My Life in Hong Kong: The Shanghai Edition

Summer came and past like a whirlwind and what a mighty fun whirlwind it was! My "summer break" in Shanghai was not only fun but extremely educational from a cultural and gustatory perspective. In fact, I'm so enamored with SH, I'm starting to plot my future life there. Hong Kong will always be my first love and my wifey but I think SH is the new hot mistress!

In addition to loong but fun putonghua classes every day, I did my fair share of sight seeing and eating. The Expo was worth going to but I would definitely keep your expectations realistic---if you've ever been to Italy or Spain, the pavilion will be a mere shadow of the real thing. Needless to say, the Expo is for the locals that will never get a chance to travel to those places. For me, I couldn't imagine queuing up for hours!

Now back to the FOOD, below is a list of some of the more high-end Chinese places that are highly recommended in Shanghai. Further down, I'll highlight some of my favorite western restaurants. Sadly, the western food options were on the whole, better than Hong Kong. I liked the Chinese food in Shanghai but at the end of the day, I'm a Cantonese food lover at heart. I missed the clean flavors and of course, the fresh seafood, which is hard to come by in Shanghai.

1) Lost Heaven - Yunan cuisine located in the Bund and French Concession area http://www.lostheaven.com.cn/main.html This is also a great place to grab drinks after work or dinner as their is a DJ and a lot of beautiful people :)

The address in the French Concession area is: 38 Gaoyou Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu. Tel: 6433 5126

2) Yé Shanghai - traditional upscale Shanghainese cuisine located in Xintiandi. They have good xialongbao, sweet and sour pork and mango pudding. Xintiandi-338 Huangpi Nan Lu. Tel: 6311 2323

3) Paul's: Another famous Shanghainese restaurant who's menu has recently expanded to include Cantonese and Sichuan fare. Some of the favorite dishes include the river prawns wok friend with broad beans (shuijing xiaren) and a fusion dish of fried dough rolls stuffed with minced seafood, topped with a thousand island dressing (youtia haixian juan). 271 Fumin Lu. Tel: 6279 2827

4) Pin Chuan: specializing in spicy Sichuan dishes, this is a casual restaurant in the French Concession area. They have the classic spicy chengdu style chicken, poached sliced beef and the customer favorite is the "old nanny fish." 47 Taojian Lu (near Wulumuqi Nan Lu). Tel. 6437 9361

5) Xiao Nan Guo: This restaurant is a SH institution. They serve up reliable Shanghainese cuisine in a stylish setting. 9th floor of Super Brand Mall, 168 Lujiazui Xi Lu, near Fucheng Lu, Pudong. They also have other locations on the Puxi side so check with your hotel concierge to see which is closer.

6) Fu 1088 - they serve traditional cuisine with updated interpretations in an antique filled villa. I have not eaten here but the reviews have been great. 375 Zhenning Lu, near Yuyuan Lu, Jingan district. Tel 53239 7878

7) Xin Guang - considered the godfather of hairy crab restaurants, Xin Guang is worth checking out if you want the full, authentic Shanghainese cuisine experience. I'm not sure if the crabs are in season though so please check with concierge again. People's Sq., Building 7, Hongqiao State Guest Hotel, 1591 Hongqiao Shuicheng Lu, Changning district. Tel. 6322 3978

8) Fuxing Hui - another classic Shanghainese restaurant in the French Concession area. It's an elegant restaurant also in an old villa. Meal for two will only run about $250 RMB. I would suggest the stewed pork meatballs with crabmeat in a clear broth and the cold chicken ('boiled chiken') from Chonming island which is served with a soy, garlic, and ginger dipping sauce. 1479 Fuxing Zhong Lu, near Huahai Zhong lu, Xuhui district. Tel. 6433 6955

DA MARCO's

As I entered this cheesy Italian ristorante tucked away in an equally cheesy hotel, I was almost certain that my dining experience would be lackluster. Needless to say, when my sublime homemade fettucini with eggplant, ricotta, and vine ripened tomatoes arrived, I was more than pleasantly surprised. Not only were the pastas and pizzas made in a traditional manner, the portions were large by Chinese standards. Furthermore, the prices made this a place that I would include into my weekly rotation if I lived in Shangherz. A shared starter of lightly fried calamari, a pasta, and a peroni set me back a very reasonable $110 RMB.

