The Snapshot

This month the Bottega team is at it again with not one, but two new concepts, swinging open their doors to the Shanghai masses in the Mansion Hotel on Xinle Lu. 

First up, there’s Atica, a Spanish eatery on the top floor with a sprawling double-sided terrace overlooking the Former French Concession. The debut menu offers all things Spanish comfort fare – pintxos, paellas, tapas and more, by Spanish chef Ferran Edo Andreu (previously of ABAC, Elefante, Mercado505, and El Willy).

The Food

Imported products are the hero of this sultry Spanish hot spot that pays homage to gastronomic market concepts like Mercado San Miguel in Madrid and Mercado La Boqueria in Barcelona. There’s a spread worth of tapas ranging from the Basque country to the chef’s own home region of Catalunya, from Galicia to the Canary Islands, and everything in between.

It is highly advised to start with the Gildas (RMB58), a textbook example of the original pintxo from San Sebastián that helped put this culinary Basque powerhouse on the map. Gordal aka “the fat one” olives are threaded with Agostino Recca anchovies and tart pickled Navarra piparra peppers for an authentic rendition of this beloved briny combo – exactly what we want to pair a frosty tumbler of bittersweet vermouth with. 

The refreshingly light Salmorejo (RMB38), features the chef’s secret recipe from Córdoba, thickened with toasted bread and finished with a sprinkling of jámon ibérico, chopped hard-boiled egg, croutons, and scallion – the ideal palate cleanser for the richer food to come.

Other tapas favorites, like Patatas Bravas (RMB45) – chunks of fried potato with alternating dollops smoky brava sauce and garlic aioli; blistered Pimientos del Padrón (RMB48); and crispy Croquetas (RMB45 for Catalan chicken stew, RMB48 for of jámon ibérico) also make a showing.

The Bomba la Barceloneta (RMB52) lives up to its flavor bomb name in both appearance and taste. There’s nothing to dislike about crispy globes of velvety potato cream stuffed with stewed pork and beef. Zippy tomato brava sauce and more of that addictive garlic mayo make this next-level smashable.

Tortilla de Chorizo y Patata (RMB58) – Spanish omelette with spicy chorizo and potatoes, laced with smoky paprika and roasted garlic and studded with dots of aioli.

A must-order regardless of the time of day, the Huevos Rotos con Jámon Ibérico (RMB88) is a plate of glorious gluttony starting with fat-striped Blazquez Jámon Ibérico sheathing French fries and an expertly fried egg, crisp edges and runny yolk guaranteed. A lashing of parsley and garlic infused olive oil brings together each meaty morsel.

It would be remiss to miss the single-serve portions of charcoal-grilled paella, ideal for sharing and sampling multiple varieties, available in flavor combos like Paella Valencia (RMB138) – succulent chicken thigh, green beans, and charred rosemary; Paella de Mariscos (RMB168) – (pictured above) Argentinian prawns and clams; Paella de Carrillera (RMB188) – tender chunks of slow-braised beef cheek with piquillo peppers and salicornia; and Arroz Negro con Calamar al Ajillo (RMB148) –  squid-ink-lacquered rice adorned with pan-fried baby squid and garlic aioli.

Another benefit of the smaller skillets is more surface area, resulting in even more socarrat rice crust – similar to guoba 锅巴 in Chinese – a well-done layer of scorched rice kernels that clings to the pan, resulting in that requisite crunch.

As for mains, opt for the Filete de Lubina con Mojo Verde (RMB158), a pan-seared seabass filet served astride pan-fried potatoes and swaddled in a tangy Canary Island mojo verde sauce – an homage to co-owner Chugani “Chugs’” hometown – or a heaving plate of Entrecot a la Brasa (RMB348), charcoal-grilled flank steak with Canary Island red mojo sauce.

Dessert’s main draw is the classic Basque Cheesecake (RMB78), the buttery Manchego cheese lending a predominantly savory bite tempered by the sweetness of Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream. Other equally viable sweet finish contenders span Crema Catalana (RMB48), Flan (RMB48), and Fresas con Nata (RMB68) – balsamic-soaked strawberries swaddled in mascarpone cream with raspberry ice cream.

On the drinks front, look forward to Sangria (RMB69-80) of which there are eight varieties covering citrusy to floral, bold to fruity, G&Ts (RMB70-90) with a whopping 16 to choose from, plus a list of over 50 gins from around the world!), and a wide selection of European wines, especially Spanish vinos, ideal for al fresco dining on the rooftop terrace.

The Space

Another gorgeous interior design is what we expected from the Bottega Group, but Atica’s décor is what content creators dream of. The sun-soaked dining room is inviting to say the least, beckoning to say the most, with light streaming in from all sides, bathing the Spanish tiled back-bar and wooden striped tables in a warm glow at all hours.

The bar and dual patio are already often busy in the evenings, as exploding laughter alternates with rapid-fire Spanish chitchat, rivaling the volume of the music. If Spanish had a similar word for renao, it would perfectly describe the buzzing atmosphere of Atica.

To read more about the Bottega group's other new venue, La Diosa, on the first floor of the same heritage mansion, click here. 

Atica, 5/F, 82 Xinle Lu, by Xiangyang Lu, 新乐路82号5楼 近襄阳路.