High Yaki Is Great If You Do It Right!
More than one person has expressed surprise at my praise for High Yaki. They seem to have managed to dine there and were underwhelmed by the whole experience. And my response to them is the same response I give to people who visit Shanghai and then say they didn't enjoy it - you must be doing it wrong!
High Yaki puts a lot of focus on its dry aged meats, some of which you can see in the display cabinet by the entrance. And these are great. There are many different cuts of meat at different price points. My 9 year old son insists on having the thinly sliced A5 Wagyu Ribeye that costs 158 RMB. What can I say, he has expensive taste. But the great thing about High Yaki is that it has so many different types of dishes available and the trick is to have a variety of dishes from different sections which also helps to keep the cost down.
So to start with, I always order the choice of 3 snacks for 78 RMB. I love the Clams with Sichuan Peppers and usually add some Kimchi Tofu and perhaps the Seaweed Salad.
Another must have is the Beef Tartar, Sea Urchin, Salmon Eggs, Seaweed Chips (45 RMB / piece). It's a wonderful combination of flavours and textures in one bite.
From the Hot Bites section, you could get the Grilled Half Pigeon or perhaps the Squid With Roe, Herb Sauce (both 75 RMB).
From the main course section, I usually go for the Tuna Sashimi Rice Bowl (120 RMB) which comes with a raw egg yolk that you need to mix into the bowl along with your desired amount of Wasabi.
Add to this a few Yakitori skewers (5 for 98 RMB or 8 for 148 RMB) and some of the aforementioned beef from the Yakiniku section and for 2-3 diners, you're pretty much there. Prices are for 100 grams and range from 98 RMB for the M5 Oyster Blade to the M8 Full Blood Wagyu Ribeye (275 RMB).
To accompany your food, you have a choice of wines starting from around 450 RMB, Sake, beers or Highballs.
Why do I like High Yaki so much? Well, the service is always impeccable and that can't be said for a lot of supposedly high end dining establishments in Shanghai. I enjoy meals where there are a large variety of small bites, rather than a massive plate of just one dish. The food comes at a relaxed pace and is never rushed. They're happy to accommodate special requests within reason (my son loves Udon noodles but prefers them in a broth rather than fried - no problem). And although it can be expensive if you dine like the high rollers on the table next to us the other night (white wine, Champagne etc), it can also be surprisingly affordable if you're smart with your ordering. Our meal ended up being around 1450 RMB for 3 of us and 450 of that was the bottle of Pinot Noir we had with the meal.
BONUS TIP - If you are alone or a couple, I highly recommend asking for a seat at the U-shaped counter where you can watch the food being prepared and chat with the staff.
If you follow all the above advice and still feel unimpressed, well, I don't know what to say.