Dining adventures in Shanghai
The Washington Post
March 4, 2007
One way the people of Shanghai - famous for its seafood and
soup dumplings - greet each other is by asking, "Have you eaten yet?"
CHUN. Don't be put off by the dreary facade. Do reserve well in advance for
a chance at one of only four tables watched over by Minglan Qu, the carefree
owner of this Shanghainese shoebox. There is no menu; she simply tells you what
the kitchen has made. With luck, the choices might include a salad of tofu and
mushrooms, crunchy lake shrimp, and snails and pork chopped up, spiked with
alcohol, stuffed into snail shells and served with toothpicks for extricating
the "meatball" inside. $10 each diner. (124 Jinxian Lu, 011-86-21-6256-0301)
GUYI HUNAN. This big and busy dining room celebrates the cooking of Hunan:
shredded chicken glistening with chile oil; short ribs in a casserole heaped
with ginger, garlic and chopped red chiles; frogs' legs in a bamboo tube filled
with a fiery broth. Although the English translations beg for explanation
(what exactly is "a jar full of sweet-smelling soup"?), the curious should
observe what their Chinese neighbors are eating and follow suit. Dinner for
two, about $25. (89 Fumin Lu, 011-86-21-6249-5628)
FU 1039. Patrons stroll down a small alley on their way to one of the most
fashionable meals in the city. Beautifully staged and expertly served in a
rambling old mansion, the food is delicate and delicious. Ask for a sampling of
the kitchen's signatures and out might come sweet and crisp smoked fish; hairy
crab, strewn over braised asparagus; prawns draped in a sweet-hot chili sauce;
and snowlike peanut ice cream. Dinner for two, about $125. (1039 YuYuan Rd., 011-86-21-5237-1878)
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