Jishi or Jesse

The original Jesse. Not New Jesse. Just Jishi (the sign outside says Jesse) or "Old Jesse." The small restaurant split on two low-ceiling levels is famous for its Shanghainese food. After reading so much about it, I finally was able to make reservations at the original location. There were two seatings and we opted for the later one at 19:30. Upon arrival, we were asked to wait a moment before our party of four was crammed into a corner table on the second floor surrounded by tables holding larger parties.

The menu has a poor English translation and could use a pinyin one as well, which could help food travelers pick out the dishes that they hear about. Regardless, the server is able to recommend popular Shanghainese dishes, most of which sat on every table in the restaurant.

The first cold starter was mixed mushrooms and shredded tofu. The tofu had a wonderful, almost meaty texture and hid the the mushrooms hiding underneath in a bath of vinegar and light oil. The dish was light and very satisfying.


This was followed by cold chicken, which was extremely tender and moist, maintaining a subtle, although not bland flavor.


Then came the dates with glutinous rice. This is classically Shanghainese being subtley sweet, yet savory. It was a sweet contrast to the cold chicken and more salty shredded tofu.


The best part of the meal was the Hong Shou Rou or red-braised pork belly. The sauce was thick and sweet with mild caramelization. This is Mao's favorite dish and tasting it, you know why. Bowls of rice where ordered to soak up the sweet and savory sauce the pork meat was stewing in. This is the one of the best hongshourou dishes I have tried, especially since the sauce was thick and dark as well as not being so oily as other versions.


It seemed like the same sauce was used in the Jishi fish, which was charged for per jin or 500 grams. The fish was not overcooked, still tender and moist. The disappointing factor was that the sauce was too similar to that of the hongshourou, which would have otherwise expanded the flavor palette of the night.


The meal was rounded off with some basic stir-fried greens, which were not as exciting nor common as the watercress. Unfortunately for the small table of non-native speakers, the proper name was not remembered at the time of ordering. We also missed out on the river shrimp. But there will always be a next time.

To be honest, I am not sure if they add MSG to the dishes, which most restaurants in China do, but each bite was totally addictive and you cannot help but serve yourself one more small bite. Old Jesse was absolutely amazing, especially if you want a Shanghainese gastronomic experience. It is not the fanciest sit-down restaurant, but the original Jesse is dependable for excellent, affordable Shanghainese food.

Jesse Restaurant. 41 Tianping Road (Middle Huaihai Road) 天平路41号 (近淮海中路), Shanghai, People's Republic of China..

Pizza ToGo

The comfort of a good Mexican burrito is hard to come by in Shanghai. At the back of a copy shop is a little door with a poster menu proving the existence of Pizza ToGo (or Pizza To Go). There are no tables inside the copy shop. Aside from the poster and small sign on the outside, a passerby would not know of its existence. The "Cal-Mex" burritos get the food chit chat rolling as expats hankering for some cheap Mexican outside of the Chipotle fakery Cantina Agave totes. After an afternoon drink at Cottons, it seemed to be high time to go around the corner and check out what has been raved about.

The prices at Pizza ToGo are cheap. Really cheap. Probably the cheapest burrito in Shanghai with Teotihuacan already being cheap. Although pizza fits its namesake, that day was about the Cal-Mex, "a taste of home without the cost!" Looks good. The burritos range from 18-35RMB depending on if you want the 10 or 12-inch size. Quesadillas were more expensive ranging from 35RMB for the 10-inch cheese to 55RMB for the 12-inch steak (The chorizo quesadilla at Teotihuacan is only 12RMB and quite filling). The menu also displays hot dogs, milk tea, fresh juice, smoothies, chili cheese fries, and other American fast-food treats. After placing the order, the woman tells us in a mixture of Chinese and English

