Food for sharing and pairing with wine or cocktail
In the minimal, modern interiors of Head in the Clouds you will be treated to hearty all-day brunch items, with more refined plates in the evenings.
The location at the crossroads of Zhu’anbang Rd E. and Zhenning Road used to a Southeast Asian restaurant but owner Stella Huang decided to close it last year.
She travelled extensively around the world with her musician husband and experienced many culinary delights from Australia to Europe. After careful planning, a new space was created and a new concept formed.
She opted for a smart design giving off a refreshing vibe with lofty elements such as exposed walls and high ceilings as well as sleek, trendy furniture.
A long table is used for social gatherings while smaller group seatings are arranged smartly in front of the open kitchen. The background music is a plus thanks to the professional sound system that fits with the vibe.
Prime beef tartar has unexpected ingredients such as kimchi.
Despite its popularity as a daytime cafe, the Huang wanted Head in the Clouds to become a preferred dining destination in the neighborhood.
I visited the eatery on a Monday evening where the tables were occupied by young women sharing plates and laughter. The open kitchen was busy preparing and plating.
The menu offers quite a few options for both appetizers and mains, as well as a selection of house signatures from its brunch menu. The wine menu only has Italian wines with a very decent house red from the Veneto region. According to Huang, they will soon provide New World wines to complete the wine list.
The food items are created for sharing and pairing with wine or cocktails. I ordered several cold and hot appetizers to start. Prime beef tartar was made not in the traditional way but revealed a minor touch of unexpected ingredients, such as kimchi, showcasing the bistro’s fusion style.
Head in the Clouds gives off a refreshing vibe with lofty elements.
Other plates also showed a mix of Oriental touches based on European techniques, including the Hamachi, green apple, yuzu soya. The taste of green apple is refreshing but the marinated pacific yellowtail tasted a bit fishy when paired with a glass of prosecco.
Sea urchin, bell pepper, bread turned out to be a flavorsome bite, and surely everyone loves the Burrata cheese mixed with tomato, bergamot and shiso.
I picked Wagyu M7 for the main and it was well executed and good value at 198 yuan.
Info
Opening hours: 10am-10pm
Tel: 3353-1773
Address: 217 Zhenning Rd
Average price: 250 yuan
