The Daily Diary of a Wandering Restaurateur
May 3 - Shanghai
In Bar 505 at the Sofitel we noticed the clever use of beadwork to divide the room and create privacy without breaking up the sense of space. The strings of beads are on tracks so they can be easily opened, closed or adjusted as necessary. I also liked the way they used flowers on each table.
Although the Chinese food we have had on this trip has been great, the breadth of the restaurant possibilities in Shanghai had me craving something different. When I mentioned in my weekly e-letter that I would be in China, I got an email from a subscriber in Shanghai offering suggestions on what to see and where to go. So when we got here, I contacted Bill Hutchinson for a restaurant recommendation.
I was thinking Italian so he suggested The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo on the Pudong riverside ... and we talked him into joining us for what proved to be a delightfully authentic meal. Bill currentlys work for a private equity company, specializing in the lifestyle sector, specifically, F&B, Hospitality, Wine production, and furnishings. The company has one small investment so far in a cafe’. He first came to study in China in 1989, lived in Hong Kong for eight years, and now in Shanghai for the last two. He is an American by birth but his mother is Italian, so he is fluent in English, Italian and Chinese -- and was great company besides! My guess is that we couldn't have found a better person to ask about Italian restaurants in Shanghai!
© 2008 Restaurant Doctor
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