Articles - Food and Drink

Barbie Shanghai – a world-first ‘unapologetically all girl’ total Barbie brand experience – has consulted with Shanghai-based celebrity chef-restaurateur David Laris to create several fun and sophisticated dining destinations within its six-level flagship store.

David Laris is part of a high-level international team – including New York-based Slade Architectxcure and fashion designer Vera Wang – involved in the creation of the Barbie Shanghai flagship, which opened on Huaihai Road in March 2009

The three gourmet outlets at Barbie Shanghai include: chic all-day diner Barbie Café, ladylike tearoom Pink Room, and late-night hotspot B Bar. Laris also developed a premium chocolate line under the brand ‘Barbie Loves Chocolate’. These delightful F&B concepts complement the Barbie retail experience, Spa, Design Centre and Fashion Runway, forming a fantasy-like Barbie-themed destination for girls of all ages.

“As a brand, I am inspired by Barbie to constantly stay relevant, fashionable and hip,” says David Laris. “Because of Barbie, we have continued to expand the product range with contemporary, cutting-edge results that we believe truly represents today’s Barbie brand.”

The Barbie Café is an all-day restaurant where European glamour meets classic American diner – with an added feminine touch. It occupies the entire top floor of Barbie Shanghai, with direct access from the street level via the elevators, or through the store below. Designed by cutting-edge New York firm Slade Architecture, its sparkling black and white color palette features flashes of hot pink in the circular vinyl banquettes. A monochromatic mosaic floor references the herringbone swimsuit that Barbie first wore when she debuted at the New York Toy Fair in 1959.

Snaking along one wall, a gelato counter showcases fine ice creams, including a special ‘Shanghai Lynn’ flavor inspired by popular local ingredient, taro. Meanwhile, the circular B Bar anchors the other end of the long space with bubble-wrapped windows overlooking Shanghai’s swankiest shopping street, Huaihai Road.

Heading up the Barbie Café kitchen is talented young New York chef, Tessa Thompson. Trained in Paris at Le Cordon Bleu, Tessa formerly worked at the famed Pearl Oyster Bar in New York City and also brings diverse experience with children’s culinary education program in the United States. “Barbie is contemporary, worldly, trendsetting and fun – and the same goes with the food,” says Tessa.

The extensive all-day menu of classic and contemporary western fare is designed with added femininity and fun, but champions the serious food you’d expect from David Laris. The accent is on healthy, natural ingredients with house-made sauces and seasonings.

Signature dishes include a Fashionista Salad, of shrimp, fennel, mandarin, walnuts and mixed greens; Seared Tuna on Crispy Wontons served with red cabbage slaw; Mediterranean Lamb with Ratatouille; and Barbie, Ken and Kelly Burgers. Delightful desserts include Butterscotch Praline Blondie and The Dream House, an old-school sundae with generous scoops of ice cream topped with whipped cream.

Drinks include a fanciful range of shakes, smoothies, floats and mocktails, such as the Classic 1959 Milkshake and Virgin Fruit Daiquiris in mango, raspberry, mint and lemon.

After dinner, the crowd gravitates to the sexy B Bar, a sculptural black bar at one end of the Barbie Café under a hanging mobile of Barbie icon cut-outs. The B Bar rocks until 2am at weekends, serving an alluring menu of creative cocktails – think: Barbie Tinis and Malibu Barbies – to real-life glamour girls and their attendant Kens.

Both the Barbie Café space and menu are highly functional, catering to families at weekends, businesspeople seeking a quick, healthy lunch, or leisurely groups throughout the day. The space also caters birthday parties, which are a popular element at Barbie Shanghai, children’s cooking and food art classes, private functions and unique corporate events.

On the fifth floor, Pink Room is a ladylike tearoom for enjoying classic high teas featuring contemporary sweets and handmade chocolates. Pink Room also hosts the Fashion Runway, where little girls can get dressed up in a Barbie wardrobe and realize their fashion fantasies while proud parents enjoy dreamy delicacies like New York Cheesecake, Strawberry Éclairs and High Tea Finger Sandwiches served on three-tiered silver stands, along with fine teas and coffees.

David Laris also developed a quality chocolate line for Barbie under the brand ‘Barbie Loves Chocolate by David Laris’. The range includes chocolate bars, chocolate gift boxes and 24 varieties of deluxe gourmet truffles, all reflecting Barbie’s signature style and iconographic packaging in hot pink or seductive black. Bright, fun and beautifully presented, the hand-made chocolates will be released in seasonal collections.

Barbie Shanghai is located at 550 Huaihai Middle Road. Barbie Café Reservation Hotline: +86 21 6171 6036.

For more information see: www.barbieshanghai.com

(information provided by the pr company)