This new brewpub, situated out in Minhang district just across the street from the Shanghai Racquet Club and Rancho Santa Fe, is the first to get the formula right in Shanghai. There are already reliable versions of the Munich-styled beer hall (Paulaner and Castle Oktober come to mind). But in North America they’ve tweaked the Euro-formula, from the beers down to the food. And this adaptation is what you’ll find at the Boxing Cat.

First, it’s cozy instead of cavernous. Second, the menu is a sort of panamerican party; they serve everything from carnita quesadillas to excellent bite-sized burgers with altbier cheese sauce to fried oyster po’ boys with spicy slaw. And finally, the beer is brewed in an New World style.

I’m not sure if its kosher to say this about beer, but I will for the uninitiated: What’s true about American wine is generally true about American-styled beers. They tend to have higher alcohol, and are made in an aggressive style with lots of fruity hops and a good deal of bitterness. They can also potentially offend Old World palates. If you can grasp the difference between Bordeaux and Napa, and you prefer the chewy, fruity Cabernet over its more austere predecessor, than you'll probably prefer a Sierra Nevada over a Speckled Hen. Good ol boy brewmaster Gary Heyne (who will explain all this better to you than I can) has created three brews at the moment: A mellow dark beer (Midland Mild), an aromatically bitter Altbier (my favorite) and a rich, fruity Pilsener (also delicious). They’re all better than just about anything else coming out of a tap in town.

Kelley Lee is behind the kitchen, and has crafted a menu that pairs really well with the beers but transcends mere pub grub. It’s smart, satisfying food.

The Boxing Cat Brewery - 453 Jinfeng Rd near Baole Lu, 6221-9661. Take down this number and call when you’re in the taxi – chances are your driver will have a better knowledge of quantum physics than this part of Shanghai.