Taste of Shanghai set for makeover and expansion

 SHANGHAINESE is proving to be one of Sydney’s boom cuisines, with Taste of Shanghai set to open at Westfield Hurstville.The opening, slated for early in 2016, follows a major renovation of the Taste of Shanghai outlet in Sydney’s World Square.To get more news about China cuisine, you can visit shine news official website.

Owner Aaron Mi, who arrived in Australia from China 27 years ago, says his aim is to attract a more western audience to his regional cuisine. He says the Giant Designs refit of the World Square property has taken it from daggy to hip.

“It was ordinary like any other Chinese restaurant (before),” he says. “But we now want to tell people that it’s more than a Chinese restaurant even though it has the traditional looking elements inside.”

Taste of Shanghai’s expansion follows the rapid growth of competitor, New Shanghai, which opened recently at Westfield Sydney.The launch of the third in a trio of restaurants at Chippendale’s Old Clare Hotel has been delayed until next year. Celebrity British chef Jason Atherton was due to open Kensington Street Social at the Broadway property last month, but construction delays have resulted in the opening being pushed back until January at the earliest.

A spokesman for the project confirmed recently that the scheduled 2015 opening would not happen.Jason Atherton will be in Sydney for the opening. He’s working closely with executive chef Robert Daniels on a menu that is focused around Australian produce.”

The opening will follow the successful launch in recent months to two other high-profile restaurants in the venue — Clayton Wells’s Automata and Sam Miller’s Silvereye. Atherton worked with Daniels at Gordon Ramsay’s Maze in the UK.WHILE Merivale has spent the past few years shrugging off the pub and bar behemoth tag, J&M, an intimate whisky bar on level two of the CBD’s historic Angel Hotel, is a return to its roots — with a little class.

J&M, which opens tomorrow, will first launch as a Chivas Regal showcase, particularly Chivas 18, with the bar a tribute to Justin Hemmes’ late father John and mother Merivale.

The site is the original House of Merivale fashion hot spot, which was also one of the couple’s first forays into hospitality, a restaurant and espresso bar on level two.

The bar is all rich interiors, including green velvets, luxurious chesterfield sofas and copper accents, plus a drinks trolley named The Sidecar. One cocktail is described as “Buttered Popcorn washed Chivas Regal 18yo, salted caramel syrup, bitters, Himalayan salt”.LOOK out for our special edition of Sydney Taste next week, when we name Sydney’s 50 Best Cafes. From the city to the far West and everywhere in between, you’ll find out where to get the best coffee, brunches and lunches in Sydney. Local winners and an overall winner will also be named. If you love coffee and your local cafe, don’t miss your chance to nominate it for our People’s Choice awards. Stay tuned to our homepage later in the week for more details.

Featuring a raft of restaurant reviews from around Australia, recipes from the nation’s best-loved chefs, and tips on styling, food trends and where’s hot in travel. Delicious editor-in-chief Kerrie McCallum says the website will be dynamic and progressive.