chinese: i recommend SHANGHAI KITCHEN

SHANGHAI KITCHEN 上海鄉村

No. 17, Renai Rd, Sec. 1, B1 台北市仁愛路一段17號B1 

(02) 2396-5154 

MRT: Shandao Temple or CKS Memorial Hall

website: www.shanghaikitchen.com.tw 

hours: 11:30AM - 2PM and 5:30PM - 9PM 

$$ 

Kid friendliness: high chairs and kids dinnerware available 

Visit reviewed: 6/5/2012

Looking for another Chinese restaurant to add to the list to take the relatives or coworkers for good food at good prices? Then consider trying Shanghai Kitchen next. I had low expectations because of the random location, in the basement of a family activities center, and the generic setting of an open dining room, but I found myself pleasantly surprised.

There are two menus, both with English. One has photos for many of their trademark dishes and the other is a bit sprawling with lots of choices of seafood, vegetables and appetizers. There's also set menus for larger groups that makes ordering easy.

Of course we had to get the Dong Po Pork (NT$420), which was generous portion of thickly sliced, tender pork belly, glistening in sweet soy sauce. All this pork belly for US$13 was the steal of the day.

Use the steamed buns to soak up the fat. So good. I think I could have eaten three of these.

Another must order dish is the Lion's Head Stewed Meatballs, which were giant meatballs bathed in chinese cabbage (though it's expensive for the portion relative to the dongpo pork). The flavor and texture of the meatballs paired perfectly with a bowl of white rice.

Let's pretend to be healthy with some broccoli.

The stirfried shrimp and peas were fine, but I've had tastier versions at Shanghai Shanghai or Celestial Restaurant, with sweeter peas and bouncier shrimp.

I wouldn't order the Braised Crab Eggs with Tofu (NT$320) again as it was too watery for me and didn't have the sweet richness that I've tasted, like from Xiao Nan Men. 

There's a lot more to explore from Shanghai Kitchen's menu, so someday I'll be back. Especially if I'm craving some fatty pork belly.

OTHER LOCATION

No. 67, RenAi Rd, Sec. 2, B1
北市仁愛路 2段 67號 B1
MRT: Zhongxiao/Xinsheng
(02)2322–3333