This dining column has recently taken some flak for being orientated towards the higher-end establishments, but this reviewer remains unapologetic - food is a joie de vivre and suitable environments only add to this enjoyment. This is not to say the food is never good at less-refined places, but rather that the cacophony of throat-clearing and shouts of ganbei does not bode well for the appetite.

The most significant improvement locally is the introduction of a dedicated burger bar. Gourmet Cafe has shown that good burger joints do not necessarily have to start with an "M." The small diner on Shaanxi Road takes its moniker seriously, and consistently delivers top-notch meat, veg and cheese between two buns. Opened in October, the management has also taken its customers' views seriously and has made a marked improvement with its bread. Once dry and crumbly, the lightly-toasted buns now show a better tendency to hold the freshly-made patties together. A single complaint would be that the 60 yuan ($7.60) burgers do not come with fries, but then 25 yuan is not exactly a king's ransom for a side of chips. But then again, how much does a few chips cost?

Another restaurant to open with a (literal) bang was Hugo on Weihai Road. Revelers in attendance at the majestic former Spanish schoolhouse had to duck for cover when the opening-party fireworks went off a little too close to home.

The food at this old-fashioned and very European restaurant is pricey but superb - lunch at the ground floor bistro will set you back 180 yuan for two courses and 220 yuan for three. An esteemed local food critic renowned in his taste for hole-in-wall eateries questioned who the three-story restaurant and bar was aimed at; a cursory glance around the various dining rooms revealed that the target is the city's well-dressed champagne socialists. The dynamic Dutch duo of manager Rik Slatius and Niels van Halen have brought their Michelin-star experience to the table and are offering French fare with a Dutch twist.

While not exactly new, the recently reopened The Tandoor has undergone a massive transformation that took more than a year. The venue is much prettier but the food and service remains the Indian restaurant's selling point. Look no further than the Jinjiang Hotel for creamy curries and tender tandoori that won't have guests downing pint after pint of ice water. The average spend of about 250 yuan a person should be enough for a table of four to enjoy the authentic north India cuisine.

Options are aplenty on the Bund these day and Sun with Aqua Japanese Dining and Bar holds its own when compared with other swank eateries on the waterfront. A wide selection of trendy and traditional Japanese fare is on offer here, such as fresh sashimi and juicy, tender Wagyu beef.

The tempura is another a must-try as few places in Shanghai do it better. Have your wallet ready though; you will need to spend more than what the ubiquitous all-you-can-eat teppanyaki houses charge. If the sharks' enclosure that greets guests at the entrance fails to catch the eye, then serious drinkers are bound to love the 13 different kinds of sake. Steer clear of the cocktails though - such injustice to alcohol should not be encouraged.

Finally, by far the best restaurant to open this year is without a doubt the HFZ Gourmet and Lounge.

A phoenix rising from the ashes, the decor is eye-catching, chic and sleek. The 120-seater with its balcony overlooking Changle Road is reasonably priced, with a great lunch deal of 88 yuan for two courses and 108 yuan for three.

The modern-French fare is prepared by Bordeaux native Christophe Jean, and is pure joy on a plate. Simple, healthy and delightfully presented, his food has both substance and style. Proprietor Yann Madigou is an avid connoisseur of fine wine and is bound to have something in his cellar to match any meal.

In the coming year, local food lovers can look forward to a dining scene that is building on the success of 2006.

While restaurants are getting bigger and flashier, signs are also suggesting that more mid-range outlets will pop up around the city. At the moment, however, for most of the time in this city, good food is well worth the price.

HFZ Gourmet and Lounge

Address: 6/F, 35 Shaanxi Road S.
Tel: 6255-3338

Hugo

Address: No. 4, Lane 289 Weihai Road
Tel: 6327-8828

Gourmet Cafe

Address: 455 Shaanxi Road N.
Tel: 021-5213-6885

Sun with Aqua Japanese Dining and Bar

Address: 2/F, 6 Zhongshan Road S.
Tel: 021-6339-2779

The Tandoor

Address: 59 Maoming Road
Tel: 021-6472-5494