Babar is the cool new kid on the block to join Shanghai's social restaurant scene, brought to you by Simon Bries (of Blaz and RAC) and Guillaume Tu (of Spread). Unlike its sister ventures, Babar is allllll about the wine. On weekends from 6-8pm, diners are free to open any bottle in the wine cellar and make it available by glass to all tables.

By the time we arrived at 6:15pm, there were already at least 10 different bottles open... to which I happily drank from. Though prices were quite steep (100-150 RMB a glass), it was a generous pour, and the quality of wine was consistently excellent. It's definitely a step up from your usual house wine, and also quite fun to sample different kinds of "fancy" wines without breaking the bank. Their food menu also offers a curated selection of warm dishes, mostly European with some Asian influences. It felt a bit like tapas, but lighter in flavor, so you get to really focus on the wine. My favorites that night were the Razor Clams, Herring & Potato, and Baby Squid.

I’d definitely recommend Babar for wine enthusiasts, couples, and small groups on a night out. PSA for the gents: come thirsty and not too hungry because the portions are on the smaller side.

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