CITY LIVING
DINING
New & Noted Bowl'd
Nyima Pratten
What: Vegan café specialising in acia bowls Where: 255 Anfu Lu, near Wukang Lu. Tel: 6427 5251 Why: To enjoy a healthy brunch this summer. Warning: Acia smoothie bowls have finally hit Shanghai, and they may change the city’s brunching landscape.
The acia berry, a Brazilian superfood, has a whole host of known health benefits, such as being an antioxidant, but better than that, it tastes like a tropical dream in your mouth. This vegan café, in a compound off Anfu Lu, takes its name from the acia smoothie bowls, but also offers other drinks and healthy foods.
Four acia smoothie bowls are currently on offer, without added sugar or food additives and using organic, fresh produce. The bowls come in a range of sizes, small, medium, large and extra large. Our favourite bowl on our visit was the Waikiki hotty bowl (from RMB 36 to RMB 68), with a tropical smoothie blend consisting of acia, banana and coconut water, topped with house made granola, mango, pineapple, passion fruit, coconut shavings and bee pollen. It was beautifully presented, sweet, tart and bursting with the flavour of the fresh fruits. The fancy berry bowl (from RMB 36 to RMB 68), with a smoothie blend of acia, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry, cranberry, blackcurrant, banana and coconut water and toppings of house made granola, bananas, berries coconut shavings and chia seeds, was also a firm favourite. The Hulk bowl (RMB 38 to 70), a green acia smoothie, with blends including spinach, avocado and hemp
Second Helpings: Light & Salt On The Bund Nyima Pratten
What: A classy, yet reasonably priced restaurant in the Rock Bund complex Where: 6/F, 133 Yuanmingyuan Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu. Tel: 6361 1086. Web: www.light-n-salt.com Why: To sample from the fantastic, new, seasonal menu.
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ight & Salt On The Bund have once again opened their terrace, which wraps around the front of the restaurant, so ensure you make a reservation outside to enjoy views over Rockbund and out towards Lujiazui. If that
is not reason enough to revisit the Bundside favourite, then the new menu offerings will be. We began our alfresco meal with a light and healthy starter of roasted beetroot and goat cheese roll with pickled cucumber and yellow peach vinaigrette (RMB 77). The sweetness of the beetroot perfectly balanced out the acidic flavours of the cucumber and vinaigrette. A meatier, warm starter of pan-seared scallops with asparagus hot jelly, black garlic aioli and beetroot crisps (RMB 97) followed, which was fresh,
cooked to perfection and seasoned with a caramelised garlic flavour. Being committed Light & Salt cod fish fans, in all its many varieties throughout the season, the next course of roasted miso cod with purple mash and orange salsa (RMB 197), naturally was the showstopper for us. The citrus taste of the orange salsa made it the perfect summertime special. Roasted duck breast with smoked eggplant, baby carrots, asparagus, Sichuan pepper, balsamic sauce and
protein, topped with granola, fruit and a selection of seeds, is a slightly healthier choice, whereas the go nuts bowl (RMB 36 to RMB 68), is a sweeter version of the acia bowl concept, with cocoa powder and dark chocolate additions. With a wide range of tropical fruits and a selection of seeds, nuts and shavings toppings on offer, these bowls aren’t your typical boring breakfast, and will keep you coming back for more. Perfect for breakfast or for brunch. Grab a table outside in the warm weather and enjoy tucking into a cold, blended, acia smoothie bowl.
barley soil (RMB 187), was our next, highly anticipated course, and it didn’t disappoint. The heavier duck breast was paired with lighter vegetables and worked well as a summertime dish. For dessert, we sampled the goat cheese pudding with walnuts, berries and osmanthus honey (RMB 57), and were surprised with the popularity of the dish on the table. It seems that previously, we had never given Light & Salt the credit it deserves when it comes to sweet treats. The goat cheese pudding appealed to all at the table, both the self-confessed sweet tooth and those who prefer savoury dishes. It was tart, sweet, cheesy and bursting with the flavours of berries. The red velvet cake (RMB 57), on the other hand, was moist, sweet, spongy and definitely one for the dessert lovers amongst us. July16 TalkMagazine
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CITY LIVING
DINING
Alternative Eats: Saucepan Nyima Pratten
The menu also offers, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free dishes, with a calorie count, perfect for those with restrictive diets or who are watching their weight.
