Shanghai Travel: My Personal List of Big No-Nos
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I'm not a big fan of how many posts on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) immediately say, 'Hey everyone, definitely avoid this!' Often, it's just that people don't understand it well enough or aren't approaching it the right way.
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I bought mung bean cakes, almond crisps, and zongzi from Longhua Temple.
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Were they good?
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Why would you come to Shanghai specifically for Qiang Bing?
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The Qiang Bing from Mengxi Market is definitely worth trying.
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For desserts, I think the cream in Xin Yi Dorayaki's offerings is quite good.
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Does the strawberry brûlée have cream in it?
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Let me add a few notes: 1. The cream used in Shanghai's Western-style pastries varies; it's not all buttercream. It really depends on the brand. 2. I don't really consider Qiang Bing a Shanghai specialty. If you're looking for something similar, Xie Ke Huang (crab shell pastry) is a better choice. 3. Glutinous rice pastries should be eaten within two days as they dry out quickly. It’s better to take home rice cakes or steamed cakes instead. 4. I generally don't recommend ordering takeout, especially for things like tossed noodles (ban mian). 5. Gelato can be pricey, and there's a reason for it, but it's not necessarily a must-try. After all, it's typically handmade fresh daily and any leftovers are discarded at the end of the day.
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Learned something new!
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Haha, I personally feel Shanghai doesn't have a lot of amazing food. But you could try the crab roe noodles in November.
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Do Shanghai locals actually eat crab roe noodles?
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The butterfly pastries (palmiers) from Ha's (Harbin Foodstuff Factory) are super delicious!
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They're not as good as the ones from the Park Hotel. Ha's are too sweet, with granulated sugar on top, and they don't have that satisfyingly firm, crisp texture. Biting into one almost makes my teeth ache.
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Is 'baituo' (butter) a type of plant-based cream?
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No, it's made with real butter.
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I absolutely adore Qiang Bing! It's like a Chinese ciabatta.
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In that case, let me take this opportunity to recommend Duo Mo from Hubei. It has a similar crumb structure and is made without oil.