As the weather warms up, Shanghai really comes to life. There's plenty happening over the next couple of weeks, including some great new restaurant openings, must-see concerts, and – of course – the Grand Prix.

What's On…

The F1 Grand Prix is one of the biggest events in the sporting calendar, and it's coming back to Shanghai on the 13th to the 15th April. All the major stars of F1 racing will be there, and the race involves 56 laps of the 5.5-kilometer track, at speeds of up to 370 kilometers per hour.

If you're a die-hard fan of cars, you'll enjoy the Shanghai Auto Culture Festival that's being held at the Shanghai International Circuit between April 15th and May 5th. The event will include lots of motor sports activities, a tourism and leisure area, business promotions and space for arts and culture. More info here.

If you missed Paul Kalkbrenner's gig last month, catch his brother Fritz at MAO Livehouse on April 13th for a night of techno and house, with support from DJ Ben Huang, Charp and The Horses.

There's already a popular chilli cook-off hosted by Bubba's, but Pistolera has thrown its hat into the ring with one of its own. They'll host their second contest on April 21st at their Jinqiao restaurant, and there are still places available. For a 200 RMB sign-up fee, they provide you with a table, gas stove, tasting cups, napkins and plastic spoons. You just have to bring your ingredients. Don't fancy cooking? Go and watch (and taste) for 100 RMB. Email tabasco@pistolera.cn for more details.

Openings…

Finally, after months of preparation, Village du Chocolat has opened on Yanping Lu. It covers three floors where Chinese fast-food joint Overseas Dragon used to be (don't worry – the latter has reopened just a block away on Jiaozhou Lu), and has a terrace up top that will no doubt be popular as spring progresses into summer. It's still in soft opening at the moment so the food offerings are slim, but the menu is due to be beefed up soon.

Just down the street, Burger has extended its opening to 24 hours, and now delivers within a two-kilometer range. Further downtown, Tsui Wah is opening a new branch in the SML Mall, and City Shop is transferring there too, closing its branch on Huaihai Lu near Shaanxi Lu. Carrying on the mall trend, Filipino restaurant Luneta has reopened in the shopping center at 1318 Sichuan Bei Lu in Hongkou. It's not as convenient as its former Julu / Fumin location, but the food is just as good. Legendary Indian eatery Vedas has moved operations from Yongjia Lu to the Platinum Court complex on Changshu Lu, and Piro downstairs has just installed a cotton candy machine.

The management behind sushi stalwart Haiku by Hatsune are planning to open a third branch in the Jinqiao suburbs on April 20th, along with a Kagen teppanyaki.  Also on their drawing board is a Malaysian restaurant called Pulau Ketam - Modern Crab House, to open in June.

Closings….

Asian Fusion restaurant 3Top on Xinle Lu has closed down, but a Cantonese restaurant called Xin Dau Ji is due to take its place in May. The original in Hong Kong opened in 2006, and won a Michelin star in 2008.

Eduardo Vargas has closed down his Azul restaurant, and is in the process of moving his operations to the former hotel near the Ferguson Lane complex that Hilary Ambrose was planning to develop. The new place will have a Chilean chef at the helm, and some Mediterranean additions to the menu.  

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: F1 Grand Prix Shanghai restaurant closings Shanghai new restaurants Shanghai