The Best of Shànghâi

If you simply count heads, Shànghâi is the biggest city in the biggest countryon Earth. If you simply scan statistics, this is China’s capital of commerce, indus-try, and finance. But numbers don’t tell the whole story. Shànghâi has a colonialpast more intense than that of any other city in China, save Hong Kong, andthis legacy gives it a dramatic character, visible in the very facades of its build-ings. But the city is not only a museum of East meeting West on Chinese soil.Overnight, Shànghâi has become one of the world’s great modern capitals, theone city that best shows where China is headed at the dawn of the 21st century.

Shànghâi was not always much of a delight to tour, but that has changed.After the building boom of the 1990s tore the city apart, new roads, highways,tunnels, and bridges, not to mention new hotels, restaurants, and sights nowmake Shànghâi a city that a visitor can once again comfortably enjoy andexplore. Today there are large neighborhoods of foreign architecture, wonderfulfor a stroll, where Europeans, especially the French, once resided. Shànghâi’sgreat river of commerce, the Huángpû, a tributary of the mighty Yángzî River,is lined with a gallery of colonial architecture, known as the Bund, grander thanany other in the East, much of it recently refurbished and beckoning the curi-ous visitor. The mansions, garden estates, country clubs, and cathedrals of West-erners who made their fortunes here a century ago pepper the city. Even asynagogue exists, dating from the days of an unparalleled Jewish immigration toChina. These are not the typical monuments of China, but they are typical ofShànghâi.

At the same time, creations of a strictly Chinese culture prevail. A walkthrough the chaotic old Chinese city turns up traditional treasures: a teahouseepitomizing old China; a quintessential Southern-Chinese classical garden;active temples and ancient pagodas; and even a section of Shànghâi’s old citywall. If Shànghâi’s primary architecture and avenues recall 19th-century Europerather than old Cathay, this is still a Chinese city to the core.

Shànghâi is a haven for shoppers—Nánj∫ng Lù is the number-one shoppingstreet in all of China—but perhaps even more importantly, Shànghâi representsthe future of China. Across the mighty Huángpû River, which served as oldShànghâi’s eastern border, Pûd∂ng, serving as the face of new Shànghâi, nowboasts the tallest hotel in the world, Asia’s largest shopping mall, China’s largeststock exchange, and one of the highest observation decks in Asia, the OrientalPearl TV Tower. Not to be outdone, old Shànghâi has its own legions of newskyscrapers, too, and a booming collection of fine international restaurants, sev-eral of them taking over the rooftops of the colonial gems lining the Bund andthe mansions that went to seed in Shànghâi’s French Quarter.

Shànghâi is also reestablishing itself as a leading trendsetter for fashion,design, culture, and the arts. New theaters and cultural centers attract top per-formers from China and abroad, while designers of every stripe are taking

1

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 5

COPYRIG

HTED M

ATERIAL

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F S H À N G H Â I6

International Boundary

Provincial Boundary

National Capital

Provincial Capital

The Silk Road

China

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 6

T H E B E S T O F S H À N G H Â I 7

China

500 mi0

0 500 km

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 7

advantage of the mix of the East,West, past, and future by blazing theirown unique styles.

Herewith I present a list ofShànghâi’s highlights, both the obviousand the more offbeat choices that makethe most of all that is unique about the

city. Shànghâi is fast regaining its foot-ing in a country in the midst of redis-covering its own. This sense ofpossibility imbues Shànghâi with a pal-pable energy unmatched anywhere inthe world, once again attracting legionsof visitors to its shores.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F S H À N G H Â I8

1 Frommer’s Favorite Shànghâi Experiences• Strolling the Bund: The most

widely known street in Asia, withits gorgeous colonial buildingsthat were the banks, hotels, trad-ing firms, and private clubs of for-eign taipans (bosses of oldShànghâi’s trading firms) andadventurers past, deserves to bewalked over and over again. Seeup close the exquisite architecturaldetails of the Peace Hotel, theCustoms House, the formerHong Kong and ShànghâiBank, and scores of other build-ings, some lavishly restored, othersclosed awaiting development.Then head across the street to theBund Promenade, where youmingle with the masses whileadmiring the splendor andgrandeur of old Shànghâi. See“Walking Tour” on p. 176.

