Shanghai
Travelling to Shanghai and checking out the expat lifestyle. United Airlines is advertising direct flights from LAX to Shanghai but I will have to wait until May. On this trip, I had hoped to upgrade to Business using miles but it wasn’t meant to be. :( At least there was free food and booze to make the time fly faster in Economy. It also helped that I didn't sleep the night before which made me super tired on the plane. Pudong Airport is the airport for Shanghai. From my understanding, it is a relatively new airport due to the growing economies in Shanghai. Went through customs fairly easily and the process was efficient. Free wireless in the airport which is great as long as you want to read email only. With the "great firewall", many popular Western websites can be blocked here. Since I was visiting a corporate expat, a driver picked us up and drove out to the Luwan district staying at Legend Apartments, a popular apartment tower with expats and affluent Shangainese. From what I hear, foreigners aren’t allowed to drive or if they can it is very very expensive. On the road, I noticed a lot of black Buicks and VW Passats were cars of choice for drivers.
On my first day, I wandered in the neighborhood to the French Concession area where street stalls were abundant. I didn't recognize any of the food and randomly bought some things to snack on. Pancake like pastries and baos filled with unknown fillings were very popular. I did wish I knew some Chinese to ask what was inside.
Grabbed lunch at Di Shui Dong on 2/F, 56 Maoming Nan Lu, near Changle Lu. I found it through Smart Shanghai's website. It is Hunan style food and it was ok. Not spicy but nothing out of this world. The dish most talked about, the beef spareribs, was a little on the dry side and I didn't find the dishes that spicy.
In the afternoon, went over to Nanshi district and visited the Fabric Market. With tailor recommendations in hand, I ordered several tailored suit jackets and shirts. They are also able to turn around the clothes in a few days. In comparison to my experience in Hong Kong, quality was better and prices were cheaper.
For dinner, went to Ya Wang Oa Jiou Quian,better known as Duck King to westerners, at 77 Jiangning Lu, near Fengyang Lu. The specialty is Peking duck and I had plenty of it! For the bao in Peking duck, it came in the tortilla style. Next time, I'd opt for the bun version instead. I usually don’t find the tortilla version as appealing. I would also advise that the portions are made for two people unless you order other entrees. This is a local chain in Shanghai and there are five other locations in the city.
The second day, I went out to the Pudong area where most of the major international companies headquarter. While waiting for my friend, I hung out at a Starbucks near to Shanghai GM HQ. This particular location caters to many expat families as I saw moms with kids hanging out here. This particular Starbucks is a two level complex and serves food and drinks in silverware and cups if you eat on the premises. Pretty cool to see people sipping from Starbucks mugs while enjoying their muffins. :) I have a friend in the States who would LOVE this place since Starbucks is his second home. I also found the pastries offered here of better quality than the US version – chocolate raspberry muffin excellent, oat caramel bread pudding tasty, and red bean scone delicious.
Went to KyonChon for lunch and had korean chicken wings. I was first introduced to this chain when I visited New York. It seems that they established a location in the Pudong area, in Thumb Plaza. I visited the Haagen-Daz next door and completely forgot to get my ice cream crispy sandwich. Haagen-Daz doesn't offer it in the States and I will have to get it at another time.
Before heading out to dinner, went out to Carrefour to grab some household supplies. It looks like a Chinese Wal-Mart but the local businesses are still cheaper than this place. I did notice that most electronics were more expensive than in the US as was appliances. The only thing I saw that was cheaper here was rice cookers. If you ever get a chance to buy them in Asia, I would recommend. A small rice cooker was $10 US versus $20 US in the states. The $20 US version is absolutely inferior to the $10 US chinese version.
Met some other expats at the Skyline Bar & Terrace. Happy hour specials here tend to be a buy one get one free variety around here and my group capitalized on that deal promptly. Excellent lychee martinis here. Afterwards, went to a restaurant where I was told they had excellent braised catfish in spicy oils. I didn't catch the name of the restaurant but if you can read chinese, the name is in the picture above. Food was good but I did find it a little oily. I also noticed that rice in Shanghai tended to be short grain and a little mushy. Before turning in for the night, grabbed a nightcap at Kaiba bar down the street. A very cool bar, they specialized in foreign beers.
On my third day, I went out to Ikea. I have read in newspapers how the Chinese view Ikea as a weird amusement park. I didn’t see it but I did come during unpopular hours. The café was packed though, I’ve never seen so many people wanting to eat Swedish meatballs. For the price, food was cheap.
Afterwards, grabbed lunch at Crystal Jade restaurant at South Block Xintiandi, 2nd Floor - 12A&B, Nanli 6-7 Lane 123 Xinye Road, by Madang Road(in the modern mall at the back of Xintiandi, it is up one flight by escalator). By far, my best meal in Shanghai. Dumplings, pork belly, and garlic pork ribs were the highlights of the meal. Pricey for Shanghai, I would recommend visiting the restaurant and the area is good for people watching. I saw two Ferraris on the streets, very high end stores completely empty with bored salespeople. All the high end malls in Shanghai doesn't seem to be attracting any customers.
