As a huge foodie, I’ve always loved the notion of being able to sample both Asian and Western delicacies together, in a fancy restaurant environment, faced with as many choices as I can easily imagine. Still better if the restaurant were located in one of the city’s shikumen areas, with lots of interesting boutique stores nearby, so that after a satisfying meal it’s possible to take a walk down the street, taking pictures of the old stone walls, and checking out the teapots and coffee sets sold in the neighborhood shops.

Anybody who shares similar fantasies should head straight to the Pavilion ‘By Costes Paris’ in Xintiandi.

Fashion and food. Take a look at Kate Moss floating across a runway and it’s hard to see what these two words have to do with each other. But more and more clothing labels are expanding their brands into restaurant concepts – DKNY and Dolce & Gabbana come to mind, for instance. So it was only a matter of time before the Hong Kong-based label Shanghai Tang followed suit.

As expected, the decor takes design cues from the clothing line. Shades of orange, pink, blue and green peep out behind lacquered art deco panels on the walls. The color scheme runs into the table settings, too, with delicately embroidered place mats and enameled chopstick holders shaped like classic Tang handbags.