Shanghai Me: 1930s Shanghai Glamour in DIFC

Shanghai Me looks back to 1930s Shanghai, a city of jazz, velvet and late nights, and translates it for the financial district. Part of Fundamental Hospitality, it has been recognised by The World’s 50 Best Discovery and Gault&Millau UAE.

The kitchen pairs centuries-old Chinese traditions with Japanese technique, using ingredients sourced across Asia. The restaurant runs from noon to midnight, and a weekday business lunch until 6pm makes it as much a DIFC lunch address as a dinner one.

The interiors balance old-world glamour with something more contemporary. Warm velvet, hand-painted wallpaper and glossy wood finishes set the tone. Modern art and jungle-inspired flora and fauna keep it from tipping into period piece. Beyond the main dining room are a private dining room and BUND, an exclusive room that turns into a club at weekends.

The terrace is enclosed, so it stays usable all year. Bamboo, banana trees, palms and hanging greenery fill the space, a green pocket in a district of glass and concrete. At weekends a DJ takes over, and the terrace becomes the liveliest corner of the restaurant.

The menu is wide-ranging and built for sharing. It runs from dim sum and sushi through to wok dishes, roasted duck and wagyu, and dim sum is the house bestseller. Signatures such as the crispy duck salad and the braised short rib sit alongside maki and sashimi cut with Japanese precision.

The cocktail list, Lunar Antipodes, is built on Chinese astrology. Each of the twelve zodiac signs is paired with its opposite, and each pair shares a base spirit but splits in style. Spheres, foams and jellies run through the collection, from the Warrior’s passion fruit caviar to the Mystic’s reptile jelly. An Asian classics list adds a Shanghai Negroni and a wasabi-vodka Tokyo Mule. On weekdays from 4pm to 7pm, Golden Hour pairs two cocktails with a bite to share.