Shanghai, It is not only the economic and cultural center of China, but also the ideal place to taste traditional Chinese food and for dinners of all tastes.
In fact, Shanghai does not have a definitive cuisine of its own, but it hones those of the surrounding provinces. Different styles of cuisine meet and merge in Shanghai only to create the so-called Shanghai-style cuisine, influenced by Beijing cuisine, Yangzhou cuisine, Guangdong cuisine and Sichuan cuisine.
The name "Shanghai" means "above the sea“But, paradoxically, the local preference for fish often tends to the freshwater variety due to the city's location at the mouth of the longest river in China.
Fish and shellfish, however, retain great popularity and are often stewed (fish), steamed (seafood), or fried (shellfish). Be wary of any seafood that is fried, as these dishes rely much less on freshness and are often the leftovers of weeks' shopping.
Shanghai people are known to eat in delicate portions (which makes them a target of ridicule from other Chinese), and therefore the portions are generally very small. For example, the famous shanghai buns such as the Xiaolong (known as Xiaolongbao in Mandarin) and the Shengjian are generally about four centimeters in diameter, much smaller than the typical Baozi Mantou or elsewhere.
And the veggie stuffed bun is stuffed with finely chopped vegetables, mushrooms, bamboo shoots and bean curd marinated with sesame oil and sugar as seasonings. Due to the rapid growth of Shanghai and its development into one of the major cities in East Asia as a center of finance and contemporary culture, the future of Shanghai cuisine looks very promising.