Lao Ban Zhai

Lao Ban Zhai
600 Fu Zhou Lu

When I first came to Shanghai, I had scoured Chowhound, the NYTimes, and all other websites to find the must-go-to restaurants. This one was recommended by Chowhound, and so I took a fellow Stanford CEAS friend here.

In short, it was pretty bad. We ordered the braised eel that was recommended, a small garlic-stirfry vegetable dish, and a Mongolian beef. The beef was soaked in that spring-roll dipping sauce, and both the other two dishes were nothing special at all. The restaurant also closes by 8pm, which was the strangest thing.

Haagen-Daz Cafe in Shanghai

Haagen-Daz
Addres: Nanjing Lu, every other Shanghai popular shopping area

Haagen-Daz has gotten pretty innovative in China. They have created these beautiful looking ice cream pastrie dishes that even come in dim sum themes, Japanese bento themes. Their menu is absolutely beautiful, I was tempted to photograph every page. Unfortunately that was only because their ice cream doesn't look nearly that nice in real life. I ordered an Italian ice cream concoction that should've looked like a delicate French high-end dish, but it had a glop of ice cream here and there in a pool of strawberry syrup. The fruits accompanying the ice cream were also frozen. Happily, the passion fruit sorbet and ice cream scoops were actually quite good, but I had paid 72 RMB for the presentation, not for two small scoops of Haagen-Daz ice cream.

I would only recommend coming here to get regular Haagen-Daz ice cream cones, not their creations.

Chai Ze

Chai Ze
Address: Shi Men Yi Lu, next to the Four Seasons Hotel
Price: 20-40 RMB
Chinese Dining Lesson #1) Avoid lunch crowds, bring a book just in case, and also bring a camera to capture all the pretty food.

This cafe is next to where I worked. I came here on my first day of work for lunch. I honestly didn't know where any restaurants were, and so I tried the never-fail plan of following a large crowd to wherever they were going to lunch, which happened to be here.

The first impression was how lovely the cafe looked, with western small tables covered with white linen and lounge-styled chairs, and black marble walls. And best of all, they had Chinese rather than Western pop songs playing softly in the background. The size of the menu could give the Cheesecake Factory a run for their money. Unfortunately this restaurant did the one thing that I absolutely hate- seating someone else at my table. Now eating alone in restaurants is already quite uncomfortable with other people staring at you, but it's quite another level of awkwardness altogether when you have a man across the table from you who is either staring at you or determinedly looking anywhere but you. That day, I had forgotten to bring a book so I could only sit in silence with him while I waited for my food.

I got the curry fried rice with chicken (12 RMB) and a liang feng (8 RMB), or cold rice noodle cubes dish. The rice noodle dish was good, and the curry fried rice didn't quite have the curry taste, but the portions were both huge, and I also got complimentary soups and watermelon slices. So my huge lunch kept me happily occupied from having to look up at my across-the-table lunch partner. It all cost 23 RMB, or the equivalent of $3. Pretty nice.

I also came back here for dinner the next night, around 5pm when the restaurant was happily empty, and got their Beef with Onion on Stone Sizzler (36 RMB), plus a Cold Cucumber dish (8 RMB). Both were just ok, so overall I concluded that this restaurant is good if you're in the area and want a restaurant that's not too Chinese, but it's not a can't-miss Shanghai destination.

Reporting from Shanghai

I'm in Shanghai from June 21st til August 25th, so expect many many restaurant reports as I will be eating out most of the times. Happily, Reid will still continue eating his way through Norcal.

The first thing I did when I landed in Shanghai was scour through Chowhound, the NYTimes, and other food websites that mentioned good eats. I made my little list, and have been slowly trying all of them, as well as other places that happen along my way.

Xin Ji Shi
Address: Xin Tian Di, Building 9, #2

This place was recommended by the NYTimes. And it is EXCELLENT!

