Photolog: Shanghai Food Part 1
Discovering delicious yet cheap food in Shanghai
Written by: Lee Jia Li (NUS School of Economics Y3)
Hey there! I bet you have heard that Shanghai food is one of the the best in China. Here is a little glimpse into why I absolutely agree with that saying. Personally, I love to swing by food stalls during lunch hour despite how convenient takeout here is, because it is always good to get a breather in between an intense day of a typical 9–6pm job. Let me share with you more!
First up, this is a piping hot bowl of handmade dumpling noodles that you can get for around 10yuan. 15 dumplings for approximately SGD $2, how affordable is that? Besides the food, I enjoy the local experience whenever I eat at this shop because I get to witness the lady boss hand making the dumplings and boiling them thereafter. Having these on cold rainy days is one of the most comforting things for me when I am away from home.
Secondly, Hot and Spicy Soup (麻辣烫) is amazing here. Before coming to Singapore, I didn’t understand why would people crave spicy (麻辣) food. Now, I can’t stop salivating when I think about it. My favourite 麻辣烫 stall is 阿拉丁 (Aladdin) where it serves a spicy special soup base that will make your tastebuds go numb. You also get the choice of adding different ingredients you love, like noodles, meat and vegetables. It is hard to find these kinds of food back in Singapore so I really treasure every time whenever I have them.
What is even better than 麻辣烫 is Hot and Spicy Hotpot (麻辣香锅)。It is similar to most 麻辣 dishes you find at hawker centres and food court in Singapore, but 10x nicer. Being able to choose your own combination of spices and ingredients make it customisable. The best part of it is being able to share this ultra big spicy bowl with others. However, it is really spicier than you think. Most of us are not spared the trip to the toilet after ingesting this.
A must try here is 康师傅‘s beef noodles. I came across this brand when I was searching for instant beef noodles back in Singapore. Non-instant noodles here is really tasty. The texture of the noodles with the tender slices of beef go perfectly together. It makes my heart a little warmer whenever I’m feeling a little stressed out from work.
Last but not least, another famous noodle dish in Shanghai is 刀削面, otherwise known as knife-shaved noodles. They are legendary in China, a specialty of the Shanxi province. These noodles are so evenly sliced that you would wonder if its done by a human or a machine. Spoiler alert: they are actually sliced by hand! I’ve got to say I’m more impressed at the noodle slicing skills than the taste of the food itself. Definitely a must-try in Shanghai.
This is just part 1 of my crazy Shanghai food adventure. Can you imagine how many more parts I need to write to fully describe the variety of food in Shanghai? Thank you for reading. I can’t wait to share with you guys more food adventures in the 4 months I have left here! Stay tuned for more from me!
With love,
Jia Li Lee :-)
Edit: SHEN Creative team
