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Closing Dish: Cafe Transat fought the good fight with its relaxing terrace and inviting happy hours. Unfortunately, it appears that not even a Shanghaiist endorsement was enough for it to sustain the business that this high-rent district demands. We were taking a break at Bellagio on Taicang Lu over the weekend when we noticed that Cafe Transat across the street had closed shop (picture of the storefront on the left). According to the Bellagio staff, the restaurant stopped operating around two weeks ago.
The last few times we visited we were one of the only patrons there. With its mix of international fare, the menu never seemed to have its own identity, although some individual sets were quite good. Here's hoping their replacement can keep the terrace going and give good reason for those of us looking for a good bite to eat to walk the couple of extra blocks from Xintiandi.
In other closure news: We read on Shanghaiexpat that City Diner's Hongmei restaurant has already closed down after only opening around 6 months ago. We called the Tongren Lu one and they confirmed it shut down a couple of weeks ago. That's a quick demise even by Shanghai standards. We'll try to follow up and get the whole story.
And on the web: We first heard about Ben Ross when he was blogging about his month-long adventure as a trainee in a Fuzhou hair salon. His new website is a bit of a thematic departure from his blog; he's trying to ease the act of ordering Chinese food for non-Chinese folks at How To Order Chinese Food. According to Ben there are now 83 different dishes listed, complete with photos, pinyin, and brief descriptions. Should be helpful for Shanghai residents who never bothered with the hole-in-the-wall places right below their apartments because they didn't have English menus.
Eric Hu is Shanghaiist's Food Editor. Email tips, recommendations, and news and gossip about Shanghai's food scene to food at shanghaiist.com
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City Dinner only made money once -- at the burger cookoff. What a coup for them. especially since they "coupons" they distributed were only valid starting the day after the event. Good riddance to those pricks.
City Diner on Hong Mei was a disaster. I only went there once, soon after it opened, with some workmates after having a few decent experiences on Tongren - - the place was dirty and the waiters (even considering we were the only folks in there) inattentive. Yes, they have decent food, when they get the order right, but those that eat at Western resteraunts demand a lot more than tasty french-fry dipping sauces. It's a real shame, because City Diner could have been in the same league as Moon River (I actually prefer CD food) but the guys running MR are just so more attentive and caring. I would be very interested to hear the real scoop as to why management threw up it's hands and disappeared.
I only went to Transat once to check them out - and never came back. Service was very good, but what came out of the kitchen was just a disaster.
City Diner Hongmei may have been under different ownership than City Diner Tongren.
At City Diner Tongren, however, even in a hightened state of drunkenness, food is not as sinfully delicious and heavenly junky as the menu promises. A bit of a face-lift including CLEANING OF THE WINDOWS which are no longer transparent and cleaning up the messy corners would not hurt.
A good bite one block from XIntiandi? How about Ginger at Corporate Avenue (PWC Building)?
I agree. The Tongren Rd CD needs to be cleaned. I wouldn't go in there during daylight hours, or at all anymore. Last time I went there, I noticed some of the other chairs were burned and then stood up to find mine was stained with a highly suspicious brown cirlce. Mensilicious!
City Diner on Tongren Lu I am sure will follow its Hongmei branch and close. I use to be a fan but over the past month the food is lousy, the service is worse and the place is dirty. Look at the chairs, the fabric is filthy as are the windows. It use to be so good.
But wait there is an alternative. "Steak & Eggs" from Beijing has opened around the corner from Shanghai Centre and opposite Plaza 66. Good food, good service, decor a bit dark but it is clean and friendly and not too expensive.
Sadly, good bye to City Diner from me.
Moon River Diner for the win!