When you order the bone-in ribeye steak at Roof 325, it’s wheeled out on a cart by the chef, who then slices it in front of you. But you won’t be paying attention if you’re sitting outside because you’ll be staring at the view. Located on the top floor of the renovated Shanghai History Museum where Kathleen’s 5 used to be, the new restaurant enthralls with the green sprawl of People’s Park and the shiny panorama of office buildings, impressive during the day, utterly captivating at night.
If you manage to tear your focus away, you’ll find the food is pretty decent too. In the kitchen is Matthew Ona, responsible for other places such as Truck Stop Grill and Deli Boys, who’s put a more worldly spin on his typical American dishes. There’s the carpaccio style sliced beef tenderloin with a sweet char siu sauce, and a black cod poached in savory homemade XO sauce. A creamy sweet corn puree balances snappy pan-seared scallops, while the Pacific salmon tartar with ginger miso sauce is velvety, tangy, and crunchy. The same ribeye makes you wonder why most restaurants don’t serve bone-in steaks: while the meat is juicy, the most satisfying part is tearing charred fatty bits off the bone.
All these delights come with a price, and it’s a decidedly high one – most of the appetizers hover around ¥100 and above, the cod is ¥328, and the three-person ribeye is ¥1,188. But portions are generous, the flavors are refined, and the service is warm. And then there’s that view.
Roof 325
5/F, Shanghai History Museum, 325 Nanjing Xi Road / 南京西路325号历史博物馆5楼
