Xin Rong Ji (West Nanjing Road) Shanghai

Xin Rong Ji sits within 688 Plaza on West Nanjing Road. It is a ten-minute walk from Nanjing Road Pedestrian Street, placing it far enough from the primary tourist thoroughfares to escape the heaviest of the local foot traffic.

The restaurant holds a Michelin star and ranks at no. 50 on La Liste, but the primary reason to choose this address over the city's other prominent seafood houses is its restraint. While its neighbours lean into the ornate, heavy decor typical of Shanghai’s contemporary fine dining, the room runs smart and elegant without the excessive flourish that distracts from the plate. You are here for the precision of the kitchen’s Chinese seafood menu rather than the spectacle, and the location serves those who prefer the quiet, modern efficiency of the Jing’An district to the chaotic buzz of the more central sights.