Classic cuisine

The cozy and secluded Japanese Kaiseki Ryori restaurant is tucked behind office buildings in Hongqiao, Changning district, and is perfect for a quiet celebration of a special occasion. The kaiseki set of 10 courses comes at 1,080 yuan ($174) per person, or 1,280 yuan if you opt for lobster, for which you need to call in reservations a day in advance. All ingredients are specially selected by a Japanese master chef, trained in traditional Japanese cuisine. The signature sesame tofu is available as a starter if you phone ahead.

Kaiseki Ryori, G/F, Building No 1 Longbow Business Center, 335 Xinxiang Road, Changning district, Shanghai.

021-5204-7270.

- Li Xinzhu

Succulent sukiyaki

Winter is the perfect season for hotpot, but if you are tired of Chinese hotpots, then try something different - the Japanese cauldron or sukiyaki. At Hiyori, you can have the best Wagyu beef of different grades. Try the Wagyu beef platter with four different cuts ranging from A2 to A5 grades for a sampler that lets you taste the difference. It comes with a dip of sweet soy sauce with raw egg.

Hiyori, 555, Gubei Road, Changning district, Shanghai. 021-6228-3576.

- Li Xinzhu

Naam Thai is an intimate little restaurant in Xuhui district that offers great Thai food. The decor is modern and compact, and it can only take 30 people at a time. The curry dishes are all good, whether you choose seafood, pork or chicken. The pomelo shrimp salad is a refreshing starter and the classic hot and sour seafood Tom Yum soup is a must-try. The venue is good for high tea, as the portions are rather small.

Naam Thai, Room 1107-1108, Loft, 508 Jiashan Road,

Xuhui district, Shanghai.

021-5465-6005.

- Li Xinzhu

Second bite

CCTV's food documentary A Bite of China was a major event in 2012, and the station is now ready to launch part two. On Jan 10, CCTV 9, China Central TV's documentary channel, held a ceremony in Beijing to announce the start of shooting of A Bite of China 2. Director Liu Wen says the success of the first installment owes to quality and marketing. A Bite of China has been translated into nine languages, and distributed to 27 countries, reaping $350,000 in the first round of sales alone. Chen Xiaoqing, general director of A Bite of China, says it would be difficult for the second phase to parallel the first. "We will continue to pay attention to organic and green Chinese foods, Chinese values, traditions and social development," he says. A Bite of China 2 will cover more regional foods like those from Shandong, Henan and Ningxia. Shooting finishes end of this year, and the series airs on CCTV 9 around Spring Festival in 2014.

- Ye Jun