Backstory: I had gone to Xin Tian Di, the most notorious expat hangout in Shanghai, because I was craving a steak and a friend of mine had mentioned finding a good deal there the other day. However I hit up every restaurant and could not find this freakin holy grail slab of meat. Discouraged, I wandered around for a drink instead. It was happy hour when I arrived and everywhere was advertising half-priced drinks, so I bounced into one place, and tried a watermelon juice. The sticker price was 40 RMB and I thought, dang, 20 RMB for a small juice, that's still pricey. Terrible choice. The watermelon wasn't sweet at all, the size of the cup was tiny, and sadly, this one bar of all the bars in the area was NOT having happy hour. 40 RMB for a drink, omg. Now left with a bitter feeling towards all the Westernized overpriced restaurants in Xin Tian Di, I looked for the one Chinese restaurant that I had heard about.

The place is very small but intimate and has an authentic Chinese feel to it, which deserves praise since it easily could've gone the tacky commercialized route to cater to expats. Another wonderful thing was that they seated me right away even though I didn't have a reservation, and they didn't seat me with another person to save tables, which Chinese restaurants have no qualms about doing.

I ordered the Hong Shao Rou, or the braised red fatty meat, that the NY Times recommended (38 RMB), and also this Nuo Mi Hong Zao, gluttonous rice in Jujube (28 RMB) that was one of their more famous dishes. The meat was VERY good, not too oily and contained a good balance of fatty to lean meat.

The Jujubes were even better, it's one of the best new dishes that I've tried in China. The restaurant also provided two small appetizer plates of peanuts covered with dried seaweed which were fantastic, and edamame beans mixed with pickles. They provided a really good balance to the two heavy dishes. Each dish was fairly small, more than enough for one person, and perhaps just enough for two people.

The service was quick and efficient. Really the first little treasure that I've found here in Shanghai.

Colonel Lee's

Type: Mongolian Buffet
Location: 304 Castro St. (between California St. and Dana St.)
Price: $$
Rating: 6/10

Jenny and I decided to check out this restaurant to try something new on Castro Street [we always go to Pho). We went right before closing, so the restaurant was pretty quiet. To be honest, this restaurant just wasn't that good, and I feel bad saying that, since the people who ran it were so nice. Getting food is easy - you grab a bowl, fill it with lamb, beef, chicken, or pork, add some noodles and veggies, and an assortment of sauces (curry, spicy bbq, soy, or ginger) and give it to the chef who cooks it in front of you on a giant grill. So if your food is bad, it's your fault. I'd recommend going with the ginger/soy if you're looking for something with flavor but not too spicy.

But, besides the bowl of food, there's not much else. The buffet means you can get unlimited trips to the Mongolian stir line, but there's not much else you get. They give you some Chinese bread (not sure what it's called but it's nothing special), tea, and a bowl of rice. However, beer is $1 off everyday and you can get a 40 oz of Tsingdao for pretty cheap. And the buffet itself isn't too bad - about $10 per person after tax for dinner. So it's a cheap eat but I wouldn't come back here unless I hear that things have drastically improved.

Darbar's Lunch Buffet

I didn't go in with the highest of expectations because I love Darbar's regular menu and didn't think their lunch buffet was going to be up to par, but it was AMAZING. So much food and variety, and just the same quality as dinner. They give complementary nan, and their rice is as good as ever. The entrees include tandoori chicken, butter cauliflower, vindaloo chicken, the green/red sauces, etc etc etc. We ate our hearts out, and I swear I declared "OMG this is so good" at least three times. So the lunch fixed price is $8.99. Quite a bargain for all that food.

[something something] Dumpling House

Location: Cupertino Village
Price: $$
Quality: Excellent!

