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travel
Escape Routes
with Kate Springer
Shanghai
Special!
Photo: Kanegen/Flickr
Say yes to Yang’s
Best of the Buns
Jia Jia Tang Bao
keeps it rollin’
Having ticked off most of the touristy spots
on past visits to Shanghai, this time I had
just one thing on the agenda: dumplings.
If you’re even half as obsessed as I am,
then you’ll love these frills-free specialists.
Fuchun Xiaolongbao
The xiaolongbao at Fuchun are cheap,
freshly handmade, slightly sweet, and
come in a couple of variations—spring
for a six-dumpling basket of the crab roe
(RMB16 ($20)). Fair warning: the place is
always packed and it’s difficult to order if
you don’t speak any Putonghua, so come
prepared. Get there early in the morning
or late in the afternoon: otherwise prepare
for a soul-crushing line.
650 Yuyuan Lu, Jingan,
(+86) 21-6252-5117.
Jia Jia Tang Bao
You’ll have to suffer through a queue at Jia
Jia Tang Bao, but at least you get to watch
dumplings being made in the meantime.
We tried the pure pork, as well as the craband-pork
dumplings—both were plump,
juicy, and extremely addictive. I never
thought I’d say this, but these xiaolongbao
might be better than Din Tai Fung’s…
although I’d have to visit a few more times
to be sure. If you go, be sure to order fresh
ginger for RMB1 ($1.26)—otherwise, it’s
not included.
Huanghe Lu (near Nanjing Xi Lu),
Huangpu, (+86) 21-6327-6878.
Yang’s Fry
Across the street from Jia Jia is another
excellent spot: Yang’s Fry, which has
multiple locations throughout the city.
This shop is modern and efficient, with a
very obvious menu to boot. The doughy
pan-fried buns are made in an open-air
kitchen so you can watch, and the smell
is amazing. You can get a shrimp and pork
combo, or just go pure pork—all are worth
a return visit.
97 Huanghe Lu, Huangpu,
(+86) 21-5375-1793.
Bundle of Joy
River-view rooms at
Hyatt on the Bund
I stayed at the Hyatt on the Bund
this trip, and was blown away by the
views from the rooms. The hotel is huge,
with a sanctuary of a spa, and several
restaurants drawing their own followings,
particularly Xindalu China Kitchen, which
serves up excellent dim sum and one of
the city’s best Peking ducks, and Vue Bar.
And having seen quite a few bars on the
Bund, I’d have to say that the Hyatt’s Vue
Bar takes the crown thanks to its unique
position at the turn in the river. While the
veranda’s private tables are a little pricey
at a RMB2,000 ($2,514) minimum spend,
there’s a communal hot tub and the
drinks are well-crafted—just hope that the
neighboring tables are filled with attractive,
friendly people. Fair warning: the hotel
lobby can get pretty crowded, and the
rooms are starting to show their age. But
the value is great overall, with a location
that’s convenient for exploring and views
that are hard to beat.
From $2,200. 199 Huang Pu Lu,
(+86) 21-6393-1234, www.shanghai.bund.
hyatt.com.
Email me at kate.springer@hkmagmedia.
com or tweet @KateSpringer, #hktravels.
Throw back a few with a Vue
HK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, August 15, 2014 25