Just Grapes, Shanghai
Just Grapes is a wine bar that features tapas-like food selections. Not necessarily full entrees, Just Grapes offers pasta, pizza and snacks to go along with their extensive wine list. Like the American trend of grastropubs, wine bars, and tapas restaurants, Shanghai is embracing restaurants like Just Grapes.
Just Grapes has a few tables outside on their wood deck to enjoy the Shanghai nights. With a retail shop on the 1st floor, there’s a varying wine selections from Italy, Chile, and Africa, as well. Once you saunter up stairway, you’ll find the open kitchen greeting you with smells of baking pizzas. The airy dining room invites you into a relaxed scene.
Even with a multi language menu, you’d think were in LA, just of Robertson Blvd., having wine after a weekend afternoon of shopping. The subtle dark hues could mimic Gjelina, one of LA’s more famous wine bars.
Our pizza’s and pasta’s arrived. I was pleasantly surprised with the light crust of the pizza with the gooey cheese. The pasta’s thick white sauce went well with the noodles. I enjoyed the mushroom bacon appetizers the most.
One thing that troubled me was the strange selection of toppings for the pizzas. They had strange combinations which didn’t sit well. I had to resort in asking what the waitress enjoys the most. But once I tried some of the other appetizers – the chips and salsa, I realized I was in China. We were served with Doritos chips and warm tomato sauce. Though the chips were fine, it didn’t feel right to have them in this cool space. In addition, I wasn’t happy with the weak ventilation system – we were practically sweating while we were eating. Other than that, Just Grapes is a nice place for wines and pizzas.
What to Order: Any of the pizzas What not to Order: The doritos and warm salsa
Rating 2 Pigs Price Range 2 $/¥/NT