• Admiring the Collections in theShànghâi Museum: China’s finest,most modern, and most memo-rable museum of historic relics hasdisappointed almost no visitorsince it opened in the heart of Peo-ple’s Square. Make it a top priority,and allow a few hours more thanyou planned on. See p. 144.

• Surveying Shànghâi from UpHigh: After crossing the HuángpûRiver from old Shànghâi to thenew Shànghâi (whether by taxi,subway, tunnel, or ferry), enjoythe ultimate panorama fromeither the sphere atop the Orien-tal Pearl TV Tower or the J∫nMào Tower, two of Asia’s talleststructures. On a clear day, you cansee forever. See p. 166 for both.

• Cruising the Huángpû River: A27km (17-mile) pleasure cruisefrom the Bund to the mouth ofthe mighty Yángzî River, past end-less wharves, factories, and tankersat anchor, gives substance toShànghâi’s claim as China’s largestport and the fact that nearly halfof China’s trade with the outsideworld travels these same waters. Ashorter 1-hour cruise, and anabbreviated 30-minute cruisefrom the Pûd∂ng side, do not con-vey the full importance of theriver, but they will suffice if you’repressed for time. See p. 147.

• Drinking Tea in the Perfect Tea-house: Shànghâi’s Húx∫ngtíng(Mid-Lake) Teahouse is the quin-tessential teahouse in China, oftenthought to be the original modelfor the one in the Blue Willowplate pattern. Here, at the centerof Old Town Shànghâi, is theplace to pause for a refreshing cupof green tea, and count yourselfon a par with Queen Elizabeth II,who was also a visitor. See p. 165.

• Shopping Nánj∫ng Lù: Even ifyou’re the kind of person who onlyshops once a year, a visit to this“Number One Shopping Street inChina” is practically required, ifonly to appreciate how the pre-Revolutionary era departmentstores, hotels, and silk shops aremixing it up with the glitzy, modernstores and international boutiques.Better yet, you’ll get a chance tomarvel (or shudder) at the sheernumbers of people, people, peopleeverywhere! A pedestrian mall

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 8

makes strolling and browsing thatmuch easier and that much morecrowded. See “Walking Tour 2:Nánj∫ng Lù” on p. 182.

• Shopping ’til You Drop: Nánj∫ngLù is for the tourists, but savvylocal shoppers know if you wantgreater choice and better deals,Huáihâi Lù with its slew of inter-national boutiques and largedepartment stores is the place toshop. Branching off and parallel toHuáihâi Lù, Màomíng Lù, XìnglèLù, and Chánglè Lù are also hometo a number of delightful smallshops. See chapter 8, “Shopping.”

• Bargaining for Fakes at theFúyòu Market: Shànghâi has anynumber of antiques marketswhere you can hone your bargain-ing skills, but none more colorfulthan the Fúyòu Market in the oldChinese city (at the western end ofShànghâi’s restored old street,Shànghâi Lâo Ji√). On Sundaymornings, the third and fourthfloors are where the interestingjunk can be found, though visitorshave walked away with some realfinds. Half the fun is in riflingthrough all the personal collec-tions of memorabilia and antiquesthat the vendors seem to havescavenged; the other half is in dra-matically protesting the highprices quoted, walking away, thenbeing called back by a vendornewly willing to deal. See p. 201.

• Strolling the French Conces-sion: This is the most interestingof the colonial districts left inShànghâi, filled with the gorgeousvillas, mansions, and apartmenthouses of the 1920s and 1930swhen the French made their markhere. The avenues are beingrestored, the facades cleaned up,and the great houses with theirbalconies, private gardens, andcarved paneling are opening theirdoors as upscale restaurants.

Plenty of Art Deco gems abound,hidden behind years of grime andburied beneath webs of laundrypoles, awaiting discovery, so keepyour head up. See “Walking Tour4: French Concession “ on p. 191.