Wandered over to the Bund to walk off the many calories consumed at lunch. The river isn’t super clean and the view is hazy from the smog but the view is quite nice.
For dinner, went to Gourmet Café munching on burgers and shakes. Beef in China is very expensive and Australian beef is a common import. The burgers were decent but the spiked milkshakes and martinis are very good. Afterwards, went to the I love Shanghai bar at 2/F, 1788 Xinzha Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu. Free pool, it has a local bar feel with an interesting mix of expats inside.
On my fourth day, grabbed a light snack at McDonald’s before visiting Yu Gardens. Followed the advice of my Frommer’s travel guide and went early in the morning to avoid the crowds. The surrounding streets are a tourist trap with vendors trying to get you to buy watches or camera batteries. Yu Garden is an impressive facility, I would give it a couple of hours to walk through the entire area. If you are interested in shopping in the area, I would say give it a half day. For lunch, went to Tai Thai at Tianzifang, Lane 248 Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu. The lychee martini was a bit too strong for my taste, the beef salad was excellent, and the duck curry was good (duck was a little tough but the curry sauce was excellent in taste and spiciness).
Went back to the Fabric market to pick up my tailored clothes. I was a bit early for one order and killed some time back in Xintiandi at a Haagen-Daz. I took this opportunity to get my crispy ice cream sandwich. I did notice that afternoon tea is very popular at the local ice cream and coffee places. My eyes popped out at the cost of high tea at Haagen-Daz. Then again, Haagen-Daz internationally is a sit down formal ice creamery place than their US counterparts. I did find it interesting that at every Haagen-Daz, I saw a Coldstone Creamery around the corner. The same with Starbucks and Peet’s.
For my last night, opted to stay in and cook. Visited the local grocery store catering to expats and grabbed some food. American products were really expensive, a bag of Doritos was $6US. YIKES! Coke was the only exception as a bottle of soda was $0.50 US.
The two things I took away from this trip is that:
1. Chinese people really don't care about traffic rules. The pedestrians, scooters, cars, and buses all seem to go when they want without regard to others. I've seen scooters jump onto sidewalks if they are going to be stopped by traffic or even the traffic light. No one stops at a red light if they are turning right which doesn't quite make sense to me. Finally, pedestrians are lucky that the speed limits here are low because they are standing in the middle of the road like Frogger trying to cross the street.
2. Censorship in China is pretty funny. Internet sites are blocked if the government finds out that it can be used as political propoganda. Blogging and discussion boards are pretty much banned, Facebook - don't even think about it. I've been told that movies are routinely edited down if it is too violent. Really, how can anything be too violent for the Chinese? :p
On my first day, I wandered in the neighborhood to the French Concession area where street stalls were abundant. I didn't recognize any of the food and randomly bought some things to snack on. Pancake like pastries and baos filled with unknown fillings were very popular. I did wish I knew some Chinese to ask what was inside.
Grabbed lunch at Di Shui Dong on 2/F, 56 Maoming Nan Lu, near Changle Lu. I found it through Smart Shanghai's website. It is Hunan style food and it was ok. Not spicy but nothing out of this world. The dish most talked about, the beef spareribs, was a little on the dry side and I didn't find the dishes that spicy.
In the afternoon, went over to Nanshi district and visited the Fabric Market. With tailor recommendations in hand, I ordered several tailored suit jackets and shirts. They are also able to turn around the clothes in a few days. In comparison to my experience in Hong Kong, quality was better and prices were cheaper.
For dinner, went to Ya Wang Oa Jiou Quian,better known as Duck King to westerners, at 77 Jiangning Lu, near Fengyang Lu. The specialty is Peking duck and I had plenty of it! For the bao in Peking duck, it came in the tortilla style. Next time, I'd opt for the bun version instead. I usually don’t find the tortilla version as appealing. I would also advise that the portions are made for two people unless you order other entrees. This is a local chain in Shanghai and there are five other locations in the city.
The second day, I went out to the Pudong area where most of the major international companies headquarter. While waiting for my friend, I hung out at a Starbucks near to Shanghai GM HQ. This particular location caters to many expat families as I saw moms with kids hanging out here. This particular Starbucks is a two level complex and serves food and drinks in silverware and cups if you eat on the premises. Pretty cool to see people sipping from Starbucks mugs while enjoying their muffins. :) I have a friend in the States who would LOVE this place since Starbucks is his second home. I also found the pastries offered here of better quality than the US version – chocolate raspberry muffin excellent, oat caramel bread pudding tasty, and red bean scone delicious.
