Cotton Ding has weathered more than her share of storms—quite literally. Her newest venture in Shimei Bay on Hainan Island regularly takes a typhoon hit.
But resilience is nothing new for the indefatigable Ms Ding, whose eponymous Shanghai institution has been a fixture of the city’s dining and music scene for over two decades.
This weekend sees the 23rd Anniversary Party—a Stars and Sea-themed celebration featuring live bands, free tapas, and a late-night DJ set.
Ahead of the big bash, we sat down with the woman herself to talk about splitting time between Shanghai and Shimei Bay, bringing a taste of the beach back to the city, and the Southeast Asian-inspired dishes making their debut.
Cotton Ding. Photo courtesy of Cotton’s.
On splitting time between Shanghai and Shimei Bay…
I spend summer and winter in Shimei Bay, and autumn here. This is the ultimate, the dream life. Clever, right?
And the beautiful thing is, when I am in Sanya, friends from Shanghai come to see me.
It’s a lovely place. A great spot. They have helicopter rides. You can go surfing. You can go swimming. Scuba diving. Beautiful.
On inspiration…
Living on Hainan has given me a lot of inspiration for business and for life—the sea, the ocean, and of course the local food.
We serve a lot of Southeast Asian food, as well as vegetarian dishes, and it’s been really well received.
So I decided to bring a taste of the beach life to Shanghai.
Photo courtesy of Cotton’s
Photo courtesy of Cotton’s
Photo courtesy of Cotton’s
On why it works…
The Cotton’s garden in Shanghai is already very tropical, with the lush greenery and cicada song.
So why not bring the beach and the chill lifestyle to the city?
On the party…
We’ll have the best musicians. From 4pm to 7pm, we have Mike and Lola. She has this swing jazz going on, and she’s so good.
And then our second band will be Greg bringing back the Cotton Club band. I can never stop thinking about that band.
For a little while, you can forget everyday life, enjoy great seafood with Southeast Asian spice, listen to top musicians, and enter a world that feels like the beach brought back to the city.
On being a home for music lovers…
We have live music every week. On Saturday it’s 1930s Shanghai Jazz. And that’s become super popular.
On Sunday we have Gypsy Jazz. Afternoon music. And then on Thursday we have a little bit of variation.
Shanghai has so many people who love music, and so many great musicians. So that’s why we try to create a home for music lovers.
If you love music, come and visit us.
On the lessons she’s learned…
I feel like you have to just keep moving. Every time I open a new venue, I get inspiration.
For example, when I opened Lychee back in 2017, some of that stayed with me. And some of that inspiration went into Cotton’s.
It’s the same as when Shimei Bay opened in Hainan. I experienced all the spices and flavors of Southeast Asia. And now I bring them here.
That’s life. Always evolving, learning, building.
On the soul of Cotton’s…
I’ve been thinking about what Cotton’s is all about. It’s about time with good friends.
And they are part of Shanghai forever. Like us. That’s Cotton’s fans.
The New Menu
From Perilla Clams with Champagne Jelly to Green Curry Coconut Flounder Fish Head, the new Cotton’s menu is a love letter to the sea and the spices that have shaped her journey.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Perilla Clams with Champagne Jelly (RMB89) are steamed opened in white wine and topped with delicate Champagne jelly.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Perilla and onion lift the natural sweetness of the shellfish for an elegant, refreshing bite.
Photo courtesy of Cotton’s
Wok-seared Thai Spiced Pork Mince with Belgian Endive (RMB66) is tossed with lime leaves, coriander, and chili.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Crisp Belgian endive cuts the richness for a fresh, spicy, appetite-driven bite.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Hand-Pounded Thai Shrimp Cakes with Lime Leaf (RMB78) are fried until golden and crisp.
Springy and juicy inside, the cakes arrive with Thai sweet chili sauce for a bright, sweet-hot lift.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Plump Herb-Butter Baked Argentine Red Prawns with Thai Sweet Chili (RMB108) are baked in herb butter to lock in their sweetness.
Firm and juicy, they’re paired with Thai sweet chili sauce for a savory-sweet Southeast Asian finish.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Cotton’s take on fish and chips, Beer-Battered King Oyster Mushrooms (RMB52) are lightly coated and fried until golden and airy.
Crisp outside, juicy inside, with a gentle kick of ground chili and served with a vibrant chili sauce.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Char-Grilled Baby Lobster with Lime-Herb Butter (RMB259) is finished with a simple squeeze of lime.
Firm, sweet, and smoky, with a bright citrus lift.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Green Curry Coconut Flounder Fish Head (RMB148) is a real standout dish. Flounder fish head is simmered in coconut-enriched green curry.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
Aromatic but gentle, rich and creamy, with tender fish and a sauce made for rice.
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
There is also an outrageously moreish Thai Pork & Cheese Patty (RMB56) that is effectively a pad kra pao pizza with crispy fried basil leaves…
Photo by Nari Elhadidi / That’s
… and some juicy Teriyaki Chicken Skewers (RMB68) with a delicious glaze.
Fear not, the menu still contains all your Cotton’s classic favorites.
23 Year Anniversary Party
Celebrate 23 years of good vibes at Cotton’s anniversary bash with a ‘Stars and Sea’ theme.
The evening features an epic lineup of live bands, soulful vocals, and a late-night DJ set to keep the party going.
-
5-7pm: Free tapas to kick things off right
-
6-10pm: Live music featuring keyboards, bass, guitars, and vocals
-
10pm-12 Midnight: DJ Set by Thomas Paninaro
It is going to be a night of great tunes, tasty bites, and unforgettable memories.
Sat Sep 19, 5pm-Late; Free Entry
Cotton’s, 294 Xinhua Lu, by Panyu Lu 新华路294 号, 近番禺路
The Cotton Ding Story
Photo by Eric Sun
To mark the 20th anniversary in 2023, we sat down for a video interview with Cotton Ding to hear the full Cotton’s story, from humble beginnings to Shanghai institution.
Scroll down to watch the video, but before you do, allow us to whet your whistle with 10 things we learned from our sit-down with the billion-megawatt smile hostess with the mostest…
1. She was sacked from her first job in a factory for being a self-confessed ‘troublemaker.’
2. Her first business was as a shoeshine girl in her hometown – she was so popular that she ended up making more money than her mother.
3. Her F&B career began in Guangzhou working for Kathleen, of Kathleen’s 5 and Kathleen’s Waitan fame.
4. She couldn’t yet speak English at that point, but her beautiful smile won everybody over.
5. Her degree was in design, but she couldn’t find a job (and broke up with her boyfriend) so decided to move to the bright lights of Shanghai.
6. Kathleen introduced her to Bob Boyce, and she became ‘the best bartender ever’ working in Blue Frog on Maoming Lu… when Maoming Lu was THE party street (if you know, you know).
7. One customer was so impressed, he put up the money for her own place, and the Cotton’s legend was born. His name was Christian Aebi, and he’s still her business partner 20 years down the line.
8. The very first iteration of Cotton’s was stolen from her by an unscrupulous landlord (the community rallied round Cotton, boycotting the place, and it soon went out of business).
9. A beautiful patio and garden, an escape from big city life, are central to the Cotton’s philosophy. As is live music, originally suggested to her by the legend that is Greg Smith of Cotton Club.
10. She’s the girl from Hunan who turned up and took over. We’ll drink to that!
Video by Eric Sun
Join our ‘Shanghai F&B Fans’ WeChat Group
[Cover image by Nari Elhadidi / That’s]
