Pier 39

It is interesting in Shanghai that a city-themed restaurant should be based upon San Francisco, California. Pier 39 aims to bring what is San Francisco, including the clam chowder in a bread bowl. Other items on the menu are sandwiches, salads, and pastas. The salads and most of the sandwiches included avocado, a staple part of Californian fare. They also serve smoothies which are large and match its price. Come to think of it, the portions at this restaurant are large and you get more for what you pay for.


This clam chowder is barely passable. The only redeeming quality of the soup is that there are chunks of clam and it is still piping hot to the last drop. The soup is thickened with pureed potato and tastes like it instead of a creamy base thickened with roux. The other disappointment is the bread bowl, which is a French round instead of sourdough. Do they even sell sourdough in Shanghai? Perhaps someone should bring some bread yeasts over and the old wooden barrel in which to cure the dough to China so Pier 39 could at least get the crusty sourdough part so characteristic of "clam chowder in a bread bowl." The sandwiches on ciabatta bread look more exciting than how this chowder tasted.

The decor is charming and seats are comfortable, making it better for a cup o' Joe instead of San Franciscan comfort food.
Pier 39. 172 Jinxian Lu (near Maoming Lu). 进贤路172号 (茂名路) Shanghai, China