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Shanghai Expat Forum Index » City Living Forums » Expat Cat Answers on Living in Shanghai

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Macheco

Seeker

Joined: Jan 27, 2005
Posts: 73

Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 08:58 AM
Post subject: What are your favorites?

Hey Cat,
Since you are a veteran to the scene, I thought your might enlighten us with your personal favorite places to visit while in Shanghai. For example, what is your favorite...

restuarant?
bar?
club?
shopping center?
tourist attraction?
park?

ExpatCat
Squeeker

Joined: Apr 25, 2005
Posts: 17

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 12:00 PM

Excellent idea Macheco.

Restaurants

Impossible to include all my favorites but will list a few.

KABB - Everyday, good food in a nice location. Consistently good, updated menus, prompt service and a large drink list.

Taiyro - Teppanyaki that always promises a good time and a vast selection of food.

T-8 - Simple decor and delicious food.

Element Fresh - Have only been disappointed once.

Simply Thai - Tom Yum to die for and satay worth going for even if it is the only thing you have.

1221 - Always good.

Di Shui Dong - fire as it should be.

Bars

This is dependent on the day of the week and the weather, but will try:

Blue Frog - great drinks and good food.

Malone's - before you get excited, they do have one of the better happy hours in town.

Sasha's - the garden makes it worth it.

Big Bamboo - sometimes dark, but you can't beat the Shuffleboard table.

Bar Rouge - not my normal haunt, but good when someplace nice is wanted.

Sense's - awaiting summer! Will be an ideal spot.

Eager Beaver - for late night meeting up with friends, this place can't be beat.

Clubs

Mint - usually a good time, anytime of the night.

California Club - a good place to just dance the night away.

Shopping Center
I usually like to stroll around Huai Hai road although some of the larger shopping centers in Xu Jia Hui, especially for anything electical are good to have in town too.

Tourist Attractions
Even after living here for several years, I still smile when passing the Bund. Out-of-town visitors usually enjoy Yu Yuan, including the actual garden which is overlooked by many. Xiang Yang Market is a good way to initiate first time visitors to Shanghai, plus you can easily take a break at some of the surrounding restaurants. The Pearl Tower doesn't hold any interest for me, although drinks in Cloud 9 are a lovely treat many people seem to enjoy.

Park
Zhongshan Park is probably my favorite, but only because they have Paintball. Century Park is calming, at least some of time.

One of the best parts about Shanghai is that it is forever changing. There are a myriad of activities and things to do for just about any interest or age group. You can spend the day hiding from the world in the serene surroundings of Yu Garden or jump right into the hustle and bustle of Nanjing Road. Small shops are waiting to be discovered but familiar international brands abound also.

Does anyone have any favorites that they would like to share? Always on the prowl for new places and new things to do!

bellabella

Gypsy Queen

Joined: Aug 03, 2004
Posts: 14989
Location: London
Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 01:26 PM

Good suggestions expatcat!

Why is this thread upside down? It's confusing!

Anniboodk

Fire-eater

Joined: Feb 27, 2004
Posts: 2787
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 01:36 PM

ExpatCat, do you know of a place in Shanghai where I can get Falafels or Shwarmas?

Thanks.

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ExpatCat
Squeeker

Joined: Apr 25, 2005
Posts: 17

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 02:09 PM

Upside down threads - hissssss. Will have to see why it is so too.

Falafel is a good question. My initial guess would be Istanbul or 1001 Nights. There is a new restaurant called Barbarosa which is inspired by Moracco which may have something similar. But you can also make it yourself with relative ease as most of the ingredients (if chick peas are substituted for fava beans since I don't know if fava beans are available here)

Shwarmas - the Cat is stumped where to find those in Shanghai. Tasty. Anyone know?

تَلَذَّذَ فــــعــــــــل

Caesara

Post Roaster

Joined: July 31, 2004
Posts: 4572
Location: The Middle Kingdom (Shanghai)
Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 02:48 PM

The Sunday buffet at the Westin has had shawarma/shish taouk available on the first floor, to the left side. Too pricey to have on its own, but if you're there anyway...!

Very Happy

jenming

FooJay

Joined: Dec 20, 2002
Posts: 1675
Location: Right where you wanna be
Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 26, 2005 - 03:06 PM

ExpatCat wrote:

Falafel is a good question. My initial guess would be Istanbul or 1001 Nights. There is a new restaurant called Barbarosa which is inspired by Moracco which may have something similar. But you can also make it yourself with relative ease as most of the ingredients (if chick peas are substituted for fava beans since I don't know if fava beans are available here)

Wagas also has a falafel sandwich if that will satisfy the craving. It satisfied mine for a while.

Fava beans (also referred to as Broad beans, i believe) are available in Shanghai (at least part of the year). They're called can2 dou4 (蚕豆)

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bellabella

Gypsy Queen

Joined: Aug 03, 2004
Posts: 14989
Location: London
Status: Offline

Posted: Apr 27, 2005 - 07:45 AM

I actually saw a new Lebanese restaurant that's opened up in Gubei on Hong Mei road north of yanan rd in the same courtyard as Indian Kitchen and Mexico Lindo. I haven't tried it out but I'm pretty sure their menu said they had shawarmas, not sure about falafal tho. There was a place called the mediterranean cafe in gubei that sold falafal and all kinds of yummy things but they have moved downtown, I think around shimen lu, ooh I have the card here it's 415 Da Gu rd in between ShiMen yi lu and Chengdu lu. If you are around there try them - their food is really good and cheap!

Del

Talker

Joined: Oct 24, 2003
Posts: 109
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline

Posted: May 18, 2005 - 10:19 AM

There's a turkish rest. next to Xiangyang market - pretty good Shawamas - the small pedestrian street behind Grand Gateway in Xuhui also surves shawamas...

Brattie

Talker

Joined: Mar 17, 2005
Posts: 78

Status: Offline

Posted: May 18, 2005 - 12:04 PM

Definitely the Mediterranean Cafe for a falafel wrap and the new Turkish place, Shumkas?, next to TGIF on Hengshan lu for shawamas. Went to Zahara's (new on Hongmei)... too bad the food wasn't as nice as the atmosphere. Still confused over the heart-shaped falafels...