As our group waltzed in we were immediately impressed by its sleek but welcoming layout. Some friends were already waiting for us in the lounge, a tiny but important detail that many restaurants overlook -- a welcome addition at roomtwentyeight. The restaurant's simple design managed to impress. It's both minimal and warm, a rarity among the contemporary Loft-style venues, which all too often seem to forget that a customer will actually be spending time there.

After taking our time catching up on cocktails, we were brought to our table by the laid-back service -- another rarity in Shanghai, a city filled with either the most stressed out or bored service in the world. It's rare you get wait staff that seem comfortable with what they are doing and actually seem like they want to be there.

Whilst waiting for our friends who'd ventured outside for a ciggy (no smoking inside) we were handed the oversized menu. Simple yet innovative dishes were a welcoming sign. For a medium size venue, the menu was extensive enough to cover everyone’s taste. This aspect is always great, and with etiquette aside, I was already greedily checking out what others had ordered in the hopes of getting a sample taste.