Japanese restaurants in Shanghai tend to fall into three categories: cheap ramen noodle chain, all-you-can-eat sushi/teppanyaki gorge fest, or intimidating nook hidden behind mysterious curtained doors. Are you tired of or not interested in all of the above?

We thought so. That's why we recommend a bite at Mix, a new lounge-style Japanese eatery that manages to be both sleek¨Cthey've got globular chandeliers that accentuate a stylish red and black decor-and affordable. Our lunch set cost a mere ?48 for a lettuce, strawberry and pineapple salad, a light (though bordering on bland) chicken and taro soup, a gorgeous soft shell crab roll stuffed with avocado and long legs of crab that stick up like a piece of modern art, a salted fried rice cake, creamy blueberry mousse, and a cup of coffee. It was only lunch, and we were stuffed. On our second trip we had a tempura shrimp roll and a salmon mango roll.

Next time¨Cand there will be one- we plan to grab a seat at the wooden sake bar piled six shelves high with imported sake. Perfect for an upscale business lunch.

Mix
Location: 221 Shimen Er Lu
Tel: 021-62719881