The vibe is upscale yet casual at Shanghai Bistro, one of Stillwater’s newest restaurants, located on the upper level in the Grand Garage on Main Street.

The restaurant overlooks a lush, spacious outdoor patio that rivals any in the Twin Cities area. The outdoor bar and a large seating area complete with a waterfall with Vegas-styles cabanas that surround the perimeter makes it the ideal spot to dine al fresco on Asian delights and sip on one of Shanghai Bistro’s signature Tiki drinks.

Henry Chan, owner and head chef describes his cuisine as, “Japanese full-service with a sushi bar and full-service American Chinese and we throw in some Asian fusion with the specials.”

Chan learned Chinese cooking from his father and studied Japanese cooking, and the artistry of sushi making, under the tutelage of a traditional master Japanese sushi chef.

“I was trained to use the best of the best, nothing frozen,” says Chan. “I buy our specialty fish in season directly from a Tokyo fish market and then it’s flown in overnight.”

Chan, who also owns two other Shanghai Bistros located in Eau Claire and Hudson, Wis., says, “A lot of people think were a chain. We’re not. We’re an independently-owned, family-run business. We’re also very kid friendly.”

Shanghai Bistro is also dog friendly.

Patrons can bring their pooches to one of the few dog-friendly patios around.

“I’m a big dog person," Chan says. "We provide water bowls for the dogs and give out samples of Orijen, a natural dog food that’s sold right here in Stillwater. Last month we held a fundraiser for building a dog park in Stillwater.”

Fabulous food and dog-friendly patios aren’t the only reason to flock to Shanghai Bistro. There’s jazz on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights and on Wednesday nights, dueling pianos are featured outside in front of the waterfall.

Shanghai Bistro isn’t just another restaurant. It’s a destination, a place where you can spend an afternoon or evening with family and friends, furry or otherwise, and enjoy its sleek and chic atmosphere while indulging on the freshest sushi this side of Tokyo.