Jenny and I went to check out this Shanghai style Chinese restaurant in Cupertino Village this weekend. Given that we had to wait 20 minutes for a table and that there were tons of Asian people in the restaurant, I knew we had come to the right place. Their dumplings were probably the best - you know, the kind with some sauce inside that you suck out before dipping it some soy/ginger sauce and then eating. The dumplings didn't break either, so I guess that's why they're so good. Anyway, so that was our appetizer. We then got some hot chicken with peanuts, beef with onion, and some shanghai style rice. I'm no expert on Chinese food, especially since Jenny did all of the ordering in Chinese, but the food was excellent and I would definitely recommend this place for anyone with a large or small group. We actually ran into a group of about 7 Stanford kids we knew. The beef was tender, the rice was tasty, and better yet, the tea was refilled quickly.

All in all, an excellent choice restaurant. Plus, the prices aren't bad - we paid about $30 (including tip) for 4 dishes. Oh, and if you pay with cash, you get 5% off your bill!

Doh nvrmind

I agree with Reid, but don't come to Paxti's if you're starving. The last time we came, the 30-minute wait for the pizza seemed like eternity when you're seriously in need of some sustenance. The wait can be even longer than 30 minutes if the restaurant is busy. Unfortunately, the only other thing on their menu is salad, which doesn't offer much in hunger-alleving area. However, the wait is well worth it, so tough it out!

EDIT: Ummmm I just thoroughly read Reid's update on Patxi's again and realized my 2-cents was completely redundant. Off to remedial reading!

Paxti's Pizza

Location: 441 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone: (650) 473-9999
Website: http://www.patxispizza.com/

If you're looking for great Chicago style (deep dish) pizza, look no further than Paxti's Pizza. If you're in a rush I would not recommend coming here, since it takes 30 minutes or more for them to make a pizza. You can get anything imaginable on your pizza - a favorite of mine is pesto, pepperoni, and mushroom. The ingredients are actually under the sauce, meaning this isn't your typical Dominos pizza. Even though a 10 inch pizza might seem small, it does feed 2 people because the crust is thick and there's so much cheese in it. For you lactose intolerant folks out there, Paxti's will use Soy Cheese for $1 extra, meaning anyone can enjoy their pizzas.

The atmosphere in Paxti's is lively and friendly, so this is a great place for groups or a quick date. Jenny and I have come here a few times and we've always gotten the Special - onions, green peppers, sausage, and mushrooms. We have yet to branch out because this pizza is always so appetizing when we see it on the menu. Eating the pizza and getting it off the serving platter is always an adventure, since the cheese is stringy and will stretch to a couple of feet if you really try. The prices for the quality of their pizza is very reasonable, so expect to pay around $7-12 per person.

This is definitely the best pizza restaurant in Palo Alto.

Sushi Tomo

Sushi Tomo (El Camino)
Price: $$

So far, the best sushi restaurant I've found in the Palo Alto vicinity. The slices of sushi that they serve are huge by any standards and fresh. It was such an awesome moment the first time coming here and seeing the size of the salmon nigiri. Bypass Miyake, Sushiya, Brown Rice Sushi, or Sushi Tomo on University for this restaurant. It's just as cheap. Yes Miyake's and Sushi Tomo are (barely) tolerable if you don't have a car, I've eaten at there too 10+ times. But if you have a car, please please please don't go to the Sushi Tomo on University just because it's closer under the assumption that you'll get the same fare. Everything about that restaurant is sad and blegh, including the fact that it still looks exactly like World Wraps.

Mandarin Gourmet

Mandarin Gourmet
Price: $$-$$$

Came here for hall dinner my freshmen year of SRC. It's a bit out by the wayside, near Spago, on Emerson I believe.

Better than Jing Jing's or Windy's, but pricier and smaller portions. The inside is dark, dim, with beautiful linen. You feel like you're dining on Chinese food in a romantic Italian restaurant, which may actually be the perfect place for a date. But the lowdown is that this is still not authentic Chinese food.

