Every country’s culture is known for delicious food. Although China is no exception to this, the many different provinces of China each have their unique tastes and ideas on delicious food. Shanghai (上海, Shànghǎi), a Chinese province which lies south of the Yangtze River and at the mouth of the Huangpu River, is known for having some of the highest quality food in China. Because of their geographic location, ideas from nearby provinces diffuse into their culture, which in turn leads to several culinary elements being incorporated into Shanghai cuisine. But, some Shanghai dishes are particularly famous. Xiaolongbao (小笼包,xiǎo lóng bāo), red-braised pork (红烧肉, hóngshāo ròu), and fried pork buns (生煎包, shēng jiān bāo) are the tastiest foods in Shanghai.
1. Xiaolongbao (小笼包,xiǎo lóng bāo)
小笼包, also known as “little caged buns,” is a fragile, thin and skinny dumpling with soup, Shaoxing wine, green onion, ginger, light soy sauce, sesame oil and pork, vegetable, crab or shrimp fillings hidden inside of it. The dough of these dumplings are composed of water and flour, just like a typical dumpling is. The dumplings are typically very hot and they are served in bamboo baskets. A famous restaurant which sells Xiaolongbao is Nanxiang (南翔,Nán xiáng) in Yuyuan (豫园, Yùyuán) Garden. This restaurant is a successor to the original restaurant in the Nanxiang District of Shanghai, a place which is credited with inventing Xiaolongbao.
2. Red-Braised Pork (红烧肉, hóngshāo ròu)
红烧肉 (hóngshāo ròu) consists of sweet pork belly which is served in a brown sauce that is composed of Shaoxing sauce, sugar, and soy sauce. When cooking 红烧肉, proteins are slowly braised in the brown sauce with a combination of sugar and fermented bean paste. However, braising food items in soy sauce is not unique to Shanghai, as it is a common cooking method in many other provinces as well; this emphasizes how Shanghai borrows culinary ideas from neighboring provinces. In addition to the 红烧肉, eggs are also served on the side. A famous restaurant which sells high-quality 红烧肉 is the Old Jesse Restaurant (老吉士酒家, Lǎo Jí Shì Jiǔ Jiā), which is located at 41 Tianping Road (天平路四十一号, Tiānpíng Lù Sìshíyī hào).
3. Fried Pork Buns/Dumpling (生煎包, shēng jiān bāo）
生煎包 (shēng jiān bāo) is a round and crispy bun which is filled with tender pork, sesame seeds and chopped scallions. However, these dumplings are thicker than Xiaolongbao dumplings because yeast is added during the cooking process. During the cooking process, a somewhat-fermented dough is constantly sprayed with water when it is being fried. 生煎包 is typically considered a breakfast meal or snack, but it can still be consumed at any time of day. A famous restaurant which sells amazing 生煎包 is Xiao Yang Sheng Jian (小杨生煎, Xiǎo Yáng Shēng Jiān), which is located on 1601 Nanjing West Road (南京西路一千六百一号, Nánjīng Xī Lù yīqiān liùbǎi yī hào).
In essence, Shanghai has some of the tastiest foods in China. These foods include Xiaolongbao (小笼包), red-braised pork (红烧肉), and fried pork buns (生煎包). Each of these dishes possesses and requires unique ingredients and styles of cooking, which in turn contributes to an explosion of flavors in one’s mouth when they are consumed.
Sources:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/shanghai/food-restaurant.htm
https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/shanghai-best-dishes/index.html
https://www.vice.com/en/article/d75yyq/a-guide-to-14-of-the-most-iconic-foods-in-shanghai