Up to Shanghai (as an expat) - November 17th 2009 and onward

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January 2010


Page 2 of 3.
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Dinner at Lisboa Restaurant on January 10, 2010
Macau-style fried rice. Included chicken, shrimp, pork, pork belly/bacon, and egg. Definitely greasy (though the flavors were good), we took half of it home.
We had #901. Word for word it reads: Portugal (pu2) capital (jing1) (i.e., the capital of Portugal = Lisbon) version (ban3) Macao (ao4 men2) fried (chao3) cooked-rice (fan4). The text in red means must (yi1 ding4 yao4) try (shi4).
A Macau-style sandwich: a thin, greasy slice of deep-fried pork topped with tons of onions and sandwiched between a roll with a crunchy crust. Once you bite through the crust, the sandwich kind of melts as onions and pork fat into your mouth. Di Yin called it yummy. It reminded me of typical (overly-greasy) fast food.
We had #1101. It loosely translates as Macao (ao4 men2) crispy (cui4 pi2, literally crisp skin) pork-chop (I think, it's certainly pig-something) (zhu1 ba1) a-particular-Hong-Kong-type-of-bread (like a small French bread) (zhu1 zai3 bao1).
Macau-style fried rice. Included chicken, shrimp, pork, pork belly/bacon, and egg. Definitely greasy (though the flavors were good), we took half of it home.
We had #901. Word for word it reads: Portugal (pu2) capital (jing1) (i.e., the capital of Portugal = Lisbon) version (ban3) Macao (ao4 men2) fried (chao3) cooked-rice (fan4). The text in red means must (yi1 ding4 yao4) try (shi4).
A Macau-style sandwich: a thin, greasy slice of deep-fried pork topped with tons of onions and sandwiched between a roll with a crunchy crust. Once you bite through the crust, the sandwich kind of melts as onions and pork fat into your mouth. Di Yin called it yummy. It reminded me of typical (overly-greasy) fast food.
We had #1101. It loosely translates as Macao (ao4 men2) crispy (cui4 pi2, literally crisp skin) pork-chop (I think, it's certainly pig-something) (zhu1 ba1) a-particular-Hong-Kong-type-of-bread (like a small French bread) (zhu1 zai3 bao1).
Pure shrimp wontons (i.e., only shrimp/shrimp paste for filling, no pork). Decent/good (though not as good as those I had in Boston). The broth was scary: I could smell the msg in it when it arrived.
We had #1009. It's Macao (ao4 men2) fresh/tasty (xian1) shrimp (xi1) only (jing4) wonton (yun2 tun1).
The highlight of our meal: Macau-style ice kaching. Basically, lots of red-bean flavored shaved ice, topped with and surrounded by red beans. Great and also refreshing. I actually think I like this better than most of the shaved ice desserts I eat in Singapore.
Pure shrimp wontons (i.e., only shrimp/shrimp paste for filling, no pork). Decent/good (though not as good as those I had in Boston). The broth was scary: I could smell the msg in it when it arrived.
We had #1009. It's Macao (ao4 men2) fresh/tasty (xian1) shrimp (xi1) only (jing4) wonton (yun2 tun1).
The highlight of our meal: Macau-style ice kaching. Basically, lots of red-bean flavored shaved ice, topped with and surrounded by red beans. Great and also refreshing. I actually think I like this better than most of the shaved ice desserts I eat in Singapore.
Grand Gateway Plaza / Ganghui Guangchang (in Xujiahui)
A vertical panorama of the inside of Grand Gateway Plaza, decorated for Chinese New Year.
A vertically panoramic movie of the Grand Gateway Plaza's lantern decorations. Another part of the mall had a much better perspective--more panoramic--of the lanterns, but that view was actually too wide to capture in a horizontal picture and too tall to capture in a vertical picture. I think the place I took the panorama and video were better because then at least I could depict the whole display in one image or movie.
A vertical panorama of the inside of Grand Gateway Plaza, decorated for Chinese New Year.