MAYA

I can't believe that I'm saying this but I think Maya serves up the best contemporary Mexican that I have had, to date. I'm a die-hard fan of Zarela's amongst other modern Latin eateries in NYC but I have officially raised Maya to the golden standard. From the exotic drinks to my perfectly seared truffle encrusted tuna served over a fresh corn and bean salad, my meal shared with 10 friends far exceeded my expectations. Although Maya is hidden in a residential complex on Julu lu, the interior of the restaurant was tastefully done and the service was excellent. Shanghai has truly impressed me with the quantity and breadth of dining options and Maya is a definite knock-out amongst the rest. Three courses plus one drink costs approximately $300-400 RMB per head.

I usually don't even like tuna!

Felipe's Carne Asada---increible!

Dessert platter served with churros with jam and fresh creme, molten chocolate cake and cinnamon ice cream, pumpkin cheesecake, and creme brulee. Lo mejor churro he comido en mi vida!

MESA MANIFESTO

I enjoyed a beautiful Saturday brunch with my French school mate, Lumi. Mesa serves up wholesome food with flair. Some unusual touches include their champagne scrambled eggs featured below and eggs florentine with sun dried tomato hollandaise. In addition to the airy and lofty space below, Mesa boats a large rustic wood terrace upstairs equipped with misting fans. Not only is this a great place to meet for drinks after work, you won't be disappointed by the food nor the ambience. Brunch with a smoothie and coffee cost approximately $250 RMB.

NOUGATINE

I will be first to admit that it often seems that I forget that I'm a student and eat as if I still have my Wall St. job. However, in my defense, I am adept at finding fine dining values. Case in point, Jean George is now offering an affordable three course prix fixe at their flagship restaurant's lounge area, Nougatine,for $205 RMB. This is by far, is the most exquisite meal I have had at such a reasonable price. Our set meal included a diaphanous steak tartar served with potato stix reminiscent of my childhood. The unusual addition of lime juice gave it the extra Jean George-"umph". The second course was the pan seared red snapper pictured below served on top of an intense seafood consomme with a touch of cream and fava beans. The third course was a disappointment as it was simply just a cheesecake served with raspberries and nothing more. Some other notable mentions, however, include the caesar salad, which quite possibly was the best caesar salad I've ever had in my life and the black truffle pizza. This seems to be a reoccurring theme in Shanghai!

Steak Tartar

Black truffle pizza with fontina and gorgonzola cheese: pizza at its most decadent

Pan seared snapper with a broth so good, not a single drop was left

MR. AND MRS. BUND
I was totally enamored with the sexy Alice and Wonderland decor of this restaurant. Their menu is as thick as a book so be prepared to be overwhelmed with their many options. Presentation is a definite highlight at this restaurant but thankfully, this does not overshadow the food. Even the fresh baguette is delicious and served with a homemade pate on the house. The people that come here to dine are sexy, and the food can definitely get you in the mood, so bring a hot date, indulge in the filet with seared foie and then head up to Bar Rouge for some late night boogying. Price per head including wine, $600-700 RMB

12 oz. Filet with seared foie gras and a balsamic reduction

White Truffle Risotto

GOGA
This tiny little restaurant (although they do have a rooftop upstairs) serves up San Francisco fare right in the heart of Shanghai. The ingredients are all locally sourced but the flavors are truly West Coast. The food also seems to be on the healthier side with a lot of veggie and fresh seafood options. Some highlights include the cabbage salad with chicken and lobster roll. Price per head including a drink is approximately $200-250 RMB

BELLAGIO

I have one word to describe this restaurant: OBSESSED! I can't get enough of this Taiwanese chain. We were so mad about the cruller stuffed with mayonaise shrimp that we ordered it again (mind you, after we had already ordered dessert!). Absolutely all the dishes we tried here were great, including their mango drinks and dessert offerings. This a must for those that love flavorful Taiwanese at a remarkable price. Price per head including drinks and multiple desserts $100 RMB per head.

Fried cruller stuffed with shrimp in a mayonaise and pineapple sauce