When it comes to raw beef dishes, nothing but the best quality will do. While dishes such as steak tartare have been popular in the West for some time, raw beef is a relatively new fad in China. But in a city that has everything, it's not too difficult to find. If you are a fan of raw beef, the following restaurants are sure to tickle your fancy.
Scarpetta
Address: 33 Mengzi Lu, near Xujiahui Lu, Xujiahui District
Tel: 021 33768223
Scarpetta is a small, low-key Italian restaurant brimming with the warmth of the European countryside. Every dish is meticulously created and prepared with all different sorts of Italian flavours and seasoning.
Slices of raw beef are the restaurant's signature dish, at RMB 168 per serving. They use handpicked Australian beef, but it's Italian in flavour and appearance. The beef is cut into very thin slices and covered with truffle mayonnaise. Scattered on top are crab flavoured mushrooms, Parmesan cheese, sesame seeds, and fresh basil.
Thought for Food
Address: 357 Jianguo Xi Lu, near Taiyuan Lu, Xuhui District
Tel: 021 33384666
Thought for Food mostly specialises in organic food. The head chef is a world renowned nutritionist, and along with two others he has developed a seasonal menu. There is a great selection of vegetable and meat dishes, and one of the highlights is the beef with sweet basil crisps at RMB 128.
Although the basil crisps might look like nothing more than a garnish, they are actually what make this dish so special. To make it, fresh basil is stir fried in hot water and then the juice is squeezed out. It's then stirred into a pulp, refrigerated for 30 minutes, and then baked for 4 hours. A meticulous process with awesome and very aromatic results.
Franck Bistrot
Address: 376 Wukang Lu, near Tai』an Lu, Xuhui District
Tel: 021 64376465
Franck Bistrot is definitely one not to miss. The menu is written in French on a blackboard, and the whole place is adorned with little French details. Apart from the classic dishes of assorted smoked meats, foie gras, raw beef, etc., the menu is constantly changing and the chef offers a different mystery dish every day.
This beef tartare is Franck Bistrot's speciality, at RMB 180 per serving. You do need to be in with a bit of luck if you want to eat it, as it sells out very quickly. If you are lucky, you won’t be disappointed. Every inch is perfectly seasoned with a tiny bit of spice. This one is perfect for sharing.
Glam
Address: 7/F, Five on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Huangpu District
Tel: 021 63293751
Glam is located on the Bund, and the aesthetics certainly do the location justice. Not only does the dimly lit restaurant contain acrystal waterfall, but also various precious gems and peacock tail feathers serve as interior decor. The menu combines flavours from all over Asia, from Indian spices to the refreshing taste of Thailand.
At RMB 68, Glam's beef tartare is in a Thai style. The chef hand picks the finest Australian beef and adds Thai sauce, pea shoots and various other spices. There's a hint of sweet and sour, and not a trace of oil. It's an especially great dish for summer.
Light & Salt
Address: 133 Yuanmingyuan Lu, near Beijing Dong Lu, Huangpu District
Tel: 021 63611086
Light & Salt is not just a restaurant, but also a bar, bookshop, and creativity space all in one. As soon as you step out of the elevator, you're immediately struck by the very retro vibes. The whole culinary team have exquisite skills, so whether you want a full dinner or just a snack, you can rest assured that the head chef Rafael will not disappoint.
Part of the latest 3 course set menu, the beef tartare is beautifully presented and tastes great too. There are simply no words to describe the quality of the fresh meat, which is accompanied by horseradish, salty veg and crispy seaweed. As if that's not enough, you'll also get an egg yolk mixed with mustard on the side for a truly mouth-watering experience.
The Nest
Address: 130 Beijing Dong Lu, near Huqiu Lu, Huangpu District
Tel: 021 63087669
Located on the Bund, The Nest opened only last year, but already it has customers flocking in. It's China's first gourmet bar, so regardless of whether you want drinks or good food, you'll definitely find what you're looking for here.
The Nest do something a bit different with their steak tartare – they add goat's cheese for an interesting new flavour combination. The beef is seasoned with a little bit of black pepper, and coriander and peashoots are also added to balance out the strong flavours of the meat and cheese.
East Eatery
Address: Build. 39, Lane 155, Jianguo Zhong Lu, near Ruijin Er Lu, Huangpu District
Tel: 021 64670100
This is a very interesting restaurant. By day you can order standard meals on the first floor, by night the whole floor transforms into a Japanese style bar. On the second floor, all the dishes are Chinese, Japanese, or Korean-inspired to create a distinctive North Asian flavour.
The Japanese-style raw beef with ginger, at RMB 105, is a feast for the eyes. It consists of top quality beef tenderloin, which is both tender and juicy. The combination of Japanese sauce and miniature vegetables make for a delicious culinary experience.
Tiki China
Address: Build. 22, 320 Tianping Lu, near Hengshan Lu, Xuhui District
Tel: 021 64150363
Tiki is just as cute as the name would suggest. The decor is all green adorned with flowers and wood carvings characteristic of Hawaii. Tiki is in fact the first Hawaiian-style restaurant and bar in China. All the meat and seafood is delivered fresh every day, and they have a huge range of unique cocktails.
Tiki's RMB 88 beef tartare is unique because it's half DIY. The beef is top quality Australian beef, to which you can add seasoning of your choice. You can pick from coriander, alcohol, chilli peppers, onions, or raw egg, to name just a few. You can also have a shot of rum to wash it all down, along with slices of toast to fill you up.
Epices & Foie Gras
Address: Build. A1-5, 309 Hankou Lu, near Shandong Lu, Huangpu District
Tel: 021 51690989
Epices & Foie Gras is a small and low-key restaurant, which doesn't advertise itself at all. But to walk by without entering would be a terrible mistake. The restaurant is elegantly designed in the style of The Loft in Paris, which opened in the early 20s. The French head chef used to work in a top-class Michelin restaurant, and was recommended by celebrity chef Joel Robuchon. You can expect nothing but the best from Epices & Foie Gras.
Apart from the foie gras trilogy, the most popular dish in this restaurant is their beef tartare (RMB 138). The top quality Australian raw beef is chopped up entirely by hand, before adding tiny pieces of mandarin oranges, a unique thick chilli sauce, small onions, mustard, black pepper, and more to create a distinctive spicy sauce.
Bistro 321 Le Bec
Address: 321 Xinhua Lu, near Dingxi Lu, Xuhui District
Tel: 021 62419100
Located on leafy and peaceful Xinhua Lu is Bistro 321 Le Bec, which has a garden perfect for relaxing with a good view. The menu consists mostly of classic French dishes and in terms of meat, there's mutton, pork tenderloin and every type of beef you can imagine.
The beef tartare (RMB 240) is very finely chopped with veg and comes with sweet and sour sauce on the side, plus lemon and lemongrass. The portion size is generous, and the French fries and salad are also worth a try.
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