The large chicken burrito is enormous at 30RMB. It is probably better eaten with a fork and knife because of its size. Seeing as the difference between the big and small burritos are 2 inches of tortilla, the small burrito would already be satiating enough. The sight of a real flour tortilla is promising. The first bite reveals seasoned chicken, basic salsa fresca, lima beans, and a lot of rice (you can also get it with cheese, but this was omitted from the order). Actually, the bulk of the burrito is rice, but the rice was good. The chicken was also not too dry. The beans were slightly underdone and the fresh salsa left something to be desired (maybe a jalapeño or two) lacking the spice or punch to give a burrito an extra kick. It would have been better with refried black beans and the option of adding your own hot sauce, salsa verde, or whichever salsa is preferred. This burrito is more of a Cal-Mex quick fix than exciting


The quesadilla was somewhat of a disaster, barely being held together by the fake spray cheese. The texture of the cheese was more gooey than melted, but had a hint of spice to its artificial flavor. It came with bell peppers and mushrooms, which were evenly abundant throughout the quesadilla. The cheese part was just unsatisfying, proving once again how difficult it is to get decent cheese in China.

The woman informed us that there was another location on Wuyi Lu and that Pizza ToGo does free delivery within 2km with a 30RMB order. Pizza ToGo offers a better, cheap option for a Cal-Mex fix, especially if you want to order in.




Pizza ToGo. No. 193 Wulumuqi Nan Lu, Xuhui District. Delivery: 6431-2378 or 15000414787 for English / SMS. 10:30-22:30.

Eggs Benedict at Osteria

After reading this article on eggs benedict on CityWeekend, I decided I must brunch at Osteria (another Vargas venture) to try their version of eggs benedict, available only during weekend brunch. It was also the cheaper option of the three. Since Greg Gilvison had me try his version of eggs benedict at Kabb, I have acquired a taste for those runny yolks.

For 58rmb, you can order the eggs benedict a la carte. The two poached eggs can come with either salmon, prosciutto (Osteria is Italian), or spinach (eggs florentine). The servers let you mix and match so I elected for the salmon and the spinach.


The plate came out looking impressive. Along with the eggs sitting on Italian bread, there was a small rocket salad with a few grape tomatoes and grilled potatoes. The eggs benedict were generously doused in a rich, creamy, deep yellow hollandaise sauce and sprinkled with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt. The hollandaise sauce was just tangy enough from the lemon juice, but the citrus presence was not over-powering. The bread was already absorbing the bulk of the sauce. Peeking under the eggs, the salmon is cooked all the way through and still moist.

Cracking into the eggs, it was incredibly disappointing to find that the yolks were cooked all the way through and not gooey or oozing in anyway. Perhaps this was a good sign considering the bread was hitting its maximum absorption point from the hollandaise sauce and the slight fact that the eggs may not have been drained thoroughly enough. Otherwise, the bread would have turned into a semi-solid mushy mass. In any case, seeing that the yolks were cooked to a solid state decreased the excitement of the meal. The salmon not only did look moist, but indeed was and had a buttery smoked flavor. The spinach could have had a larger presence in the dish so each bite could be an even combination of egg, hollandaise sauce, bread and spinach. However, the portion of salmon was generous to go around. A few of the potatoes got hit by the hollandaise sauce, but were tough on the outside, which made each bite unsatisfyingly chewy.

Do classic eggs benedict have runny or solid egg yolks? My experience has seen more of the first than the latter. This should be confirmed...

I am not sure if I will go back to Osteria for their eggs benedict - though the hollandaise was nice - but I should try the oyster Tuesday special.

Osteria. 226 Jinxian Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu 进贤路226号, 近陕西南路. Shanghai, People's Republic of China

Noodle Bull on Fumin Lu

Practically every expat I encountered in Shanghai raves about Noodle Bull. It is also cheap at 26rmb for a bowl of noodles and around 5rmb for an assortment of sides like tofu. “Noodle Bull is so good!” “Oh! You have to try Noodle Bull!” Okay, okay. I’m going.

I met a friend there after work and sat down at the communal tables where your menu is rolled up in a vase. The interior is minimalistic with wood furnishing and a large mirror at the back giving the illusion the restaurant is bigger than it is. The holistic, natural look goes with the theme of taking a health-minded approach and omitting MSG. Apparently, there is free wifi considering the number of diners with their laptops out.

