(shanghai.urbanatomy.com)
Updated: 2008-04-22 16:13

As a cutthroat Shanghai dining establishment, El Willy wisely sticks to modern Spanish cuisine over El Bulli's headline-grabbing molecular gastronomy.

Also a native of Barcelona, chef Guillermo Trullas has taken over the reins of the former Diage kitchen and installed a bright mix of abstract art, velvet red-orange chairs and billowing silk curtains. An innovative menu includes creations such as egg with potato yeast emulsion, watercress and sea urchin (RMB 35) and beef cheek with banana and passion fruit (RMB 45), both feasts to the senses.

Add to that a perfectly textured duck paella (RMB 130, serves two) and you have three good reasons why El Willy already ranks among Shanghai's finest Spanish imports.

El willy
Cost for two (excluding drinks): RMB 310
Daily 11am-1am.
20 Donghu Lu, by Huaihai Zhong Lu.
54045757