• Rediscovering Shànghâi’s JewishPast at the Ohel Moshe Syna-gogue: In the mid–19th century,SephardicJews from the MiddleEast helped make Shànghâi a greatcity. In the mid–20th century,thousands of Jewish refugeesflooded the International Settle-ment north of the Bund. Today,this history can be encountered atthe Ohel Moshe Synagogue,where the curator, Mr. Wáng, hasvivid accounts of this little-knownbut important Jewish ghetto. Seep. 155.

• Wandering the Old ChineseCity: The narrow winding alleysof the old Chinese city may strikesome as mysterious and forbid-ding, but they are neither of these,and are worth exploring evenbeyond the walking tours in chap-ter 7. Here is a chance to comeupon a wet market, or run intothe increasingly rare sight of anight soil worker on his morningrounds (many houses in this partof town still lack indoor plumb-ing). See it before the bulldozershows up. See Walking Tour 3 onp. 188.

• Morning Exercises on the Bund:There’s no better way to greet theday than to join the thousands ofShànghâi residents in their morn-ing tai chi exercises (and occasion-ally Western ballroom dancing) onthe Bund and in Shànghâi’s parks.The Bund is preferable: The firstgolden rays hitting the colonialfacades are truly something tobehold. See chapter 6 for details onthe Bund and on Shànghâi parks.

• Dining on Hairy Crab: The sig-nature dish of Shànghâi is

F R O M M E R ’ S FA V O R I T E S H À N G H Â I E X P E R I E N C E S 9

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 9

absolutely scrumptious, but it isseasonal (autumn), and it is bestenjoyed at a big local restaurant.See chapter 5 for recommendedrestaurants.

• Watching the Acrobats: This has“TOURIST” stamped all over it,but it’s nevertheless a totallyworthwhile pleasure, especiallysince Shànghâi’s dazzling troupesare rightly considered China’s veryfinest at this ancient craft. Seechapter 9.

• Sampling Shànghâi’s Jazz Scene:The Peace Hotel Jazz Band’s (p.217) nightly performances of NewOrleans–style jazz, with somemembers who have been playinghere since before the Revolution(1949), are the ultimate piece ofcolonial nostalgia, but if this doesn’tgrab you, modern and moreimprovisational jazz can be heardat a number of true blue joints:the Cotton Club (p. 217), ClubJZ (p. 217), and the House ofBlues and Jazz (p. 217).

• Rooftop Dining on the Bund:Whether it’s savoring world-classcuisine on the open-air balcony ofShànghâi’s top international restau-rant, M on the Bund, or lingeringover a cappuccino on the rooftop ofthe new bistro, New Heights, din-ing high above Asia’s most famousstreet is a heady experience not tobe missed. See p. 94 and 95.

• Exploring Shànghâi’s NewHeaven on Earth: DowntownShànghâi’s most lavish redevelop-ment, X∫n Ti≈ndì (New Heaven

and Earth) has become the primeplace to see and be seen. The newrestaurants here rank as Shànghâi’smost sophisticated and expensive;the boutiques are pricey, too; andthe architecture, an artful blend ofnative traditional and ultramod-ern Western, may mark a turningpoint in Shànghâi’s redesign forthe future. See p. 168.

• Eating Xiâolón gb≈o: Unlessyou’re a vegetarian, not tryingShànghâi’s favorite (pork)dumpling while you’re here is tan-tamount in some circles to nothaving been to Shànghâi at all.The “little steamed breads” spillbroth in your mouth when youbite into them. You can find themeverywhere, but for a list of thebest places, see “Best Xiâolóngb≈o (Dumpling)” on p. 13. Fortips on how to eat it without scald-ing your tongue, see “Shànghâi’sFavorite Dumpling” on p. 114.

• Drifting in a Gondola through aWater Village in Tónglî orNánxún: There are any number ofpicturesque “water villages” nearShànghâi where you can be pad-dled in a gondola along streamsand canals as you pass traditionalarched bridges, quaint stonehouses, and classical Chinese gar-dens. Two villages stand out:Tónglî and Nánxún Also, bothhave additional sights worth see-ing and considerably smallercrowds than at tourist traps likeZh∂u Zhu≈ng, but see them soon.See p. 240 and 238.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F S H À N G H Â I10

2 Best Hotel BetsFor complete hotel listings, see chap-ter 4, “Where to Stay.”

• Best Historic Hotel: The leg-endary Cathay Hotel, now thePeace Hotel, Nánj∫ng D∂ng Lù 20(& 021/6321-6888), located atShànghâi’s most fabled intersection(Nánj∫ng Lù and the Bund), is a

living museum of Shànghâi’s ArtDeco and colonial past. See p. 72.