I ordered the spicy beef noodle soup with 1.5mm hand-pulled noodles (you can also choose hand-sliced noodles or 5mm hand-pulled noodles) and got some tofu to share. The tofu was quite nice in texture and absorbed the flavor of the sauce it was marinated in.


Out came the noodles. It looked good. There were nice hunks of beef in there. It looked like it should be really good.


It wasn’t. The flavor of the broth was flat, tasting more watered down than anything. Maybe this impression was due to all the MSG-laden food you get in Shanghai. But it did not help that the flavor of the broth was lacking in any body or richness you would expect out of a Taiwanese soup. Where was the flavor? This seeped into the characteristics of the noodles and vegetables, which were also flavorless. I ordered the spicy soup and it did not taste spicy in the least. The only item in my bowl that carried any weight was the few, but tasty pieces of meat.


Was it a bad soup day? Did the stock not marinate enough? Is my Chinese palate becoming more MSG-dependent? Either way, the meal was completely disappointing aside from the tofu and the few pieces of beef. Someone convince me again why Noodle Bull is so good.

Noodle Bull. 1f3b, No.291 Fumin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. 上海市徐匯區富民路291號悟錦世紀大樓1F3B

Nero di Seppia da Shanghai

I went to Luna Bianca before at the recommendation of a long-time expat hanging around Taikang Lu for a good pizza. Whilst there, this girl was eating a black squid ink pasta and it was dying her mouth black. When she opened her mouth, her teeth were washed over with black and her lips painted. It was quite a sight. Her family members made a lot of fun of her. She looked embarrassed at first, but completely dominated the whole meal. I could smell that sweet black ink from where I was sitting.

Went back again a few weeks later on a solo mission. Once seated, the server greeted me with a small selection of bread, which looks like excess pizza dough reformed and thrown in the oven. The tagliatelle came out deep black from the squid ink sauce. It was so black, the plate was dyed. There were chunks of squid, whole mussels, and some shrimp nestled in the pasta. It existence was almost denied to the eye from the deep, jet-black mess. After one bite, I wiped my mouth and the napkin revealed a sauce so dark it was like a black fountain pen exploded in my mouth. Oh my. That is a mess. I did not think this could be possible with nero di seppia. The bits of seafood were plentiful though seemingly hidden and not overcooked. The black ink sauce was smooth, slightly sweet, and savory with a deep flavor from the seafood.

Tagliatelle al nero di seppia dyes everything black inside and out. Literally. It was an unusual gastronomic experience. However, the meal was thoroughly enjoyable and challenged a palate used to tomato, cream, and pesto based sauces.

Luna Bianca. 38, Lane 155 Jian Guo Zhong Lu 建国中路155弄38号. Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

hoF

It is easy to buy cake in Shanghai, but getting good cake in Shanghai is another story. On a rainy night, hoF beckoned with its promises of chocolate cake and selected cocktails. Food and Wine even lists hoF as a taste to try.

hoF is a small place on Sinan Road, right of Middle Huaihai Road and nestled between a throng of other expat-oriented restaurants and shops. Brian Tan was behind the counter calmly overseeing the barely lit dessert and cocktail lounge and greeting regular patrons with a neighborly "hello." There is a small display case featuring pre-cut portions of desserts, expensive chocolates, truffles, and gelato on one side with a seating area on the other, crammed with people.


The most popular item in the display case recommended by several people surrounding the dessert bar is the Orange Mud Cake with Caramel and Sea Salt (36rmb). It is a simple, moist chocolate cake with hints of orange with a thick layer of caramel on top sprinkled with coarse sea salt and bits of candied orange rind. The orange flavor is not overwhelming, but enhances the chocolate. The sea salt brings out the flavor of the caramel by countering the sweetness.