Siam Royal

Siam Royal
Price: $ (with Unofficial Guide coupon)
~Tastychickenfan

Much better than Krung Siam. I still don't understand why Krung Siam is decorated in fuschia pink and has an oddly placed front door. Regardless, I've come to Siam Royal once and it seems to be popular with Stanford students. Might be that Unofficial guide coupon giving 10% off the dinners. There wasn't any dish that stood out, but overall I enjoyed the dinner and the crowded loud atmosphere. Sorta like the Pasta? of Thai.

Korea House

Korea House:
Price: $
(unless you're eating with a group less than 4, then $$)
~tastychickenfan

Another favorite. This place is so beloved. I know where I'm taking my freshmen next year! I haven't written a full summary because...there's just too much. Basically, I like everything about it except for the two strange pieces of unchewable Kai bi ribs in the Kai bi plate. But I even like the challenge of conquering those.

Three Seasons

Three Seasons:
Price: $$
~tastychickenfan

Yay favorite restaurant. Ok this restaurant is not the best of the best, objectively. They have two things that I love and will keep coming back for: their spring rolls, and their lamb chops. Basically that's all we eat here, and that will always guarantee to make the dining experience orgasmic (and I stingily use that adjective). The few times I've tried other things on the menu, they either taste rather odd/bland or the portions have been too scrooge-like. Like a small dish with 3 wontons for $9, seriously?

Those spring rolls are just so good. Go go go!

University Cafe

University Cafe
Price: $-$$
~tastychickenfan

Hooray for streetwatching! The first time I came here to meet my roommate Steph, I paid $3 for a bottle of Sprite, and I was like, what the hell??? Avoided it like the plague until I started noticing people looking so comfortable sipping on their pretty-pink drinks while streetwatching from one of the outside tables. So I went here with Alicia the other day to do work, and I like the place slightly more afterwards. The tables are close enough that we, whether we wanted or not, were made privy of a galpal fest next to us that was highly entertaining, and the traffic around University was fun to watch. So many cute kids. I bought a soup to earn the right to keep our table, and it was actually completely delicious. Great for a hangover too, if that helps. So do try the Roast Tomato Soup.

Pasta?

Pasta?
Price: $-$$

Soooooo not on par with Osteria. I have only eaten one pasta dish here that I really like (that sausage Penne Corcina), but in the last two years, the portions have become so small that I'm still not full afterwards-which is really saying something when the dish is pasta.

I like the name, I'm a fan of the decor, I've had good memories there of freshmen year outings, but the place is just a bit *overrated*.

Something Healthy: Plutos

Plutos
Price: $
~Jenny

Their pieces of steak and strawberries/mandarin oranges in their salads make it excellent. But still, I'm usually not inclined to walk up that far on University just for a salad. Good place to hang out with girl friends and have a good chat reinforced by the happy thought that you're eating healthy.

Da Hukilau

Da Hukilau
Price: $-$$

Reid's uncle first took us here, and I keep coming back again and again. You know how most ethnic restaurants in Palo Alto are too expensive and the food is completely watered down? The Hukilau, thank god, gives you some hope that Palo Alto is not completely lost. This place is so awesome in every way. All the dishes are extremely cheap by PA standards, the portions are guaranteed to give you food coma, the food is quality, and the atmosphere is so laid back and casual. I'm especially a fan of the appetizers- ahi tuna poke (tuna sashimi mixed with a shoyu sauce), portuguese sausage, edamame, and spam musubi, my obsession! That $2 is the best I've ever spent on food. And now, with the Unofficial guide coupon, I get a free appetizer wtih an entree. I repeat, this place is awesome.

Some of the dishes that I've tried are: chicken katsu loco moco, kalua pork, teriyaki short ribs, and the saimin soup. Some of these dishes (loco moco) are more likely to make you feel like you're gaining a milllion pounds than others, but whatever, the food here is comfort food, and you're going to enjoy every mouthful.

The wait staff is extremely friendly and laid back, so sometimes you gotta wave them down to get your check because they're never in a hurry to get you out. So yea, perfect for a party, a group of friends, a night out with yourself. And it's located next to Nola and Blue Chalk if you're in the mood for the "crowded pub scene" in PA. Speaking of locations, a little hard to find, just keep walking past the Blue Chalk and don't give up, it's right there!

