--- title: Shanghai's Goga Restaurant description: A few fortunate restaurants bask in the buzz of an admiring public. An even smaller number are regarded highly enough to attract the custom of... canonical: https://time.com/archive/6938658/shanghais-goga-restaurant/ author: Jennifer Chen article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2011-08-04T04:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-22T07:28:09.548Z og:title: Shanghai's Goga Restaurant og:description: A few fortunate restaurants bask in the buzz of an admiring public. An even smaller number are regarded highly enough to attract the custom of... og:url: https://time.com/archive/6938658/shanghais-goga-restaurant/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Shanghai's Goga Restaurant twitter:description: A few fortunate restaurants bask in the buzz of an admiring public. An even smaller number are regarded highly enough to attract the custom of... twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Shanghai's Goga Restaurant by [Jennifer Chen](https://time.com/author/jennifer-chen/) Aug 4, 2011 4:00 AM UTC by [Jennifer Chen](https://time.com/author/jennifer-chen/) Aug 4, 2011 4:00 AM UTC A few fortunate restaurants bask in the buzz of an admiring public. An even smaller number are regarded highly enough to attract the custom of off-duty chefs from other establishments. Goga, in Shanghai’s former French Concession, is the rare breed of venue that’s gained notice both ways. With only five tables, a counter and a tiny open kitchen, Goga — named after the Golden Gate Bridge — isn’t much to look at. No matter. “There are so many places in Shanghai that spend a ton of money on decor to get all the chichi people in there, but there’s no substance,” says chef-owner and native Californian Brad Turley, 41\. Goga aims to be the opposite: a stripped-down neighborhood joint that focuses on giving guests a great meal. [(See 25 authentic Asian experiences.)](https://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934455%5F1934447,00.html) Turley is grounded in fusion cuisine, having earned his culinary stripes working for the likes of Hawaiian chef Roy Yamaguchi and Floyd Cardoz of New York City’s now defunct new-wave Indian eatery Tabla. But before you recoil at the F word, rest assured that Turley’s cooking is perfectly accessible. Lobster roll is dressed in aioli with cilantro and _sriracha_, a Thai sauce; rib-eye steak is rubbed in a spicy mélange that includes cumin and Sichuan peppercorn, then served with candied bacon and potatoes roasted in duck fat. True to Turley’s roots, the well-edited wine list features mostly Californian bottlings. Frustrated diners unable to snag one of Goga’s coveted 20 indoor seats or a spot on the small rooftop terrace will be heartened to know that Turley will soon open a venue next door. But the easygoing chef has no grand expansion plans, unlike the big names that populate the Bund — and Goga after-hours. Reservations are essential. Tel: (86-21) 6431 9700. _Got an awful travel gripe? The Avenger may be able to sort it out for you._ [Click here to tell us your problem.](https://www.time.com/time/travel/avenger/form) [See Time.com/Travel for city guides, stories and advice.](https://www.time.com/time/travel) Shanghai's Goga Restaurant ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938658/shanghais-goga-restaurant/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938658/shanghais-goga-restaurant/"},"headline":"Shanghai's Goga Restaurant","datePublished":"2011-08-04T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-22T07:28:09.548Z","description":"A few fortunate restaurants bask in the buzz of an admiring public. An even smaller number are regarded highly enough to attract the custom of...","url":"https://time.com/archive/6938658/shanghais-goga-restaurant/","keywords":[],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Jennifer Chen","url":"https://time.com/author/jennifer-chen/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938658/shanghais-goga-restaurant/","name":"Shanghai's Goga Restaurant"}}]}] ```