The Chocolate Caramel Mousse cake (35rmb) had different layers of cake, mousse, and a particularly thick caramel. As a caramel fan, I preferred this cake because the flavor was varied depending on how you cut into the layers with your fork.


The Chocolate Sinan Lu was revealed to be a dense chocolate cake baked in a ramekin with a lovely cherry flavor. On top was a large dollop of what seemed to be marscapone. This specialty plated dessert is only exciting if you want a simple chocolate cake.


The Italian hot chocolate was so thick that it hung onto the spoon. It was not served piping hot as you would get from the hot chocolate in Spain that accompanies the churros at Valor, but was not too sweet and had a subtle hint of chocolate bitterness. The hot chocolate was better consumed with a spoon than sipping since its cooled temperature caused the hot chocolate to solidify.

The desserts were surprisingly reasonably priced, especially in relation to the decor of the place, which usually dictates price in China. This should be the dessert spot to visit in Shanghai.

Drinking Around the Expo

CNNgo posted an article today about doing a pub crawl at the Shanghai World Expo site. Frenzied Palate mentioned such a thing before the Expo even opened! If this is the case, I hope that someone will print a map soon along with every offering and price of each spot at the Expo site to imbibe.

10RMB mojitos? Yes, please!

Shanghai is a city of indulgence, especially in regards to cheap drinks. SmartShanghai had on the listing of Azul 10RMB mojitos from 18:00 until close (though now the restaurant has in writing "until 23:00") on Monday nights. Who cannot pass that up?

The reputable brunch is the usual selling point to come to Azul, but 10RMB mojitos is also a draw. The bartender gave us a laminated menu with the varities of mojitos we could select from including ones with mango and lychee, but we stuck to the classic mojito. The bartender muddled the mint, lime, sugar, and rum in the glass itself before topping it off with some club soda. The mojito was properly sweet, using light brown cane sugar instead of white. It was slightly spritzy, but could have used the tartness known in the lime varieties available in North and Central America. The mint was alright, but such flavor is what you get given the local produce in China. The lime and mint varieties are just different.

Surprisingly, the mojitos were getting progressively stronger with each order. One would expect almost the opposite. Each following lowball glass tasted more and more like rum. These mojitos are worth going out for, even if it was a Monday night. And the drinks are way better than what you would get at Zapatas with their drink special of free beer 10-11pm for guys and unlimited margaritas that taste like lime slushies.

Spring has established itself in Shanghai and made its presence known. Mojitos in warmer weather is perfect to celebrate the season. Now if only Azul had a terraza.

Azul. 18 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu. 东平路18号, 近衡山路. Shanghai, People's Republic of China.

Túmén Cháo Kǎo 图门串烤

From the shadows barbecue hawkers come out with their coal grills and boxes of skewers for late night eats. Some places have a stand outside that will do it for you. At Túmén Cháo Kǎo 图门串烤, you can grill your own barbecue yourself. My Shanghainese colleague informs me that Túmén is in the northeast region of China and that the name of the place means "Túmén a lot of barbecue."

The restaurant is small with little ventilation so it is better to get a table in the front room or by the door. This will help from not coming out of the restaurant smelling like barbecue. Each table has its own grill where fresh coals are places along with a few embers and is then covered to heat up to an appropriate temperature. You place the skewers on top of the grill to start cooking. The restaurant gives you cloth napkins practically soley for the use of protecting yourself from the jumping embers and sparks shooting out of the coal grill whilst cooking.

To order, the server hands you a checklist of all the possible varities of meat and veg you can order and you just note how many you want of each. The price is also included on the menu ranging from .5-6rmb per skewer. If you need it, they have an English menu, but each line does not necessarily match the Chinese-only menu to the exact point, so you have to make sure that the characters match. Also, there were a few items on the menu that are not translated. We chose a selection of beef, spicy beef, lamb, lamb on bone, green beans, shiitake mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, chicken hearts, chicken wings, bread, aubergine, peppers, and other random items.