We delve deep into Shanghai’s food underbelly to give you an alternative view of the city’s dining scene.
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his meal delivery company brings a whole new meaning to eating healthily in Shanghai, a city spoilt by convenience and indulgent foods. The company believes that everyone deserves to eat well, and should have access to healthy and tasty food, using honest, traceable ingredients. As such, prices are very reasonable and the delivery area covers a
wide swath of the city centre with a delivery fee of only RMB 4. On the menu are a selection of power bowls, salads and soups, made from scratch everyday using clean, trusted and seasonal ingredients. Meals are delivered, literally within minutes, chilled and fresh, with serving instructions (if required).
Saucepan pride themselves on their power bowls, which are basically a perfectly balanced plate including whole grains, lots of veggies, some type of protein, some type of crunch and a delicious dressing. Their power bowls are more filling than salads, whilst lower in carbs than sandwiches. We love their hipster avocado power bowl (RMB 58), with chicken, avocado, barley, chickpeas, corn, spring onion, spinach, rocket, almonds, dried cranberries and roasted onion dressing. The teriyaki
XO By Bottles XO What: The 2.0 version of the 60-minutes wine and craft beer delivery app Where: 237 Hengshan Lu, near Yongjia Lu. Web: www.bottlesxo.com Why: For a chance to sample from the company’s collection before ordering via the app
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npretentious and welcoming, this bar offers a place for Shanghai’s wine-lovers to meet, mingle and share their love of wine. It also gives customers the opportunity to sample from the company’s vast selection by the glass, allowing for a try-before-you-buy style option; ideal for those who like to do
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The company was founded because the owners discovered there was no real option for busy people to order healthy food online and get a delicious product at an affordable price. Thanks to them, and luckily for us, there now is. Web: www.saucepan.co
In partnership with Italian restaurant, Solo, on the second floor, the bar offers the kitchen’s complete menu of Mediterranean bites, as well as specially created wine pairings for the dishes. In the future, there will also be food specials each week, so make sure you stop by the bar for the latest details.
their research before buying in bulk on the app. Wine is available by the glass or bottle, with glasses starting from RMB 25. If curiosity gets the better of you, it is also possible to sample more prestigious bottles, by the glass, rather than invest in the whole bottle. The location of the space is flawless, on the busy thoroughfare of Hengshan Lu, and the interior is decked out with modern furniture and seating that spills out onto the street in good weather. Although the bar only opened last month, it is already popular, with a lively crowd frequenting the nightspot on a regular basis.
samurai power bowl (RMB 62) is also a great and healthy choice with salmon fillet, quinoa, edamame, green asparagus, broccoli, green cherry tomatoes, spring onions, coriander, black sesame, cashew nuts and homemade teriyaki sauce. For a lighter summer option, perfect for lunch, choose from their wide range of salads. The smoked salmon salad (RMB 48), with salmon, a variety of leaves, onions, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, capers, Le Puy lentils, edamame, preserved lemon, dill and horseradish lemon dressing, is a sure-fire winner. Sets with a power bowl or salad along with healthy bites, fruit salads and juices are also available from RMB 58.
Bottles XO already hosted regular tasting nights for their wine, and now that they have a permanent space, these will continue. With a carefully curated selection of wines and canapés, attending a community event is a great way to learn more about the wines on offer, and share them with like-minded guests.
XO is the first bricks and mortar store for the hi-tech company, and a litmus test to determine if the concept works well, before potentially opening more in Shanghai or expanding to other cities. Fingers crossed we start to see more XO bars popping up here in the near future for a wide selection of reasonably priced, high quality wines in the neighbourhood.