Old style charm with modern sophistication
Since the days at Taiyuan Villa when the Roosevelt Prime Steakhouse opened its doors in 2007, the restaurant has been synonymous with the city’s top steakhouses and gained its loyal diners with its prime firstgrade quality steaks, rare in China.
It’s recently relocated from its original premises to a new venue housed inside the InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin, with its main door facing the leafy street of Fuxing Road M.
The new home shares a somewhat similar latter-day charm. Roosevelt’s new address simply complements the understated, noble DNA of the steakhouse, as the InterContinental Shanghai Ruijin was formerly the State Guest House of Shanghai and a landmark in China’s modern history. The secluded space within its soaring walls has welcomed several important figures and dignitaries through the years.
The large 200-seat dining space serves as the hotel’s day-time restaurant and transform to the Roosevelt in the late afternoons, with the space divided into public dining area, private rooms and street-front terrace, giving a timeless feel.
Born out of an enduring friendship between two families that has transcended three generations, Chen Jikun partnered Franklin D. Roosevelt III, grandson of the late president of the United States, to establish this steakhouse in 2007 and share their passion for gourmet food.
Shanghai is never short of new wave culinary reinventions but one might feel like a classic, comfortable steak dinner every so often, and that’s what Roosevelt is all about.
The new menu is straight-forward, with its prime focus combined with top ingredients, and continues to offer alltime favorites, complemented by newly created dishes. Surely the finest cuts of beef are the stars here yet before tasting some of the best prime steaks in town, one should try its signature French onion soup or lobster bisque with black truffle foam. Nothing pretentious, the tastes of both soups were simply authentic and hit the right notes. Traditional Caesar salad and tuna tartar were prepared tableside so one can clearly understand all the ingredients mixed on the plate.
The iconic steaks are certified Black Angus — natural and top prime grade. All the USDA Prime Steaks are wet-aged 21 to 28 days from their Midwest cutting houses. All of them are roasted in the 800-degree Celsius custom stone oven. Ribeye Black Angus cab (460 gram), as the chef recommended, was a great choice for two to share.