Urban highpoint
(Shanghai Star)
Updated: 2004-10-19 11:11

The fish and chips are delectable, the cocktails strong and the crowd beautiful. But there's one thing above all that draws visitors to New Heights. "It's an amazing view," says Tomas Risberg, 36, of Sweden, staring out across the Huangpu River at Pudong as he enjoys a gin and tonic on the seventh-floor terrace.

New Heights, on the top floor of Three on the Bund, offers an amazing view of Shanghai.

"You see the best parts of Shanghai," seconds Min, a tall, pretty Londoner, between sips of a banana smoothie concoction. "You have the Bund, and then you look across and see the future of Shanghai. It's a mix of the past and the future, old and new."

Located on the top floor of Three on the Bund - a historic waterfront building containing restaurants, boutiques, a spa and an art gallery - New Heights revels in its versatility: it is part casual-dining spot, part late-night watering hole, part outdoor cafe and part touristy photo op.

"It's the type of place you can just drop in and have a drink," says general manager Richard Xavia, or come with friends to enjoy "beautiful comfort food" under the sun or stars.

"It's not fusion," Xavia insists of the cuisine, explaining that New Heights offers both Eastern and Western dishes, but doesn't try to force the two into tastebud-jangling co-existence. Top sellers include chef Brad Turley's ribeye steak, and fish and chips served with malt vinegar and homemade tartar sauce. Popular drinks include martinis, cosmos and Champagne. "We do simple things well," says Xavia.

New Heights has been gathering buzz since March, when it became the first of Three on the Bund's four restaurants to open its doors. Despite a large indoor seating area, it is the outdoor section - one part primarily faces the Bund, the other Pudong - that is packed on most nights. On a recent evening, the place is brimming with activity as people from all over the world sip cocktails and try to frame Pudong's Oriental Pearl Tower in their cameras' viewfinders. Never mind the autumn chill in the air; the crowd is toasty under strategically scattered heat lamps.

"It's classy, but not snobby," declares Karolina Isomaki, 26, who arrived in Shanghai from her native Sweden a few days earlier. "It has both international visitors and trendy Shanghainese." Her friend Marie Nordstrom, 24, agrees. "It's relaxing," she says. "You can just sit here all night and order cosmopolitans."

Around 10:00pm, the chameleon-like New Heights morphs yet again, as a rotating roster of DJs spin tunes ranging from Latin to mellow lounge music inside the restaurant. But New Heights is no pulsating dance club, says Xavia: "The music just enhances."

Despite the energy, there's no meat-market feel on the patio. "You don't really mingle, but you feel as though you're part of the scene," says Amy Wendholt, 29, an American economist living in Beijing. "It's perfect for groups of friends."

With mineral water costing 60 yuan (US$7.20), visitors should come with their wallets full. "It's a bit pricey," says Wendholt. "But it's worth it for the view. It's stunning."

New Heights

Three on the Bund, 7th Floor

17 Guangdong Road

Tel: (021) 6321-0909

Decor: Bustling yet comfortable, the dining room's glass walls offer views of the terrace. The terrace, in turn, offers spectacular views of Pudong and the Bund. Soft lighting provides "a nice break from the intrusive neons of Shanghai", opines one recent patron.

Top dishes: Fish and chips (120 yuan); ribeye steak (260 yuan); home fries with rosemary rock salt (45 yuan); bamboo and pork spicy noodle soup (45 yuan); serious chocolate cake with serious cream (55 yuan); coconut milk sticky rice pudding and fresh mango (55 yuan).

Bragging rights: The first and only bar in China to offer Heineken on tap (55 yuan for 300ml).

Helpful hint: Take your photos before 10:30pm; that's when the lights along the Bund and in Pudong start shutting off.

Forget Starbucks: Show up anytime for "coffee culture": For 55 yuan, get a caffeine jolt with a view. Lattes, capuccinos and espressos are served with a selection of little cakes and pastries. "We're trying to recreate the coffee culture of 1920s Shanghai in a contemporary environment," says general manager Richard Xavia.

Open: Seven days, 10:00am to 2:00am.

Reservations: Highly recommended for the restaurant. No reservations for the bar.