At each table is a shaker of salt, cumin, and a spicy powder, which you can sprinkle on your skewer at the desired stage of cooking. In this case, you have control of the entire cooking process. This, however, may be disastrous if you do not pay attention to your skewers causing them to overcook or burn on one side. After cooking on the grill, you can rest the skewers above the flame to keep warm while cooking other skewers at the same time.

Seeing as there were 6 of us, there was a bit of madness. Not enough skewers cooking fast enough for hungry men and all so little. It is however, a very fun and social way of eating. Plus, there is a steady flow of cheap, cold beer to keep everyone happy.

Túmén Cháo Kǎo 图门串烤. 192 Wanhangdu Lu by Wulumuqi Lu. Shanghai, People's Republic of China

The Original Da Marco

The curiosities of an Italian friend on the authenticity of the Italian cuisine Shanghai has to offer led us to Da Marco. The restaurant had been recommended by several Italian-experienced friends and about every single restaurant guide in Shanghai.

The restaurant is hidden on the ground floor of the Golden Bridge Garden hotel to the back and left of the lobby entrance. When you enter, the scenery becomes very Italian and so Western, it seems that there are little to no Chinese influences in the restaurant. The decor gave a feeling that you were definitely in a Western place. The restaurant space is huge and there were people everywhere, even at 21:00 on a mid-week day. Granted, the majority of the diners were not Chinese or other Asian. Reserving a table in advance was definitely advisable.

I allowed my Italian friend to order for the both of us, as an Italian should know what is good to sample. There was a sense of nostalgia in the selection for food from the home country. We had three antipasti, one pasta, and one pizza. There was a chalkboard with the daily specials, but we just ordered off the menu. They also put a big basket of breads and mini bruschetta in front of us, which my friend reacted to in delight as other Western restaurants here never give you enough bread.


To start, we had the buffalo mozzarella with rocket salad (mozzarella di bufala capana), crispy bread with grilled vegetables and melted cheese (verdure alla griglia con scamorza gratinata su crostone di pane), and a sort of aubergine parmegiana. The mozzarella came on top of the rocket and baby tomato salad as a generous ball. The cheese was soft and slightly salty, but definitely locally made instead of imported. Receving fresh shipments of real mozzarella di bufala would be a costly affair, so this is understandable. The grilled vegetables with cheese was not so special, but at least the vegetables were not too oily. The aubergine was really nice though. Grilled slices of aubergine were stacked with slices of cheese (mozzarella it seemed) and had a sauce made of fresh tomatoes (it did not taste preserved or canned). Overall really tasty. With a glass of red wine, we were already feeling full and the pasta and pizza had not arrived yet.

The gnocchi and pasta came at the same time, which we placed between us. The server was attentive enough to bring us two clean plates and set them down in front of each of us at the same time. Service at Da Marco is definitely at a higher standard than most other establishments that cater to foreigners in Shanghai. A server was present when we needed one and did not infringe on the flow of our meal with constant attention. A great balance.


The pizza was huge. I was not sure how we were goign to finish it. The pizza had layers of aubergine with a layer of cheese on top, which was almost exactly like our antipasti but on a different medium. The crust was crispy, yet still thin and emphasized the toppings. If you peek into the kitchen, you can see the giant brick oven that is used to bake the pizza. The homemade gnocchi was perfectly cooked, rich and tasty. Each bite was soft and the spinach cheese pesto melted in your mouth.

The portions were generous enough that we could have done without either the pizza or the pasta. Next time perhaps we should try the second courses (fish, meats, etc) and forgo the carbohydrate overload. Prices were above average, but that is expected of non-Chinese establishments in Shanghai. The value for the food was totally worth it. The entire meal at Da Marco was simple and tasty. My Italian friend gives it a thumbs up for authenticity, especially considering the availability of some ingredients. Da Marco is definitely the prime pick when seeking out a close to authentic Italian meal in Shanghai.

Da Marco. 1/F, Golden Bridge Garden, 103 Dong Zhu'anbang Lu, near Jiangsu Lu. 东渚安浜路103号1楼, 近江苏路. Shanghai, People's Republic of China