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Where to Wine and Dine Your Parents in Shanghai

2018-04-25 Sophie Steiner ShanghaiWOWeng

“We bought tickets, honey!” My dad screamed into the phone excitedly. We’ve all heard these words from our parents when they call us, grinning with enthusiasm, yet with undertones of anxiety towards traveling to somewhere as foreign as China. So, your parents have finally taken the leap and decided to leave the comfort of their own home to come visit you. Great…right? 


Well, this won't be the same vacation as when your old college roommate came to visit; you can’t go out partying all night and rely on Ele.ma for some greasy Chinese food delivery to soak up last night’s hangover. Now you have the opportunity to ball out a bit more and check out some of those nicer restaurants, but you also need to show them the great variety of cuisines available in Shanghai. You have to balance new food with what your parents can handle, while also balancing price with quality. We’ve taken the guesswork out of meal planning, so you can relax and focus on enjoying quality time with your parents. 


Da Dong


 

Address: 5/F, Reel Mall, 1601 Naning Xi Lu (and three other locations around Shanghai)

Tel: 021 3253 2299

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11am-10pm


Your parents are fresh off the plane, excited to be in a foreign land, and gung-ho on diving head first into some Chinese food. However, their stomachs aren’t ready for the fried street food and dumplings we so often resort to. 



Ease them into Chinese dining by visiting the Michelin-starred Da Dong, where you can introduce them to food from the Dongbei region. Their friends at home have surely heard of Peking Duck, so they will be happy snapping pictures and sending them back to every cousin, sister, aunt and friend they're connected with on Facebook. 



The Peking Duck (RMB 298) at Da Dong is truly the star of the show, and it is the absolute reason why this restaurant continues to win Michelin stars year after year. The perfectly crispy skin is as fatty and delicious as the meat is succulent. Carved at the table for your viewing (and #foodporn pleasure), it truly is on a level above the rest. 



To cut the fat, opt for one of the hundreds (and I actually mean hundreds) of side dishes they offer, with a wide price range of RMB 16-218.  


Black Pepper

 


Address: 2/F, 99 Taixing Lu

Tel: 1381 833 6837

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11:30am-10pm


For some authentic Turkish food in the hip Taixing Lu neighborhood that your parents will love exploring, Black Pepper is a place everyone is guaranteed to love. You also have the option to grab a pre- or post-dinner cocktail (or both) at any of the nearby drinking spots, including the popular Logan’s Punch. 



Start out with a crowd-pleasing appetizer like one of their meat or vegetarian sides. These wood-fired oven baked flatbreads are like a Turkish version of pizza. I highly recommend the Lahmacun Pide (RMB 58), topped with loads of tender lamb, crunchy onions, and sweet tomatoes. 



For a more traditional appetizer, order the Acili Suzme Yogurt (RMB 66). The thick, filtered yogurt is made in house, with a texture similar to authentic Greek Yogurt. The slightly sour flavor from the yogurt balances out the smokiness of the charred chili peppers. Spread it on the complimentary bread rolls or eat it by the spoonful; there’s no wrong way to enjoy this yogurt dish. 



Although underrated, the Tavuk Sis (RMB 98) (Chicken Kebab) is some of the best chicken I’ve had in the entire city. Seasoned with cumin, coriander, and topped with rosemary, these grilled pieces of meat are charred, yet tender, and juicy: everything you could ever want out of a chicken kebab. 



Every time I frequent Black Pepper, I struggle to decide between the Pilavli Kuzu Kaburga (RMB 178), which is advertised on the menu as the “Best lamb meat you can ever taste” and the Dana Pirzola (RMB 298), an 800-gram portion of Australian Beef Rib, sous-vide for 18 hours. Both are ridiculously high quality meat, rich with fatty goodness, and served in a portion big enough to feed your family. The luscious mashed potatoes served with the beef rib always win me over, but the slowly braised lamb is so tender, it falls apart just by looking at it. Whichever choice you make will be the best decision of the night. 


Din Tai Fung

 


Address: Numerous locations around Shanghai


Back on the Chinese food game, it’s time to introduce your parents to the wonderful world of xiaolongbao. This restaurant chain from Taipei has made waves throughout Asia, and has recently expanded to the U.S. and Australia. Din Tai Fung is recommended by everyone time and again because of its textbook, industry standard xiaolongbao. Each dumpling has exactly 18 folds and is weighed before steaming to make sure the exact meat-to-soup-to-dumpling skin ratio is within the required accuracy parameters. 



While there are other items on the menu worth mentioning, the show stoppers are the xiaolongbao, and with nearly 15 filling options to choose from (including sweet and savory options), you can slurp soup dumplings all night without getting bored. The classic Pork Xiaolongbao (RMB 32 for five) are the necessary baseline from which you can compare all other flavors. The Steamed Pork and Hairy Crab Meat Xiaolongbao (RMB 53 for five) are the true Shanghainese classic, and that combination of salty pork and rich crab just can’t be rivaled. 

