Lost Heaven

Yummy Yunnan
38 Gaoyou Lu, near Fuxing Lu
Tel: (021) 6433 5126

After a frigid winter, spring is finally here, which means it's safe to eat outside again. Mediterraneo, tucked away in a lovely old house down a quiet alley on Wuding Lu, is as good a place as any in Shanghai for al fresco dining. A well-manicured, spacious garden wraps around the side and rear, with plenty of tables to eat at as well as comfier furniture to lounge around in. A terrace connected with the hip Med Lounge upstairs offers even more outdoor seats. No skyscraper-lined vistas here - the tall trees and wooden fence give the impression of a peaceful suburban back yard.

If the open air is nice (and getting nicer as the weather improves), the food is something else. The menu is full of the standards an Italophile would expect of such an establishment - antipasti, salads, soups, veal, fish, pasta, pizza - with more still. We began with a sumptuous antipasto for two and proceeded to the homemade green lasagna with lamb ragout and red ravioli with spinach and ricotta filling and mushrooms and foie gras on the side. All was well-presented and tasty, but stocking your wallet is advised before you come. A full meal with no drinks ran the tab to about RMB800 for two.

Beijing

Mediterraneo The great outdoors

1317 Wuding Xi Lu,
near Jiangsu Lu
Tel: 021 5238 9733


Don't let the name fool you - unpretentious humility seems a far cry from this chic and urbane eatery. Renowned Japanese architect and designer S. Miura combines ultra-minimalist design with fengshui principles. Neutral tones, bulky furniture and a rippling pool offset the voyeuristic steel and glass towers of Oriental Plaza overhead. To escape the sight of commercial real estate, retreat into the recessed Library room or one of the inner rooms. The largest private room can host functions for up to 50 people.

My Humble House serves modern Chinese cuisine, and the menu packs an extensive list of familiar dishes with dashes of new ingredients. The difficulty is trying to make a choice without losing perspective of the meal. For ease, a set lunch menu includes a cold appetiser, soup, main entr¨Ĥe and dessert for the indecisive patron. If you have to have one item on the menu, it has to be the Australian beef tips. Each well-seasoned, tender morsel makes you crave more. With a well-considered wine list and various teas on offer, you'll want to linger in this house. Expect to spend about RMB200-300 per couple for lunch. The sky is the limit when entertaining, however.