Dishuidong for Hunan Food

One of my favorite restaurants in Shanghai was Dishuidong located on Maoming Road. This is not a place where you go to enjoy the decor or the service service. When you enter, the floors are a bit grimy and slippery from grease. However, the food is excellent for those that like to eat spicy. Its not extremely cheap like the other posts I mentioned but it won't break your wallet either. Remember to get the ribs!

 

 Its a good idea to make reservations since this place gets crowded extremely quickly. 

Nanxiang Xiaolongbao

A must visit is near the YuYuan Gardens/Cheng huang temples in the Huangpu area to eat at Nanxiang Dumpling House. With a history that dates back to 1900, Nanxiang Dumpling House is one of Shanghai's premier places to find the city's signature dumplings - called xial long baos or little steamer dumplings filled with pork and crabmeat. Located in the Yuyuan Bazaar where you can also buy Chinese art, the restaurant's ground floor is constantly crowded but cheaper. Go upstairs for a more refined dining experience, shorter wait time and more variety of food. It is a bit more expensive but you can also order some of the other types of foods such as shrimp balls which are recommended as well. They have a set that you can order for around 50 RMB which comes with a mix of many things.This is the real Shanghai deal.

They make the best xiao long bao in Shanghai in my honest opinion for the price. There is Ding Tai Fung but it is extremely overpriced. I suppose it is decor and service you are paying for.

Yang's Fry Dumpling

If you are only in Shanghai for one day, I recommend you go to Wujiang Road. This is an old alleyway that has a lot of tiny restaurants that look kind of rundown and dirty. Unfortunately, they are tearing it apart to renovate. There is a small shop called Yang's Fry Dumpling that serves the best pan fried shen jian bao — pork dumplings encrusted in sesame seeds and scallions. Best thing about this is that it is cheap! Easy on the wallet, only about 5 RMB for 4.

Despite lines that are often long, this restaurant is worth a wait. Not much more than street stalls, this institution’s two adjacent locations dole out pan-fried sheng jian bao that are so deliciously soupy you might wish you had a bib. The trick: bite a small hole and slurp out the juices. Use a soup ladle to collect the soup. Be careful because it can be hot and burn your tongue. I usually like to eat it with some vinegar as well.

Please note half of Wujiang Road has already been renovated and there is a newer and cleaner looking Yang's Fry Dumpling on the 2nd floor in the complex near Maoming Road (look for the 85 Degrees bakery shop). There are many scattered throughout the Jingan area now as well.