 


For a healthier alternative, give the Steamed Assorted Mushroom Xiaolongbao (RMB 48 for five) a try. Although they have no soup inside, the chopped, tender mushrooms create an interesting umami flavor profile. 



The Shrimp and Pork Wontons with Spicy Sauce (RMB 48) are quite possibly just as tasty as the xiaolongbao. I recently discovered these, and my Din Tai Fung trips will never be the same. Reminiscent of a mix between hongyou chaoshou (红油抄手), or spicy red oil wontons and tianshui mian (甜水面), or sweet water noodles, in Chengdu, these are spicy, a bit sweet, and beyond addicting. 


Pâte Patisserie

 


Address: Room E107, SOHO Fuxing Plaza, 462 Hefei Lu

Tel: 1304 416 3913

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10am-9pm


After exploring Xintiandi, pop down to Pâte for an afternoon caffeine boost and some outstanding French-Japanese fusion pastries. The brightly lit, modern space is a welcoming spot to discuss upcoming plans for your parents’ trip. Pâte is always coming out with new seasonal desserts, but the classic pastries never disappoint. 

 


The seasonal Avocado Cheesecake (RMB 56) is the epitome of luscious. Every bite is so creamy and rich, yet delicate; I didn’t want it to ever end. The crunchy crust reminds me of a buttery shortbread cookie, and the layers of avocado and buttery, sweet cheese are so over the top, I can’t believe this dessert isn’t on every menu around the city. 



For an over-the-top croissant-esque treat, bite into a Kouign-Amman (RMB 16). The buttery layers are topped with ooey-gooey caramel that leaves your fingers sticky and your tummy happy. 


Mercato



Address: 6/F, Three on The Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu

Tel: 021 6321 9922

Hours: Monday-Sunday, 5:30pm-11pm


This is it: the motherload; the meal to rival the best meal of your life; the restaurant that could match up against the best of the best in Italy: Mercato. Every time I visit, I’m blown away by the unique flavor combinations, the best ingredients, and the overall finesse present in every dish. With a long list of wines from around the world and accompanying cocktail menu, come prepared for a full-on culinary adventure. 

 


The best way to start off your Italian feast is with the House-Made Ricotta with Strawberry Jam (RMB 98). The whipped, homemade ricotta is paired with sweet, fresh strawberries, and topped with crispy toast. The jam option rotates seasonally so you’re always guaranteed to have the freshest fruit. This dish could inspire even the most food apathetic diner. 


An order of the Warm Seafood Salad (RMB 148) is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Large pieces of octopus and squid are accompanied by meaty shrimp, clams, and avocado cubes. The entire dish is garnished with microgreens and the lightest, zippy citrus dressing. 



I know that the Black Truffle and Egg Pizza usually gets all the love at Mercato, but don’t ignore the Sausage, Short Rib, Prosciutto, and Mortadella Pizza (RMB 168) which covers all your meat bases. This is truly a meat lovers’ pizza; from crispy pork to flaky prosciutto, from roasted short rib to spicy sausage, this pizza has it all. The chewy, wheat-based crust is toasted to perfection in their wood-fired oven. 

 


Alternating between land and sea animals, it’s time for some luscious Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli (RMB 138 for 4). Instead of being doused in a thick sauce that hides the seafood’s freshness, Mercato honors the seafood by showcasing the lobster’s natural sweetness and umami flavor pattern. 



For quite possibly the best piece of meat I’ve had in Shanghai, the Crispy Beef Short Rib (RMB 368) will wow anyone’s parents coming from any country. Roasted for hours, the meat just slides off the dinosaur-sized bone. Charred and crunchy on the outside, the meat is pure butter on the inside and glazed with a smoked chili, cranberry, and chianti sauce. 



Bonus Dessert: Mr and Mrs Bund



Address: 6/F, Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu

Tel: 021 6323 9898

Hours: Monday-Wednesday, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Thursday-Friday, 5:30pm-2:30am; Saturday, 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-2:30am; Sunday, 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm


Okay, so it’s your parents’ last night. They’ve had their fill of food from around the world, and now they just want to end their vacation on a high note; what better way than at Mr and Mrs Bund?! This standout restaurant has been on the Bund food scene long before almost anyone else, and there’s a good reason why: their food is the bomb. Every dish includes the highest quality ingredients, and is executed with attention to the utmost detail. Not to mention that the service is unmatched. 


If you don’t have the time (or, let’s be honest, the cash) to drop on an entire meal, it’s worth stopping by for a splurge on the best dessert: the Lemon and Lemon (RMB 110 + 10% service charge). How can one dessert be worth more than an entire Mao?! Trust me, it is. This dessert takes three days to make and involves preserving the lemon, making the lemon cream, candying the lemon rind, and balancing it all together with the lemon shortbread stick. Every bite is a citrus party in your mouth. 


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