A vertically panoramic movie of the Grand Gateway Plaza's lantern decorations.
Another part of the mall had a much better perspective--more panoramic--of the lanterns, but that view was actually too wide to capture in a horizontal picture and too tall to capture in a vertical picture. I think the place I took the panorama and video were better because then at least I could depict the whole display in one image or movie.
Dinner at Godly Vegetarian Restaurant on January 14, 2010
The small outpost of Godly (Gongdelin) Vegetarian Restaurant near us.
Vegetarian wontons. The filling was shepherd's purse and, perhaps, other green vegetables. The broth was surprising clean-tasting, not msg- or salt- laden like other wonton soups we've had in Shanghai. (I think it was mushroom broth.) In an unusual turn of events, I liked this dish the most of the three. (Di Yin almost always wants and likes wontons more than I.)
Vegetarian "sea cucumber" with mixed mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, bamboo shoots in a clay pot. Di Yin liked this dish the most of the three (though we generally enjoyed all the dishes). The vegetables resting on the clay pot itself were so hot, it was easy to burn one's tongue.
Stir-fried shepherd's purse with winter bamboo. Interestingly, the waitress asked us whether we wanted canned bamboo or fresh. We enjoyed the fresh shepherd's purse, especially after I added a little salt to the dish.
The small outpost of Godly (Gongdelin) Vegetarian Restaurant near us.
Vegetarian wontons. The filling was shepherd's purse and, perhaps, other green vegetables. The broth was surprising clean-tasting, not msg- or salt- laden like other wonton soups we've had in Shanghai. (I think it was mushroom broth.) In an unusual turn of events, I liked this dish the most of the three. (Di Yin almost always wants and likes wontons more than I.)
Vegetarian "sea cucumber" with mixed mushrooms, bok choy, carrots, bamboo shoots in a clay pot. Di Yin liked this dish the most of the three (though we generally enjoyed all the dishes). The vegetables resting on the clay pot itself were so hot, it was easy to burn one's tongue.
Stir-fried shepherd's purse with winter bamboo. Interestingly, the waitress asked us whether we wanted canned bamboo or fresh. We enjoyed the fresh shepherd's purse, especially after I added a little salt to the dish.
Lunch at Godly Vegetarian Restaurant on January 16, 2010
"Vegetarian duck with fragrant mushrooms and Shanghai vegetable." Served chilled. The "duck" is composed of layers of tofu skin, flavored mostly with soy. Quite good; it reminded me that I like fake duck more than the cold real duck one finds at carry-out stands in Shanghai. Accompanied by tasty (shiitake?) mushrooms and baby bok choy.
The same green vegetable and herb filled wontons as before. I think the fresh cilantro really contributes to the dish.
"Vegetarian duck with fragrant mushrooms and Shanghai vegetable." Served chilled. The "duck" is composed of layers of tofu skin, flavored mostly with soy. Quite good; it reminded me that I like fake duck more than the cold real duck one finds at carry-out stands in Shanghai. Accompanied by tasty (shiitake?) mushrooms and baby bok choy.
The same green vegetable and herb filled wontons as before. I think the fresh cilantro really contributes to the dish.
Dinner at Japanese BBQ Joint on January 16, 2010
Di Yin grilling some meat: short ribs and hot short ribs. Also note the big bottle of Tsing Tao beer. I liked the hot short ribs better because I thought they were a better cut of meat. Di Yin didn't like the marinate and thus preferred the regular short ribs. I'm not sure either were as good as the "premium" short ribs we had last time. The dipping sauces were a sweet ginger thing, a soy one with a twist of lemon, and a vinegar one. I preferred the soy one until late in the meal. Then, my taste shifted to the sweet ginger one.
Beef carpaccio, sliced potato, sliced Japanese pumpkin, and shiitake mushrooms.
Fish. Capelin (similar to herring), salmon, and sablefish (in Chinese: silver snow fish).
The same delicious salad as before.