• Best Hotel for Today: The honorremains with the Portman Ritz-Carlton, Nánj∫ng X∫ Lù 1376 (& 800/241-3333 or 021/6279-8888), owing to its tremendousbusiness and shopping facilities, as

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 10

well as a recent remodeling(though right on its heels are TheWestin Shànghâi and the FourSeasons). See p. 80.

• Best Hotel for Tomorrow: Thehighest hotel in the world, theGrand Hyatt, Shìjì Dà Dào 88(& 800/233-1234 or 021/5049-1234), is also the highest in high-tech amenities and designs. This21st-century pagoda has 60 eleva-tors, 19 escalators, a 57th-floorskypool for “swimming in thesky,” and a 360-degree panoramafrom the cloud tops. See p. 86.

• Best Service: An impossibly diffi-cult category with fierce competi-tion, but our vote goes to theconsistently friendly and efficientservice at the Four Seasons HotelShànghâi, W√ihâi Lù (& 800/819-5053 or 021/6256-8888).Staff is extremely discreet andanticipates your needs rather thanreacts to requests. See p. 80. Aclose second is the St. RegisShànghâi, D∂ngf≈ng Lù 889 (& 800/325-3589 or 021/5050-4567), where no request seemstoo frivolous or difficult for thehotel’s butlers. See p. 87.

• Best Business Hotel: It seemsunfair for one hotel to hog thelimelight, but the Portman Ritz-Carlton, Nánj∫ng X∫ Lù 1376 (& 800/241-3333 or 021/6279-8888), not only wins this categoryin Shànghâi, as poll after poll offoreign business travelers consis-tently show, but it has beendeemed by the same polls to bethe “Best Business Hotel in Asia.”The Hilton, Huásh≈n Lù 250 (& 800/445-8667 or 021/6248-0000), also consistently receivesraves from foreign business travel-ers for its efficiency and location, asdoes The Westin Shànghâi,Hénán Zh∂ng Lù 88, Bund Center(& 888/WESTIN-1 or 021/6335-1888). See p. 80 and 71.

• Best Hotel Perks: Perhaps tocompensate for its less-than-ideallocation in Pûd∂ng, the St. RegisShànghâi, D∂ngf≈ng Lù 889 (& 800/325-3589 or 021/5050-4567), throws in a host of perkslike free broadband Internet in allrooms, and free happy hour cock-tails and canapés for all in theirexecutive lounge. They also havethe largest rooms in town, fittedwith Herman Miller Aeron chairs,BOSE CD wave radios, and someof the largest bathtubs in town.There’s no reason to leave thehotel at all. See p. 87.

• Best Hotel on the Bund: Set backa block or two, but toweringnonetheless over the Bund, is TheWestin Shànghâi, Hénán Zh∂ngLù 88, Bund Center (& 888/WESTIN-1 or 021/6335-1888),opened in 2002 with heavenly beds and wonderful views. See p. 71.

• Best View of the Bund: Thenearby Grand Hyatt is higher, butthe 28-story Pûd∂ng Shangri-La,Fùchéng Lù 33 (& 800/942-5050 or 021/6882-8888), iscloser and at just the right eleva-tion for a spectacular view ofShànghâi’s European architectureacross the Huángpû River. Theview is even better at night whenthis riverfront “colonial scroll” ofbanks and trading houses is lit up.See p. 86.

• Best Value for Money: At the ArtDeco Yangtze Hotel, Hànkôu Lù740 (& 021/6351-7880), ¥680to ¥780 ($85–$98) before dis-counts will get you a comfortable,clean room with all the basicamenities including broadbandInternet service. Rates are usuallydiscounted by 30%. All this, andit’s within walking distance ofPeople’s Square and Nánj∫ng Lù aswell. See p. 73.