Bella Luna

June 1, 2006

Restaurant: Bella Luna, 233 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA

Price: $$

Review: This was a dinner to celebrate Reid’s news that he got a grant stipend for the summer and that his car was going to be shipped up in a week. It was a Thursday night when we went, so the restaurant was basically empty when we arrived at 6:30. Service was quick because we were the only people there though. Our bread was excellent and came with olive oil mixed with garlic which was great to munch on while we navigated the very Italian menu. I got the Scaloppine Di Vitello E Funghi, which translates to sauteed veal scallopini with portobello mushrooms in white wine-cream sauce. The veal was very good and the vegetables it came with were a nice touch. Jenny got the Linguine Con Le Vongole, or linguine with fresh mussels in a spicy tomato sauce. Yum yum! We filled up on carbs tonight, that’s for sure. I’d say this is a good Italian restaurant, but after going to Osteria, I’d still put that at the top.

Hog Island Oyster Company

May 14, 2006

Restaurant: Hog Island Oyster Company, Ferry Building Marketplace Shop #11-1, San Francisco, CA 94111

Price: $$$

Review:

Jenny took Reid here because she had read a review on the restaurant in the New York times a week earlier about how this place is one of the best oyster joints. It’s also located in the Ferry Building, which is a must-see for any tourist. We took awhile to find the place because it’s a bit inconspicuous, but finally made it and got an awesome table outside overlooking the harbor and enjoying the perfect weather. We splurged and got the 24 oyster bar mix that came with every assortment of oyster on the menu. Each had its own subtle flavor that was all so good. Reid liked to put a few drops of tobasco sauce on his, and Jenny liked hers plain, although she used the cilantro lime sauce every now and then. Oh and the bread and butter was excellent, and helped us from being hungry after eating the oysters. For those who eat their bread too quickly, there’s also a lot of breadsticks good for munching while waiting for your main courses, or if you are still hungry after your oysters. The service was fast, not too friendly or thorough, but the water came aplenty and we were in the mood to get in and out fast so it was all good. It definitely has some of the best oysters around, but the price and fact that oysters don’t really fill you up makes Reid hesitant to regularly dine here.

Crustacean

May 13, 2006

Restaurant: Crustacean, 1475 Polk Street, San Francisco, CA 94109

Price: $$$$

Review: With much anticipation, we arrived at the Crustacean hungry from a long day of walking and window shopping. Our reservation was at 9pm, we showed up at 9pm, and were seated at 9:01pm. We found ourselves in a dimly lit room with a romantic candle on the small, white cloth table. To the left of us was a couple finishing up their meal and to the right sat another couple. We were quite close to them and even engaged in conversation with the couple next to us about what to order, which was helpful, but also slightly deteriorated the romantic atmosphere we were hoping to have.

Service was excellent to a certain extent. Reid definitely felt like there was more attention paid to the couple next to us, probably since we were ordering less than they did. A hostess even brought an appetizer to them instead of us. Yea, Jenny felt the service could definitely have been better. They didn’t do anything wrong specifically, but the overall vibe was not comfortable. Half the dining experience is to not feel like the waiter is hawking you for how much you’re ordering so they’ll have a bigger tip. He definitely was laying on the pressure to order a lot more than we needed.

Another downside was the proximity of the tables. Way too close. This just isn’t exactly great when diners are trying to eat crab where it’s bound to be messy and no one wants to feel self-conscious in front of others by going down and dirty by digging in with their hands. Also, the close proximity did make us realize that we were being discriminated against by the waiter. Anyways, forget all that.

