgar rather than suburban Shanghai. Make sure you get some yángròuchuàn (lamb pieces on a skewer) and the very tasty nang (bread). There's an English menu, and the waiters, who are Uighurs, prefer Uighur or English to Mandarin.
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Yang's Kitchen
For solid, reasonably priced Chinese food in a pleasant setting, Yang's is a good choice, even if the dishes lack a little character. The níngmēngmì jiānruǎnjī (lemon chicken) is decent though, as is chicken with asparagus. It's down a small lane just off Hengshan Rd and next door to Le Garcon Chinoise; there's a sign pointing the way on Hengshan Rd. Arrive early enough and you might catch the wait staff limbering up for the night with hula hoops.
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Ye Olde Station Restaurant
With crisp linen and a sharp colonial façade, this restaurant serves meals infinitely classier than most alternative fare around Xújiāhuì. You can spend a lot here, but the stewed chicken with chestnut and the house special smoked duck with a flavour of tea are reasonable. Despite the name, it actually used to be the St Ignatius Convent (there's a chapel upstairs). Reserve.
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Yè Shanghai
Yè offers sophisticated if slightly unchallenging Shanghainese cuisine in classy surroundings, which makes it a favourite with visitors. The drunken chicken and smoked fish starters are excellent, ditto the eggplant with minced pork; the crispy duck comes with good thick pancakes. On the spacious 2nd floor a pianist tinkles the ivories, while the entire downstairs area is a smoke-free zone, a rarity in Shanghai. There's an extensive wine list.
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Yīn
A throwback to the 1930s, Yīn emanates soft, jazzy decadence with its hardwood flooring, antique hanging screens, qípáo -clad waitresses and Ella Fitzgerald on the stereo. But they're as much visionaries as they are traditionalists. The kitchen has adopted older cooking techniques - back from the days before MSG - and prepares standout regional dishes from across China, including the superbly named 'squid lost in a sandstorm'. English menu.
