Shanghai Flavours

After I moved back from res, I felt kind of deprived of Chinese food for the first time of my life. So my family and I went to try this Shanghai style restaurant. It looked like a mini China Pavilion from the World Expo and you can spot the restaurant far away.

Old style Chinese teapot. 

 Decor

 Decor

 Shanghai Dumplings, the restaurant's specialty. The dough is SUPER thin and the bun was SUPER juicy, just like the ones I ate in Shanghai. This was really well made and authentic. 

 "Ma Po Tofu" (Spicy Tofu). The tofu was tender and silky, the sauce was a bit too spicy for my taste but still very rich in flavour. However, the downside of the dish is that the two don't mix which leaves the dish too bland and too salty at the same time. 

 Deep fried sesame bread with beef stuffings. It was my first time trying this dish and I gotta say it was amazing! It was crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I haven't seen this dish in other Shanghai restaurants (either that of I'm blind haha). 

 Salted duck. The duck was supposed to be placed inside the white buns on the side and eat it together. That was why the duck was extra salty to compensate the tasteless buns. However, considering there are bones in the duck, it made it hard to eat in the intended way. The duck was too salty and too fried. 

Shanghai rice cakes. Too salty, too oily, not enough ingredients. Period. 

 Sticky rice dessert with flower syrup and red bean paste fillings. The syrup had a fresh flowery scent to it and meshed well with the flavours of the other ingredients. However, after 4/5 bites, the dessert becomes too sweet to handle (and I have a big sweet tooth). 

Overall Review: 

Food: 4/10

There were some hits, but a lot of misses when it comes to the food. 

Ambience: 6/10

There was a mix of modern and authentic Shanghai decorations and they're not meshed well together. It gives you a taste of authenticity but the feeling is not complete. 

Service: 7/10

The waitresses were polite and smiling all the time, but the food comes too slow. 

Price: 6/10

A bit too expensive for the quality of food. ~$60 for all of the above. 

Final Verdict: 6/10 

I do not recommend this place if you want to get a taste of what Shanghai dishes are like. If you go there just for the Shanghai dumpling, then it's worth a go. 

Woot woot! First post! Thanks for visiting and please comment! :) ♥ you all!

Address:
4401 Sheppard Ave E
Toronto, ON M1S 1T8

(647) 344-3630

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