As you plan your trip to Shanghai for CHEST World Congress 2016, you are probably eagerly anticipating authentic Chinese cuisine. You may be imagining Chinese food as you know it in North America – buffets; fortune cookies; and small, white takeout boxes. Buffets actually are commonplace in Shanghai, but you likely won’t find a fortune cookie anywhere. We’re here to give you a rundown of what to expect from Chinese cuisine, but read this at your own risk. Your stomach may growl, and we can’t promise that your local Chinese restaurant will serve many of the authentic dishes featured below.
Let’s get started with the basics. Shanghai cooking is known for a heavy, highly flavorful sauce. Dishes favor sugar, soy sauce, and oil, and seafood is featured prominently. You may find it to be rather oily and sweet. Generally expect to find meals served as family-style, and soup is oftentimes served as the last course. Finally, tips aren’t needed, though there may be a service charge added to your bill at hotel restaurants.
Shanghai is most famous for its Shengjian Bao, fried soup dumplings. These dumplings are a thin dough wrapped around ground pork and a gelatinous soup. Yang’s Dumpling franchise is the most popular place to get this tasty snack or breakfast treat, but you can also find them at many other restaurants in Shanghai. Follow Chinese tradition, and save yourself from getting burned, by eating dumplings in this order:
• Place your dumpling on a spoon with help from your chopsticks.
• Bite off a small piece on top to make a hole.
• Blow and wait for the soup to cool.
• Slurp the soup inside.
• Dip into vinegar, if you wish.
• Eat the remainder of the dumpling.
Shanghai is also known for these popular street foods:
• Jianbing - These egg pancakes are served for breakfast by street vendors. The batter is made from mung bean flour, and crepes are topped with an egg or two, chopped pickled greens, scallions, and cilantro. Then spice is added with red bean, hoisin, and chili sauces.
• Hot Pot - Basic stock or spicy stock is offered with sides of thinly sliced raw meats, vegetables, and noodles.
• Chuanr - These skewers are made with lamb, chicken, beef, seafood like shellfish, and vegetarian options like eggplant and tofu. They are topped with cumin seeds, salt, sesame seeds or sesame oil, dried pepper flakes, and a spicy sauce.
If you’re looking for a more upscale dining experience, the travel site, Frommers, has recommendations. Here are a few recommended restaurants located at the luxurious development, Three on the Bund:
• Jean Georges - contemporary and light French fare.
• Whampoa Club - Classic Shanghai foods with a contemporary spin.
• Laris - A seafood restaurant with an Australian chef.
• New Heights - casual, more affordable bistro fare.
Whether you decide to fill up with eats from the street, or you sit down at a cafe or restaurant, we know you’ll find the cuisine you’re craving with one of Shanghai’s many dining options.
Similarly, you’ll get your fill of science at CHEST World Congress with assorted clinical education opportunities. When CHEST travels to Shanghai, April 15 - 17, 2016, you’ll have your choice of simulation-based education, case and problem-based sessions, and evidence-based medicine for clinical respirologists, intensive care physicians, and specialists in sleep medicine. Learn more at chestworldcongress2016.org.