After the roaring successes of her eponymous bars on Anting Lu and Xinhua Lu, Cotton Ding turns her hand to the restaurant scene. Since she hails from Hunan Province, the birthplace of Chairman Mao and chili-laced food, it's unsurprising that Cotton's enterprise is a Hunanese eatery. Located in a converted lane house off Fuxing Lu, Hunan House has a pared down, white interior with the plush red leather seats and sofas that are Ms. Ding's specialty. Food runs pricier than your local street-side Hunan restaurant, but it's worth it for the quality of the ingredients and the atmosphere.

More Chinese restaurants in French Concession Shanghai