No complains about the food! We started off with a salad – fresh mangos, lettuce, and tomatoes, with a half of a lobster on top. The lobster was fresh and delicious and it was a great complement to all of the salad greens. Then came the main course. A huge, 2 and ½ lb. roasted crab, for each of us! We got bibs to make sure we didn’t dirty our nice clothes and abandoned all silverware once things got messy. The crab itself was delicious. Reid’s never had so much in his life! The roasted crab meant it was softer than normal steamed crab, and smothered with buttery, peppery sauce and spices. Reid admits that the crab was probably too much for him to eat, so perhaps splitting one of these huge things might be better. He could have eaten more, but the crab did get pretty salty by the end. Reid and Jenny also got a bowl of garlic noodles to complement the crab. The garlic noodles were really really good! It definitely paired well with the crab, perhaps the best harmony of Euro-Asian cuisine Reid has experienced to date (i.e. much better than that P.F. Chang’s ho-hum). To finish the night was orange-crème sorbet. It was an excellent choice, providing a sweet taste after the salty crab. The presentation was also very cute – it came in a hollowed out orange. So all in all an excellent meal, but one Reid would caution is one you wouldn’t have every weekend. Perhaps one a year is best. So if you get the craving for crab, come here! He’s unsure if there’s anything else worth coming for (perhaps the noodles, but is that worth the trip?)

Hong Kong Flower Lounge

May 13, 2006

Restaurant: Hong Kong Flower Lounge, 51 Millbrae, CA 94030

Price: $$

Review: Excellent location for the car-less! Right across from the Millbrae Caltrain/BART station. The place is huge, so it’s likely that you’ll get seating right away. The place is filled with Chinese people, which is always a good sign that it’s good. We had all the usual dim sum dishes- shrimp dumplings, shao mai, pork short ribs, preserved egg rice porridge, Shanghainese buns, sweet pork buns, and our ultimate favorite, the long rice-noodle shrimp dumplings. They were all very good, authentically tasting and the rice noodles were all soft and fresh, an essential of good dim sum. Ooh the service is also great, speedy tea-refills and a nice waitress gave Jenny her own small portion of rice porridge. The prices were higher than that of the average dim sum restaurant, but the restaurant was much cleaner and nicely decorated than the average Chinese restaurant. More importantly, we felt very comfortable there, no weird or scary Chinese staff incidents or the hygienic issues that sometimes arises from venturing to a Chinese restaurant. We definitely felt the trip there was worth it, although if asked whether this is THE place to get dim sum, the prices could make you hesitate a bit. Jenny would still recommend Loon Wah more for its equally good but cheaper dishes, along with Northern Chinese dim sum plates that add to the variety and spices it up a bit. But is that near the Caltrain station? No, so Reid and Jenny may have to stick to Hong Kong Flower Lounge unless we find a car.

Osteria

Date: April 30, 2006

Restaurant: Osteria, 247 Hamilton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Price: $$

Review: Our first restaurant choice after employing a lottery system for where we’re going to eat! I think it was fate that Jenny pulled Osteria, since we had been craving the Italian food after passing it twice on the way to Hukilau and seeing lots of people standing outside and people inside munching on delectable dishes. We got there at 8:15, and were actually seated even though our reservation was for 8:30. That already seemed to make the night better. We sat on a small table against the window and somewhat secluded from the hustle and bustle of all the other tables, which were packed tightly together. After much consideration of all the dishes, we settle on a veal dish and a chicken dish, along with Merlot to complement the meal. I must say that getting the Merlot was quite a task since Jenny was not too interested on drinking wine at that point, but I was successful with my peer pressure. Bread was a nice complement for the dinner and eventually our dishes came, which were excellent! Jenny’s veal was probably the best choice, my chicken was somewhat plain, but there were delicious glazed carrots and green beans, which really made the dish even better. The Merlot paired very well with the dishes, so I think our first order of wine with a meal was a success! The waiter didn’t even card us. Jenny got tiramisu for dessert, which was not the best thing ever but nonetheless it added to the time we got to spend at the restaurant, which had a nice atmosphere to make it romantic yet casual at the same time.

The Beginning

This is the start of something great.