Xinjishi, Xintiandi Shanghai

新吉士酒楼(新天地店) Xinjishi Xintiandi Shanghai 卢湾区太仓路181弄2号新天地北里9号楼(近马当路) Unit 4, Bldg 9, Lane 169 Taicang Lu, Xintiandi, Luwan District, Shanghai 6336-4746 www.xinjishi.com

Xinjishi is the GO-TO place I often take guest from out of town. Though I would rather take them to original Jishi, the original, I know it is always crowded and tough to get reservations. Xinjishi, meaning New Jesse, is nice substitute, with the allure of Xintiandi – to stroll around after/before.

Xinjishi retains the old traditional charm of Chinese interior design with rustic wood accents. The dark brown wood gives a feel that you’ve stepped into old time China. This isn’t something you usually see in Shanghai, since most Chinese restaurants offer a glimpse into colonial occupationist period – which is cool, but not really Chinese.

After picking at the cold dishes – the usual custom in Chinese dining of sticky lotus root, sliced cucumber, sliced sweet and savory radish, and mushrooms, our hot dishes – entrees arrived. Probably the most famous dish at Xinjishi and arguably Shanghainese, is the Hong Sau Rou. This sweet dish, Braised Pork Belly, is simmered in a hot pot for hours on end in a sweet soy sauce mixture. Foreigners will usually gravitate toward this dish, with the non-offense luscious fatty texture. Chinese will naturally enjoy this dish with a nice bowl of steamed rice. The thick sugared sauce goes on great as a gravy. Another fabulous dish that this Chaîne des Rôtisseurs membered restaurant, a world wide French culinary society approved location, is the Fried Soy Sauce Fish. (Though I think I butchered the name) This great dish, with not a lot of bones – another bonus for foreigners, has a crispy texture with juicy white meat. Another trait of Shanghainese cuisine is the heavy sauces that is employed. As seen with the Hong Sau Rau, and now with the fish, these sauces enhance the proteins.

The other dishes were workable, if not ordinarily spectacular. But I do suggest the fish and pork at Xinjishi. As I said before, the other draw to Xinjishi is the location, as it in smack dab inside Xintiandi.

What to Order: Hong Sau Rou (Braised Pork Belly), Fried Soy Sauce Fish, Sticky Lotus Root What not to Order: Crispy Chicken – cause you can get it anywhere

Rating 2 Pigs Price Range 2 $/¥/NT

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