Di Yin grilling some meat: short ribs and hot short ribs. Also note the big bottle of Tsing Tao beer. I liked the hot short ribs better because I thought they were a better cut of meat. Di Yin didn't like the marinate and thus preferred the regular short ribs. I'm not sure either were as good as the "premium" short ribs we had last time. The dipping sauces were a sweet ginger thing, a soy one with a twist of lemon, and a vinegar one. I preferred the soy one until late in the meal. Then, my taste shifted to the sweet ginger one.
Beef carpaccio, sliced potato, sliced Japanese pumpkin, and shiitake mushrooms.
Fish. Capelin (similar to herring), salmon, and sablefish (in Chinese: silver snow fish).
The same delicious salad as before.
No Picture Associated With These Comments
We ordered a lot more than I photographed, including other beef, spiced burdock root and a root vegetable much like yucca. We also ordered multiple dishes of some of the things I photographed. We ate a ton.
Dinner at Godly Vegetarian Restaurant on January 18, 2010
I had the salted imitation pork (and vegetable) rice, accompanied with an imitation chicken patty and shiitake mushrooms. The rice was thoroughly satisfying, and not oily like salted pork rice can be. I was also happy with the mushrooms and the tofu patty, though the latter didn't taste--or look, obviously--like chicken. Di Yin had wonton soup.
I had the salted imitation pork (and vegetable) rice, accompanied with an imitation chicken patty and shiitake mushrooms. The rice was thoroughly satisfying, and not oily like salted pork rice can be. I was also happy with the mushrooms and the tofu patty, though the latter didn't taste--or look, obviously--like chicken.
Di Yin had wonton soup.
Dinner at "Sapar" Uyghur Restaurant on January 21, 2010
"Sapar"'s outdoor oven that's used to bake naan.
Inside the restaurant. Our waiter is at left. Di Yin's on the phone. I like the carpets hanging on the walls, even if the pattern isn't Uyghur.
Ding ding fried noodles, a traditional Xinjiang dish. Spaetzle-like pasta, cooked al dente (i.e., relatively dense center, slightly springy). The sauce is a hearty meat, pepper, and celery tomato sauce, a bit spicy. A bit too oily for both of us, though we nevertheless finished it.
The menu entry for ding ding fried noodles.
"Sapar"'s outdoor oven that's used to bake naan.
Inside the restaurant. Our waiter is at left. Di Yin's on the phone. I like the carpets hanging on the walls, even if the pattern isn't Uyghur.
Ding ding fried noodles, a traditional Xinjiang dish. Spaetzle-like pasta, cooked al dente (i.e., relatively dense center, slightly springy). The sauce is a hearty meat, pepper, and celery tomato sauce, a bit spicy. A bit too oily for both of us, though we nevertheless finished it.
The menu entry for ding ding fried noodles.
Chicken (tasty, full of broth flavor), potatoes, noodles (again al dente), peppers, and chilies. I don't like the uncooked peppers, but Di Yin thinks they made a nice contrast with the soft, cooked item. I thought the noodles in this dish were the best part of the meal.
The previous dish, officially called "Xinjian Delicious Chicken in Spicy." The Chinese translates as Xinjiang big dish of chicken. (Actually, regardless of the previous dish looking large, we ordered the small version.) (da4 pan2 ji1)
Dense, slightly sweet naan. I like the flavor of sesame seeds.
The naan's menu entry.
Chicken (tasty, full of broth flavor), potatoes, noodles (again al dente), peppers, and chilies. I don't like the uncooked peppers, but Di Yin thinks they made a nice contrast with the soft, cooked item. I thought the noodles in this dish were the best part of the meal.
The previous dish, officially called "Xinjian Delicious Chicken in Spicy." The Chinese translates as Xinjiang big dish of chicken. (Actually, regardless of the previous dish looking large, we ordered the small version.) (da4 pan2 ji1)
Dense, slightly sweet naan. I like the flavor of sesame seeds.
The naan's menu entry.