China Toilet Adventures: No Door, No Problem? 'Open Concept' Taken to a Whole New Level! #WTFChina

[Lena Oberbrunner]

Alright, let me tell you all about the Shanghai restaurants that fall flat despite their big marketing! They take photos of their dishes and make them look like they're straight out the heavens, but when you visit, oh man, it's worse than a street stall.

Now, let's host a "rant session" exclusively for naming these Shanghai restaurants that created more expectation than satisfaction. Especially as a reminder for friends visiting Shanghai, don't be fooled by those flashy advertisements!

Theme for discussion: Let's share our thoughts on famous, but potentially disappointing Shanghai restaurants!

• These are often marketed heavily online and look so attractive that various food bloggers and influencers just have to try them.

• Yet, upon actually trying them out, the food is surprisingly unappetizing or doesn't even match up with the quality one would expect for the price and long lines.

• Join in and share your unfortunate encounters with less favorable restaurants!

  • Name the restaurant and provide reasons why you feel they aren't worth the recommendation.
  • Was the flavor unsatisfactory? Was the service terrible? Or were the prices outrageous?

The benefits of this approach:

• It helps new visitors to Shanghai, especially foreign ones, avoid spending needless money and feeling disappointed.
• Travel time and good meals are hard to come by. So, let's leave all lesser experiences behind and focus on fantastic dining opportunities!

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️ Travel Tip/ Special Alert

Warning to those visiting Shanghai, particularly first-time foreign visitors, how to avoid these "avoidable restaurants":

• Be careful with internet-famous spots:

  • Some places may just look very good in promotional photos or use influencers to boost their image. There might be some restaurants spending money to hype themselves up on social media or making the food seem extraordinarily attractive.
  • How to avoid? In addition to reading recommendations, check disapproval comments (such as the low-rated feedback on platforms like Dazhongdianping), or ask hotel staff or local friends about their genuine reviews. Try to find places with numerous real customers' input and different feedback.

• Long queues don't always mean tasty food:

  • This could be due to marketing tactics (purposely taking long time in serving) or simply because it's located in a bustling area.
  • How to avoid? If not necessary to try out and finding extremely long lines (taking more than half an hour), consider trying a different restaurant. Shanghai has many great options available; no need to sacrifice your overall trip experience just for one choice!

• Beware of high prices without equal value:

  • Some stores, especially if they’re lavishly decorated or located in highly-valued areas, tend to cost more without matching quality.
  • How to avoid? Look over menus before deciding where to eat. If prices are significantly higher than expected, search reviews online to determine cost effectiveness.

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Everyone, let’s share your personal experiences! Which restaurants in Shanghai live up to the “marketing master” title but disappoint in taste? We're looking forward to seeing you in the comments!
#Shanghai #FoodAversionList #VisitShanghai #AvoidPitfallsGuidance

[Jermaine Satterfield]

9 [Copy the code and open Xiaohongshu] "(Group) Sichuanese in Shanghai Getting Off the Singles Market" creative hub, open on June 5th CA1754 :/#r🥦🥬

[Karen Bruen]

All Yun-Gui-Chuan (Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan) bistros.

[Ms. Alberta Moen]

Is Shanye Banzha any good?

[Miss Alison Collier]

Drunk Baker: Didn't find anything tasty there. The bread was consistently heavy and dense, like a lump of uncooked dough. Their flavor profiles were also pretty average.
Huxi Laolongtang & Dushe Noodle House: Both were too sweet, and the noodle texture was just so-so. Dushe's noodles were slimy and gooey, quite disgusting to eat.
Xita Laotaitai: I don't know why people used to queue for it; the hype has definitely faded. It's not good, just overwhelmingly salty/sweet.
Dian Niu: Bad hot pot broth and mediocre mushrooms.
La Vite: Worthless except for the potato 'tuozi' (gnocchi/dumplings). The lamb chops were like shoe leather.
Lei Garden: Honestly, just average for its price point.

[Iris Marquardt]

Oh, but I think Drunk Baker's towel rolls and mille-crepe rolls are super delicious, just a bit pricey.

[Ms. Alberta Moen]

It's not a restaurant, but Yeren Ice Cream isn't tasty.

[Rosemarie Sawayn PhD]

I think Wuchang rice is incredibly delicious; it has these little rice-grain-like bits in it.

[Dr. Mandy Walter-Reichert]

Can anyone recommend some good hot pot? I'm visiting next month.

[Ms. Wanda Kilback]

I think Machang is really tasty, but it's seriously spicy.

[Sally Breitenberg]

Xita Laotaitai.

[Ms. Wanda Kilback]

Honey, any other BBQ recommendations in Shanghai? I've tried a few, including Xita, and they weren't great.

[Marion Barrows]

All these new Korean 'creative cuisine' places opening up lately are expensive and taste awful!!!!

[Mattie Lockman]

Huoshaoyun...