Went to KyonChon for lunch and had korean chicken wings. I was first introduced to this chain when I visited New York. It seems that they established a location in the Pudong area, in Thumb Plaza. I visited the Haagen-Daz next door and completely forgot to get my ice cream crispy sandwich. Haagen-Daz doesn't offer it in the States and I will have to get it at another time.
Before heading out to dinner, went out to Carrefour to grab some household supplies. It looks like a Chinese Wal-Mart but the local businesses are still cheaper than this place. I did notice that most electronics were more expensive than in the US as was appliances. The only thing I saw that was cheaper here was rice cookers. If you ever get a chance to buy them in Asia, I would recommend. A small rice cooker was $10 US versus $20 US in the states. The $20 US version is absolutely inferior to the $10 US chinese version.
Met some other expats at the Skyline Bar & Terrace. Happy hour specials here tend to be a buy one get one free variety around here and my group capitalized on that deal promptly. Excellent lychee martinis here. Afterwards, went to a restaurant where I was told they had excellent braised catfish in spicy oils. I didn't catch the name of the restaurant but if you can read chinese, the name is in the picture above. Food was good but I did find it a little oily. I also noticed that rice in Shanghai tended to be short grain and a little mushy. Before turning in for the night, grabbed a nightcap at Kaiba bar down the street. A very cool bar, they specialized in foreign beers.
On my third day, I went out to Ikea. I have read in newspapers how the Chinese view Ikea as a weird amusement park. I didn’t see it but I did come during unpopular hours. The café was packed though, I’ve never seen so many people wanting to eat Swedish meatballs. For the price, food was cheap.
Afterwards, grabbed lunch at Crystal Jade restaurant at South Block Xintiandi, 2nd Floor - 12A&B, Nanli 6-7 Lane 123 Xinye Road, by Madang Road(in the modern mall at the back of Xintiandi, it is up one flight by escalator). By far, my best meal in Shanghai. Dumplings, pork belly, and garlic pork ribs were the highlights of the meal. Pricey for Shanghai, I would recommend visiting the restaurant and the area is good for people watching. I saw two Ferraris on the streets, very high end stores completely empty with bored salespeople. All the high end malls in Shanghai doesn't seem to be attracting any customers.
Wandered over to the Bund to walk off the many calories consumed at lunch. The river isn’t super clean and the view is hazy from the smog but the view is quite nice.
For dinner, went to Gourmet Café munching on burgers and shakes. Beef in China is very expensive and Australian beef is a common import. The burgers were decent but the spiked milkshakes and martinis are very good. Afterwards, went to the I love Shanghai bar at 2/F, 1788 Xinzha Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu. Free pool, it has a local bar feel with an interesting mix of expats inside.
On my fourth day, grabbed a light snack at McDonald’s before visiting Yu Gardens. Followed the advice of my Frommer’s travel guide and went early in the morning to avoid the crowds. The surrounding streets are a tourist trap with vendors trying to get you to buy watches or camera batteries. Yu Garden is an impressive facility, I would give it a couple of hours to walk through the entire area. If you are interested in shopping in the area, I would say give it a half day. For lunch, went to Tai Thai at Tianzifang, Lane 248 Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu. The lychee martini was a bit too strong for my taste, the beef salad was excellent, and the duck curry was good (duck was a little tough but the curry sauce was excellent in taste and spiciness).
Went back to the Fabric market to pick up my tailored clothes. I was a bit early for one order and killed some time back in Xintiandi at a Haagen-Daz. I took this opportunity to get my crispy ice cream sandwich. I did notice that afternoon tea is very popular at the local ice cream and coffee places. My eyes popped out at the cost of high tea at Haagen-Daz. Then again, Haagen-Daz internationally is a sit down formal ice creamery place than their US counterparts. I did find it interesting that at every Haagen-Daz, I saw a Coldstone Creamery around the corner. The same with Starbucks and Peet’s.
For my last night, opted to stay in and cook. Visited the local grocery store catering to expats and grabbed some food. American products were really expensive, a bag of Doritos was $6US. YIKES! Coke was the only exception as a bottle of soda was $0.50 US.
The two things I took away from this trip is that:
1. Chinese people really don't care about traffic rules. The pedestrians, scooters, cars, and buses all seem to go when they want without regard to others. I've seen scooters jump onto sidewalks if they are going to be stopped by traffic or even the traffic light. No one stops at a red light if they are turning right which doesn't quite make sense to me. Finally, pedestrians are lucky that the speed limits here are low because they are standing in the middle of the road like Frogger trying to cross the street.
2. Censorship in China is pretty funny. Internet sites are blocked if the government finds out that it can be used as political propoganda. Blogging and discussion boards are pretty much banned, Facebook - don't even think about it. I've been told that movies are routinely edited down if it is too violent. Really, how can anything be too violent for the Chinese? :p
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