life - Eating in Shanghai

A friend of me is on her way to Shanghai and I promised a list of four decent restaurants in the city, since she and her colleagues have to kill four evenings. A list of one hundred would have been easier. They like Chinese, but do not want it every night. Since it is for business, pricing is no issue.
First, for the better local food, I would still go to 1221 at Yanan Road 1221, indeed. (phone: 6213 6585) I have not been there for a year or so, but should be still alright. Meilongzhen is out, do not go there, too much middle-of-the road food you can get cheaper at the street.
Excellent is of course also Casanova at Julu Road 889, building 3-4 (phone 5403 4528), very stylish, so you might sometimes even forget about the very nice Italian food.
For one reason or the other she started to murmel herself about M-at-the-Bund, but I always thought their PR was much better than the food. The sight on the Bund is hard to beat, although more classy restaurants have popped up at the Bund. I would rather go for their neighbors Jean George at Three at the Bund, with a fine French cuisine, 3 Zhongshan Yilu, 4th Floor (phone: 6321 7733)
One evening of course has to be at Xintiandi, and on there so much is to pick from. Perhaps for foreign business people T8 would be a nice pick. They could mix it up with New York, says this review. House 8 at the North Block of Xintiandi, Taicang Road (phone: 6355 8999).

Of course: reservations in advance are advised.

Update: They did not take my advice serious and only called the restaurants the moment they were already sitting in a taxi. Yesterday, on their way to Three on the Bund they discovered Jean George was fully booked. They changed the plan and I directed them to the Indonesian restaurant Bali Lagune in the Jing'an Park. Now they tried to book T8, were too late again and will now try Va Bene at Xintiandi, since they were already there. 1221 has been stricken from the list as being to shabby. Also, they are not really sure they want to try local food. The stupids!

Books on China and food