Best Pick-Me-Up Dishes

Hey you. It's a little chilly today, a little gray, a little rainy. The only logical thing to do in those conditions- try one of these amazing Shanghai pick-me-up dishes. Enjoy!

AWFULLY CHOCOLATE

SUGAR HIGH

Address: Many venues in the city

Tel:  [phone] 

Price:  Around RMB100 per person

 RMB 160/ 6-inch Whole Cake

Back in 1998, Awfully Chocolate started by selling only one cake - a simple dark chocolate cake with no cream, between layers of dark chocolate fudge. A real cake that one could bite into, rich in taste, yet soft and moist with a light bounce. Made with their own chocolate, the Awfully Chocolate cake delivers a good dark chocolate roast flavor to one's palate, and that, is the taste of real chocolate and real comfort.

Satisfaction Rating:  10/10. Too sweet, too fat, too good.

THE APARTMENT

BURGER & DANCE

Address: 3/F, 47 Yongfu Lu,

Hours:  Daily, 6pm-until late

Tel:  [phone]

Price: RMB 150-200 per person 

 RMB 88 - double bacon and cheese and 2 beef patties

Burgers are considered a go-to when it comes to pick-me-up dish. Especially if it has a lot, lot, lot of cheese. Reach peak non-caringness with these instructions

1 Have a burger with lots of cheese, sauce and meat

2 Grab some sweet cocktails

3 Check this body on the stage

The following day you may find some unexpected things in your bed, people, French fries, whatever. But hey guess what: you aren’t thinking about your China day anymore, problem solved!

Satisfaction Rating:  10/10, fat & alcohol… what else do you need? 

FUNKADELI

CLASSIC WITH A TWIST

Address: 291 Fumin Lu,

Hours:  Daily, 11am-1am

Tel:  [phone]

Price: RMB 150-200 per person 

Ragu Bolognaise RMB65

Funkadeli offers two kinds of lasagna: with meat and  without. The first one is the Ragu Bolognaise, layered along with their home made meat sauce, béchamel and fresh house made pasta. For people with delicate tastes and gourmet palates, vegetarian lasagna. Mixed marinated vegetables, homemade basil pesto and still the same great béchamel. Both are RMB 65 and won’t disappoint. 

Satisfaction Rating: 7/10 because it has cheese, pasta and meat. Great combination 

XO BAR

PIZZA HAPPY HOUR

Address: 237 Hengshan Lu, 1/F

Hours: Daily 5.30 Pm- 12Am

Price: Around RMB200 per person

Pizza of the day RMB60

Try Xo’s irresistible pizza. Get one bite and you understand why it is one of the best town. Their pizza dough is crusty and perfectly baked. No frozen ingredients, taste the difference. The homemade tomato sauce is especially flavorsome with a vivifying taste of the vegetable itself. Finding a good tomato sauce in Shanghai is challenging and here is one of the best, especially in terms of bang-for-the-buck.  Furthermore, they chop a generous portion of mozzarella on the top. For 60RMB it s a great, great deal. Plus wine is cheap and carefully selected. 

Satisfaction Rating:  9/10 cheap, cheesy and tasty, trust us. 

Co. CHEESE MELT BAR

BEER & FRIENDS

Address: 32 Yuyuan Dong Lu, near Changde Lu

Hours: Daily 11.30 Am – 10 PM 

Tel: [phone]

Price: RMB 100 per person 

Cheesy sandwich RMB 50

Co.Cheese is one of the best comfort bars in Shanghai. It’s cute, tiny and regular clients know each other as a big family. The bar tender is super chatty and funny, cool vibes in the place with nutritious cheesy sandwich. Check their online prices too, you will be impressed.  RMB 50 for the sandwich, between RMB 35-50 for a beer.

Satisfaction Rating:  6/10 because a simple beer and cheesy bites are not that guilty. You will recover your smile within the evening, promise! 

HAI DI LAO HOT POT

CHEER UP, CHINESE STYLE

Address: 1068 Beijing Xi Lu, Food Park, 3/F

Hours: Daily 11am-3am

Tel: [phone]

Price: RMB 100 per person 

What is the concept of Hot pot? Eat a lot, drink a lot and gather with a big bunch of friends until late. It’s delicious, but you usually fill up with too much meat and cheap local beers. After all, you feel bad but it is too late. They are ways to eat healthy hot pot, but it is not what you are looking for today. Count on spending around RMB 100 per person. 

Satisfaction Rating:  8/10 because a large amount of food mixed with beers and friends always leaves you happy happy.

UNION TRADING COMPANY

WAKE UP THE BEAST!

