Bistro Burger: Small place, big taste

We've told you about chef cum entrepreneur extraordinaire Eduardo Vargas and the many, many pots he has his hands in around Shanghai's culinary scene. The latest, and potentially greatest, is the unassumingly chic Bistro Burger, down on the Fumin-Donghu expat strip. Trust us, it's worth it.

Before we talk about the food, we have one preliminary demand: go get their chili cheese fries. Don't question it, just do it- we're not big fans of chili cheese fries, but we'd wager that Bistro Burger's are the best we've had in Shanghai. And while you're at it, try the apple pie. It's legitimately scrumptious: the crust is baked at Vargas' private bakery, and the apples are imported from America, making it one of the most authentic apple pies in the city.

Now that we've helped you bookend your meal, let's get to the meat of Bistro Burger. The 100% Angus beef, 100% imported from America and 100% ground on the premises-it makes for a noticeably better burger than your run-of-the-mill, ground-at-the-mill fare in China. Ranging from 45 - 65RMB, the burgers come in all shades of ethnically inspired tastes, ranging from the classically American Bistro Burger to the Pressed Cuban Style Burger.

If none of the set options are appealing, you can add your own selection of toppings for 8RMB a piece. We tried the aforementioned Cuban style burger, as well as a chicken sandwich that ranked right up there with our grandmother's cooking in terms of enjoyment. Plus, Bistro boasts burger combos any time of the day, ranging from 60 - 75RMB depending on whether you opt for a soda, milkshake, or an alcoholic refreshment (they have Brooklyn Beer, which makes us pretty much love them).

Best of all, Vargas plans to keep Bistro open until 4AM for those craving a late night burger that isn't a Big Mac. Plus, you can get a free milkshake with any burger until the end of October, so hurry in- they're made with real milk, you know, the kind that actually needs to be refrigerated. All in all, Bistro Burger offers a classier, better quality version of the most quintessential American meal you can imagine.

Bistro Burger is located at 291 Fumin Lu near Changle Lu， 富民路291号