A small and unknown locale, whose name I cannot translate or find online, has made an unforgettable dent on my Shanghai trip. This hidden locale has by far the best noodles in Shanghai.
After spending a morning exploring our boutique hotel The Waterhouse at South Bund, we were on our way to Shanghai Old Street and Yuyuan Garden. It was about midday or so and a streeted dotted with old Shanghai residences caught my eye. I followed it walking under the items of laundry hanging to dry on clothing lines above my head that stretched from one house to the other. The laundry dotted the sky like a quilt stretching across a bedroom floor. The people of Shanghai prefer to air dry their clothes in an attempt to improve their cities greenhouse emission. It’s frowned upon by government officials who prefer to show a more modernized Shanghai, but the people insist and I am on their side.
As I walked back towards the entrance of Old Shanghai Street I came across a small hole in the wall restaurant. A young girl was sitting on one the small benches inside eating what looked and smelled like an amazing beef broth noodle stew. As I drew closer to the entrance I could smell the hot food and realized I was very hungry. I glanced down at the tables and saw a few men and women equally mesmerized by the homemade noodles being made, broths and stews, and piles of dumplings being carried to their table. This was where I was having lunch. Unfortunately, I could not tell you what the name of the small locale is, but I’ve pinned it’s location on a map below and have posted a picture of the entrance so you can’t miss it.
The inside is nothing fancy by any means. The lower level has a small wooden bar table where you can eat along with two small wooden chairs. The main centerpiece is the kitchen, where the employees make the dumpling and noodles from scratch in front of your eyes as soon as you order. Pots of broth and protein steam up the glass counter separating you from the kitchen. Now…none of the employees here spoke English and there was no English menu for me to read from. So I walked in, pointed at the girls soup and indicated that I wanted the same thing. They smiled at me fascinated and almost humbled by the fact that I chose their small locale and pointed me upstairs, to a small sitting area with a few chairs.
I waited for my meal until it was brought upstairs. I had ordered a beef broth soup with different herbs and freshly made noodles. The noodles were unlike anything I had ever had, soft yet chewy and a perfect consistency. You can quote me when I say, these are the best noodles in Shanghai. The soup had a hint of spices in it, but was warming me to my core. Just what I needed to keep me going for the rest of the day. The food was unbelievable and it just cost me $2.50. I devoured my meal, went downstairs, smiled, and left. Little did this small locale know that their inviting smiles and ways, amazing food, and humble locale had put a dent in my Shanghai trip. This locale that no one knows about tucked away in Kangjia Long street, right behind the entrance of the famous Old Shanghai Street, are the best noodles in Shanghai that I’ve had to date.
Where to find this secret restaurant next to Shanghai Old Street:
Follow SVADORE on:
1 comment