Address: Lane 64, Fenyang Lu, No 2

Hours: Daily 6pm-2am

Tel: [phone]

Price: RMB 200 per person 

Sichuan spicy chicken RMB 88

More than a spicy chicken sliders, it’s a legend in the city. A secret weapon of Austin Hu, amazing chef, honestly. The only way to get it on a regularly basis, outside of funky pop-up events they join, is Union Trading. The chicken is perfectly fried with pinches of spice. Reading about it is a waste of time, time you could’ve spent eating it. RMB 50 during happy hour (Mon-Thurs 6pm-8pm) RMB 88 otherwise. 

Rating: 7/10 because fried chicken is an honest way to cheer up, and pure meat wakes up the beast inside of you.  Plus you are in China so you can eat in a dirty way. 

DALIAH

MILK SHAKE

Address: 408 Shaanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing Xi L

Tel: [phone]

Price: RMB100 per person 

Peanut milk shake  RMB 58

Milkshakes is the glorious kid of a threesome between milk, sugar and ice cream. Enjoy guilty slices in the super girly/cutie/creative Daliah’s environment. For reasons we still don’t know, milkshakes are the only cold drinks we enjoy as much in winter as in summer. RMB 58 for this heavenly gift from the gods. 

Satisfaction Rating: 8/10 if you have one glass, 10/10 if you get more. It is easy to swallow your weight of sugar in this way. 

PORCELLINO SALUMERIA ITALIANA

PASTA LIKE MUM'S 

Address: Lane 64, Fenyang Lu, No 2

Hours: Daily 6pm-2am

Tel: [phone]

Price: RMB200 per person 

RMB 168 Lobster Pasta

Pasta is almost always an excellent pick me up dish. At Porcellino the pasta is truly first rate. The lobster pasta especially is well worth the money you’ll spend for it. While the Rigatoni al tartufo gives you a lasting memory .  Tasty, huge portion, reasonable price, reassuring… objective achieved.  RMB 168 for lobster pasta, RMB 108 for the Rigatoni al tartufo.  

Satisfaction Rating: 8/10 cheese, cream and an overdose of rich, savory flavors. 

H.O.F.

PURE HOT CHOCOLATE

Address: 30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu

Hours: Sun-Tue 11am-12am; Thu 11am-12am; Fri-Sat 11am-1am

Tel: [phone]

Price: Around RMB100 per person

Italian thick chocolate RMB40

Chocolate at Hof is a serious business, these guys genuinely love it. Their menu contains nine hot chocolates with different kinds of cocoa beans and cocoa percentages. Don’t hesitate to ask them about that during your order.  They blend coco beans from Venezuela and Vietnam in order to get a complex result that lasts long on the palate. No vanilla or any spice added, only the bold natural flavors. The signature chocolate may be the easiest to access, whereas the Michel Cruizel is for those who love it dark. The thickest is the Italian whereas the one with the high tones of acidity is the Caraibes Single. Chocolate professionals at work here, can’t be disappointed. 

Satisfaction Rating: 9/10 treat yourself with consoling chocolate overdose

LA CABANE

RACLETTE LIKE HOME

Address: 1 Taojiang Lu, near Dongping Lu

Hours: Daily 5Pm- 2 Am 

Tel:  [phone]

Price: Around RMB200 per person

Who’s down for a Raclette? Everybody, almost all the time. What better consolation is there than chewy cheeses. The name Raclette comes from the kind of cheese used, a semi-hard cow's milk type. For RMB 188 you can obtain a total satisfactory load of Raclette cheese along with gherkins, pickled and dried meats, such as ham, plus all the potatoes and salads you could ask for. Let  the games begin.  

Satisfaction Rating: 10/10  but don’t count calories! 

OCEAN GROUNDS

CAFFINE SHOT

Address: 1 Taojiang Lu, near Dongping Lu

Hours: Sun-Thu 8 Am- 12 Am Fri-Sat 8Am- 2Am 

Tel: [phone]

Price: Around RMB100 per person

 RMB 40 a cup of Hazelnut Latte

Number one comfort drink of the world: coffee. Vital in the morning and even more so in the afternoon. For some, it’s an addiction and we completely understand it. The Ocean ground’s is one of the best in town, thanks to Jimmy Lee, coffee superstar. RMB 40 for a cup of Hazelnut Latte.    

Satisfaction Rating:  4/10 no extravaganza with coffee, maybe the most reasonable and safer choice.

ELEFANTE

MIXED SEAFOOD

Address: 20 Donghu Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu

Hours: Daily 11:30am-3pm, 6pm-10:30pm

Tel: [phone]

Price: Around RMB300 per person

 RMB 228 Mixed seafood juicy rice

Mixed seafood juicy rice is a classic comfort food to share with friends. You can’t avoid at Elefante, nor would you want to. In the middle of a risotto and paella in a more tender and creamy way, as butter and olive oil is added in the end. Simple ingredients for a savory Spanish moment. A dish to share for RMB 228. 

Satisfaction Rating: 8/10 because it has oil, rice, seafood, and it’s warm. 

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