B E S T H O T E L B E T S 11

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 11

• Best Undiscovered BudgetLodgings: Who needs the extrafrills when you can get a room ina French Concession mansion forunder $50? The Shànghâi Con-servatory of Music GuestHouse, F√nyáng Lù 20 (& 0216437-2577), has three charmingdoubles (¥300/$39) with en suitebathroom and balcony; while theJùy∫ng B∫nguân, Jùlù Lù 889 (& 021/6466-7788, ext. 885/886), has impeccably clean roomsoverlooking a pleasant gardencompound for around ¥450 ($56)before discount. See p. 79 and 82.

• Best Celebrity Room: Of all thefamous visitors who have stayed inShànghâi’s hotels through theyears, perhaps no guest is morerenowned than Albert Einstein,who stayed at the then-AstorHouse Hotel, now the decidedlyno-frills Pûji≈ng Hotel, HuángpûLù 15 (& 021/6324-6388). Hisroom is yours for the relativelycheap rate of ¥880 ($110) a night.See p. 75.

• Best Setting: The Ruìj∫n Hotel,Ruìj∫n Èr Lù 118 (& 021/6472-5222), located on the formerMorriss Estate in the French Concession, boasts one of the

loveliest colonial settings withfour original villas (and severalfaux additions) amid sprawlingmanicured lawns that are lovely tostroll. To boot, there are severalexcellent restaurants and bars onthe premises, which means younever have to leave the grounds ofthis block-long estate. See p. 77.

• Best Newcomer: The finallyopened (Oct 2003) JW Marriott,Nánj∫ng X∫ Lù 399 (& 800/228-9290 or 021/5359-4969), isstaking out its new turf with thetallest hotel in Pûx∫, stunningviews, luxurious in-room ameni-ties, and a superb location close toPeople’s Park and X∫n Ti≈ndì. Seep. 70.

• Best Health and Fitness Facili-ties: The health and fitness facili-ties at the Regal InternationalEast Asia Hotel, Héngsh≈n Lù516 (& 800/222-8888 or 021/6415-5588), don’t stop at just the25m (82-ft.) lap pool, the aerobicsgym, the simulated golf range, orthe 12-lane bowling alley; add inthe 10 world-class tennis courts (2 indoors), including a centercourt with viewer seating for1,200. See p. 78.

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F S H À N G H Â I12

3 Best Dining BetsFor complete restaurant listings, seechapter 5, “Where to Dine.”

• Best International Dining:Shànghâi’s world-class Mediter-ranean restaurant, M on theBund, Guângd∂ng Lù 20, 7thFloor (& 021/6350-9988), notonly serves impeccable Continen-tal cuisine, but features a knockoutview of the Bund and riverfrontfrom atop a colonial-era tradinghouse. See p. 94. The darling ofmany of Shànghâi’s gourmands,T8 (& 021/6355-8999), locateddowntown at X∫n Ti≈ndì, contin-ues to garner international acclaim

for its highly creative “new world”cooking. See p. 97.

• Best Shànghâi Dining: The cityabounds in restaurants servingtasty local fare, but the standoutfor contemporary Shànghâi cui-sine has to be newcomer ShànghâiUncle, Yán’≈n D∂ng Lù 222,Bund Center Basement (& 021/6339-1977), featuring creativespins on old classics, focusing ontender and flavorful pork dishesthat can turn even the mostdiehard vegetarians into carni-vores. Three branches already pep-per the city. See p. 112. Another

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 12

stellar choice is long-standingexpatriate-favorite 1221, Yán’≈nX∫ Lù 1221 (& 021/6213-6585),serving delicious Shànghâi farethat’s neither too sweet nor toooily. See p. 110. More traditional(sweeter and oilier) Shànghâi cui-sine is probably best sampled atShànghâi Lâo Fàndiàn, FúyòuLù 242 (& 021/6355-2275),with a history dating to 1875 andthe most meltingly tender eighttreasure duck you’ll ever taste. Seep. 114.

