|
|
PLACES BEGINNING WITH 'L'
Opened: Mid-November
What: A small, simple cafe, ideal for getting your coffee fix and a few munchables, too.
Look: Clean with an ultramodern gray, white, and red motif. It has less of a cafe feel than a sterile, futuristic one. If you’re more Jetsons than Vienna, this is your spot.
Food: If you’re looking for a bite to eat before you rush out for that meeting/ yoga class/ladies’ night, L Cafe will do the job. Their pizza slices will only put you back ¥10, but they’re smaller than those you’re probably hoping for. The veggie lasagna passes muster, but their freshly squeezed fruit juices and desserts (especially the cheesecake) are reasonably priced and oh-so-satisfying (¥15 each).
People: Commuters, caffeine addicts, and other people on the move.
Bill: A meal including a drink will come out to about ¥50.
Opened: January 15.
What: Café-cum-lounge offering a variety of international cuisine and aiming for the “cafe with meals” niche by day and the lounge niche by night.
Look: A lonely downstairs lobby leads to the friendly upstairs lounge area. The garish chairs lining the walls may be fine for the lounge at night, but they are a little hard on the eyes during the day. Otherwise, not-too-bright lighting provides a nice ambiance that is equally good for chatting or just kicking back with a book. The bar is the centerpiece of the place, and a small stage in the corner is available for future performances.
Providing the weather’s good, a bicycle is arguably one of the best ways to zip around town; and if you like your bikes or you’re feeling extravagant, then La Bici Shanghai’s showroom is worth a visit. From hardy mountain bikes to slim-line freestyles to BMXs, this shop touts an exclusive range of imported models and top brands like Sunn and Commencal. In addition, you’ll find all manner of bike parts here and a smart line of T-shirts (¥199) from Shadow Conspiracy. More than just a standard bike shop, La Bici also organizes regular cycling trips out of Shanghai and hopes to create a base for cycling aficionados to meet and relax. But start saving as these shiny frames on wheels come at a price – standard models start at ¥5,000 and top out at over ¥20,000. If you’re gonna make the investment, be sure to buy a decent bike lock here as well.
Opened: May 12.
What: Charming house turned into a 40-seat French Basque-style restaurant, with pedigree. It’s Jerome Lagarde’s place – the opening chef of Sens & Bund – and the cooking reflects it. Fine dining without the Bund stuffiness.
You probably remember the old La La Land on Sinan Lu as the shortestlived club in Shanghai’s history, its management having walked out ten days after its opening. Admirably, the same crew has managed to find a new home for their late-night partying concept on the Tongren bar strip, and now they’re ready for round two.
Behind the drawn curtains of the new club an intimate, moderatelysized space emanates a cozy lounge feel. Red cushions spruce up the black couches that line the walls, while three low-hanging, red silk lanterns illuminate the room with a warm, alluring light. The DJ booth stands in the corner with back-lit squares covering the back wall. A small private room can be found next to the booth, separated from the rest of the venue with white transparent curtaining - a perfect hideout for friends to get together and have some good, clean fun.
Resident DJs play ‘strictly house music’ with a variety of funky, deep and minimal, which, unfortunately, will probably go unnoticed by the typical Tongren Lu crowd. But real party animals can rejoice, as this insomniac’s den offers a special afterhour open bar from 3-4am every weekend in October. Drinks are in the standard ¥40-60 range, and members get drink specials from 9-11pm daily (memberships available at www.lalaland.com.cn).
Opened: Jul 4.
What: Lan, as in Zhang Lan, the entreprenueress of the South Beauty Group. A long renovation in the making, this is her posh, 4-floor wining and dining club for opulent people. Needless to say, this is a pretty big Bund opening,
|
|
RSS Feed