Shanghai used to be known for its historical landmarks such as the Bund and Yuyuan Garden, and also the many time-honored stores that flanked the Nanjing Road and Huaihai Road.

Today, while the Bund and Yuyuan Garden are still major attractions, drawing tourists from across the world, those time-honored stores, from restaurants to specialty shops, have either disappeared or are relegated, even to the lowest ranks.

On Tuesday, I took my mom to the Red House Restaurant, hoping to rediscover the glamour of what was once the city's best French restaurant and a regular haunt of the writer Ailing Zhang.