• Best Dining in a Colonial Man-sion: These days it’s easy to findan old mansion for dinner, butformer favorite Sasha’s has nowbeen trumped by La Villa Rouge,Héngsh≈n Lù 811 (& 021/6431-9811), located in a gorgeous redbrick mansion on the edge ofXúji≈huì Park that was the formerEMI Recording Studio. The foodis expensive French/fusion fromaward-winning Japanese chefs, butits grand staircase, antique wall-paper, and old gramophones arepure Shànghâi nostalgia. See p. 101.

• Best Hotel Dining: No hotelgives more high-quality choices(or a better view) than the GrandHyatt in Pûd∂ng, Shìjì Dà Dào88 (& 021/5049-1234, ext.8898), with its Grand Café’s inter-national buffets (54th floor), theCanton’s gourmet Cantonesedishes (55th floor), or the Grill’sseafood and steaks, Kobatchi’syakitori, and Cuchina’s Tuscanpastas and pizzas (all on the 56thfloor)—not to mention the 10open kitchens that make up theFood Live “food street” onpodium level 3. See p. 86.

• Best Deli: Stock up big time at theBauernstube on the second floorof the Sheraton Grand Tài PíngYáng Hotel, Z∆nyì Nán Lù 5 (& 021/6275-8888), with itshuge selection of cheeses, sausages,

Norwegian salmon, breads, cakes,and roast chicken. See p. 83.

• Best Places to Eat & Be Seen:Modern taipans, celebrities, andsophisticated locals can be founddining at the very chic restaurantsin the French Concession’s LanKwai Fong at Park 97 complex,G≈olán Lù 2 (& 021/5383-2328);or at downtown’s X∫n Ti≈ndì mallon Tàic≈ng Lù; and, increasingly,at the trendy and perhaps still-a-lit-tle-too exclusive Three on theBund. The food in the restaurantsat each site is, for the most part, assuperb as it is varied. See p. 97 and95.

• Best Burgers: For big, authenticburgers with all the fixings, there’sstill no beating Malone’s, Tón-grén Lù 255 near the ShànghâiCentre (& 021/6247-2400), aCanadian-owned sports bar that’sas American as it gets. See p. 109.

• Best Light Lunch: Deliciousfresh salads are now readily avail-able in Shànghâi at ElementFresh at the Shànghâi Centre,Nánj∫ng X∫ Lù 1376, no. 112 (& 021/6279-8682). Wash itdown with a fresh-squeezed car-rot-apple-ginseng or your favoritesmoothie. See p. 109.

• Best Teahouse: The most famousteahouse in China, its eaves soar-ing over the pond by Yù Yuán (Yù Garden), is Shànghâi’s ownHúx∫ngtíng (& 021/6373-6950),a welcome haven in the crunch ofOld Town shopping and masstourism. See p. 165.

• Best Xiâolóng b≈o (Dumpling):The traditional favorite establish-ment for Shànghâi’s favoritedumpling has always been Nán-xiáng Mántou Diàn, Yùyuán Lù85 (& 021/6355-4206), near YùYuán in the old Chinese City.Patrons line up here for hours. Butthe new Crystal Jade Restaurantin X∫n Ti≈ndì, Xìnyè Lù 123,

B E S T D I N I N G B E T S 13

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 13

Nánlî 6–7, 2nd Floor, 12A & B(& 021/6385-8752), can nowrightfully claim the crown withthe thinnest dumpling wrapper intown, and perfect xiâolóng b≈othat are served at just the righttemperature. Crystal Jade alsoserves an excellent d≈n d≈n miàn(noodles in spicy peanut sauce),not that you need another reasonto head straight there. See p. 115and 99.

• Best Cantonese: Any hotel worthits salt in Shànghâi has a Cantoneserestaurant (the second most popu-lar Chinese regional cuisine in townafter Shànghâi’s own), but the twotop choices are the long-presidingDynasty, Yán’≈n X∫ Lù 2099, in the Renaissance Yangtze Hotel (& 021/6275-0000); and the55th-floor Canton restaurant at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Shìjì DàDào 88, in Pûd∂ng (& 021/5049-1234, ext. 8898; reserve 3days in advance). These elegantrestaurants feature top chefs fromHong Kong. See p. 110 and 112.

