My husband's birthday and the last night of our China trip coincide this July. Any suggestions for a child-friendly restaurant in Shanghai for a celebratory meal?

Thanks!

CanadaKate

But what kind of restaurant? Upscale? Most places would be child-friendly. You could have a really great meal in the restaurant of the Meridien hotel, Ah Mei; see my trip report for more food information on that city.

ekscrunchy,

Upscale, mid-range or casual -- any would be fine.

By child friendly I'm thinking not somewhere dimly lit and romantic where people gaze into each other's eyes.

I'll go back and look at your trip report again.

CanadaKate

Expat Andrea sent us to this WONDERFUL place on our last night in China -- we had eaten enough Chinese food (enjoyed it, too!) but wanted a change. This place is also a kitchen supply store, and is a huge favorite among international community. When we were there, the early diners were all Chinese, but as we lingered through multiple courses, wine and dessert, later diners were European expats, e.g. a large Italian family with four children. Definately child-friendly.

JiMix Ristorante (a garden Italian restaurant)
607 West Beijing Road
between Chengdu North Road and Shimen No2 Road

phone: 021 62533399

LadyOLeisure,

Thank you -- that restaurant sounds like what we're looking for.

CanadaKate

LadyOLeisure:

Is Andrea still in Shanghai? Haven't seen her posts for quite a whie and miss them!

You can take a look at my report for more details, but I think the one I mentioned above, Ah Mei in the Le Royal Meridien would also be great. They have excellent, English-speaking servers and terrific food, both Cantonese and Shanghainese. Also, there is that unusual fish-tank-column in the entry area... It is just off Nanjing Road near People's Park. After dinner you can take the elevator up to the top floors for that spectacular view of the city and the river at night..

Yes she is -- she's a pretty busy mom now, but we spent a wonderful day with her on May 26! We had a "free day" at the end of our tour, and she met with us and took us to some of her favorite places.

As a local Shanghainese, I highly recommend this restaurant for you, it has also a high reputation among the expats in Shanghai:

YIN
Jinjiang Gourmet Street, 59 Maoming Nan Road (00 86 21 5466 5070). There are so many good things about Yin. For one it is just across the way from Shanghai Tang, which makes for an excellent shopping aperitif. Yin's interior design is another outstanding essay in recreated 1930s Shanghai, with a marble-topped bar, distressed paintwork and fancy carved screens and window frames. Modern paintings hang on the walls and there is a little stage where a jazz band sometimes plays. There are beautiful waitresses in Mao jackets. And a menu with a philosophy: In a city where the local cuisine is usually described as oily and sweet this is all rather good news. The kitchen here is top-class, managing to be subtle and restrained with losing the fundamental gustiness of a lot of Chinese cooking. Try cold and silky drunken chicken, excellent thinly sliced ox tongue perfumed with cloves and Lion's Head: poetically named large and fierce-looking pork meatballs.

Many thanks for the additional suggestions.

We leave two weeks tomorrow. The excitement (and the "to-do" list) are both building at our house.

CanadaKate