• Best European: Danieli’s, at theSt. Regis Shànghâi, D∂ngf≈ng Lù877, 29th Floor, Pûd∂ng (& 021/5050-4567), is the best option,out of a crowded field and somefine competition, for Italian, withexcellent pastas, panoramic views,and exquisite service. See p. 112.The purple-themed French restau-rant La Seine, Jì’nán Lù 8 (& 021/6384-3722), offers superb entréesand sinful desserts, and is a favoritewith its international clientele. Seep. 99. Jean Georges, Zh∂ngsh≈nD∂ng Y∫ Lù 3, 4th Floor (& 021/6321-7733), opened at press timeand promises to be a hit. See p. 95.

• Best Asian (Non-Chinese): Sim-ply Thai, D∂ngpíng Lù 5, Unit C(& 021/6445-9551), in a quaintFrench Concession cottage, offersthe most authentic Thai food inthe most pleasing environment.

The best nouvelle Japanese cuisinecomes by way of an über-hipBauhaus bunker known as Shin-tori Null II, Jùlù Lù 803 (& 021/5404-5252), while the best placefor more traditional hearty Japan-ese favorites is Itoya, Nánj∫ng X∫Lù 1515, 1st Floor (& 021/5298-5777). Indian Kitchen, Yôngji≈Lù 572 (& 021/6473-1517), isyour best source for tasty Indianfare that is also easy on the wallet.See p. 103, 105, and 107.

• Best Decor: The trove of Asianartifacts, Buddha statues, andMíng Dynasty furniture inside theincense-filled loft of a Tudor-stylemansion makes the fine food atThe Door, Hóngqiáo Lù 1468,3rd Floor (& 021/6295-3737),secondary to its decor. See p. 110.

• Best for Kids: Overall, most Chi-nese restaurants are very child-friendly. The staff at 1221, Yán’≈nX∫ Lù 1221 (& 021/6213-6585),tends to dote on children and give families the private rooms.O’Malley’s, Táoji≈ng Lù 42 (& 021/6437-0667), has a chil-dren’s playground on the frontlawn that’s a hit with both kidsand parents. See p. 110 and 103.

• Best Tongue Twister (Due toSpicy Food): Two of the spiciestChinese cuisines are well repre-sented here: B≈ Guó Bù Y∫,Hóngqiáo Lù 1676 (& 021/6270-6668), is one of the mostauthentic Sìchu≈n restaurants intown and will introduce neophytesto the Sìchu≈n peppercorn. At D∫Shuî Dòng, Màomíng Nán Lù 56(& 021/6253-2689), you’ll getchilies straight up by way ofHúnán Province. Either place willhave your sweat glands workingovertime. See p. 111 and 100.

• Best Chinese Restaurant Undis-covered by the Masses: Lâo Tán,Xìngfú Lù 42, 2nd Floor (& 021/6283-7843), squirreled away on

C H A P T E R 1 . T H E B E S T O F S H À N G H Â I14

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 14

the western edge of the FrenchConcession, serves the spicy andsour cuisine of SouthwesternChina’s Guìzh∂u Province. Its sig-nature sour beans with smokedbacon and its fiery chicken dishesare probably not what you’re usedto, but they are definitely worthtrying. Light on the wallet as well.See p. 111.

• Best Crab: Wáng Bâo Hé, Fúzh∂uLù 603 (& 021/6322-3673), aShànghâi institution that claims tobe the oldest restaurant in town,brings political and business leadersand crab aficionados to their kneeswith its multitude of crab dishes,

but especially during hairy crab sea-son (autumn). You’ll be on yourknees, too, when you see the bill.See p. 94.

• Best Vegetarian: The French Con-cession Zâo Zî Shù, S∂ngsh≈n Lù77, 1st Floor (& 021/6384-8000),takes its mission seriously (its nameis also a pun that exhorts diners tobecome vegetarians as soon as pos-sible, zâo ch∫ sù). There’s no smok-ing, no MSG, no alcohol, and nodairy, but plenty of organic tea,fruit appetizers, flavorful vegeta-bles, mushrooms, and tofu dou-bling as meat. See p. 100.

B E S T D I N I N G B E T S 15

05_573055 ch01.qxd 10/28/04 12:25 PM Page 15