Shanghai Travel: My Personal List of Big No-Nos

[Courtney Hickle Jr.]

Here's the translation of the article you provided about Shanghai travel tips:

Alright, no problem! I'll provide a down-to-earth version that foreigners can easily understand!

---

OK, here are some personal experiences or things I did not really fancy during my stay in Shanghai:

• Regarding Shanghai Cream Desserts:

  • Many travel guides recommend Shanghai's cream desserts, but note that they mostly use "buttercream." This type of cream is quite different from the light and fresh cream I usually eat; it has a dense and even somewhat hard texture like butter.
  • For example, the "Ha Dou" (a type of dessert) at Harbin Food Factory (an old-established dessert shop in Shanghai), priced at 11 yuan per piece, looks very much worth it as it is large. However! That cream just doesn't suit my taste, leaving me feeling heavy-headed with aftertaste overload.
  • Tips: If you haven’t tried this type of cream, you might try purchasing less to see if it suits your palate.

• What is 'Qiang Bing'?

  • It’s basically a baked flatbread made from fermented dough, often oily. In fact, many places in China have similar food items, but each region has their own name for it.
  • If you want to taste local specialties, there isn’t really much need to try Qiang Bing specifically. It is more of a convenient ‘fill-you-up’ food than something that’s distinctly impressive or special about Shanghai.

• Sticky and Chewy Rice snacks ('Nuo Ji Ji')

  • These are pastries made from glutinous rice such as Qingtuan, Tiaotou Gao, etc. Unless your family strongly favor glutinous rice, I don’t actually recommend buying them as souvenirs to give away.
  • ️ Warning & Important Notes ️
    • Short Shelf Life: These pastries typically have a short shelf-life and are only truly delicious fresh off the tray.
    • Significant Difference in Texture: MZS Cheng (a famous old-established shop) has fresh offerings, which has a totally different texture compared to those breakfast vendors at subway entrances (such as some called ‘Hongkou Gao Tang’) selling bagged goods!
    • Do Not Expect Much from Pre-packaged Goods: Once they've been resting and are bagged, the taste takes a nosedive, losing what makes these pastries truly tasty.
    • How to Avoid Mistakes: If you want to enjoy fresh flavors, get them at the store and consume right away while they are still hot!

• Shengjian Bao and Xiaolongbao

  • These two famous dishes from Shanghai. Promise me, you must get them fresh from a physical store and eat them while they are hot!
  • ️ Warning & Important Notes ️
    • Damage by Delivery: Although delivery services are incredibly convenient, Shengjian Bao and Xiaolongbao lose their essence once taken from store to delivery service. The bao/buns will become soft and unappetizing, the juices in the Xiao Long Bao may leak (which is one of the best parts!), the bottoms of the Shengian Bao won't be crispy anymore ... the result is often a significant reduction in overall taste!
    • My Own Personal Experience: I requested delivery for my own ease through my hotel service, resulting in a disappointing taste... it was barely edible, to put it lightly. Not willing to be disappointed by such things, I later went to an old-established store to taste them properly, only to miss out on my precious food experience.
    • How to Avoid Mistakes: To enjoy authentic flavors and tastes, visit those old-established stores with positive reviews and wait in queue before consuming them; it'll be a wellworth endeavor!

• The 'WeChat Status Famous' Ice Cream Around Wukang Road

  • Wukang Road is a very lively old street full of picturesque small shops now so "trendy" that people will share the sights with friends via social media apps. However, I personally don't find the ice creams sold along the roadside to be worthy of its reputation...
  • ️ Warning & Important Notes ️
    • Expensive: The cheapest option alone is over 30 yuan, and some can even reach up to 100! For that money I'd rather have a proper meal (fine, I admit I'm somewhat frugal with my money, the taste may just be too 'down-to-earth' for me to appreciate such high-end goods ).
    • Taste Might let You Down: I casually bought a piece of apple-flavored ice cream at about 30 yuan, only to be left bitter with disappointment, finding its texture icy and similar to trying to eat the frost formed inside my fridge. No point in buying this but for a pretty photo.
    • How to Avoid Mistakes: If it’s not for sharing photos on social media, I suggest saving this money to try something real and delicious instead.

---

I've finished writing the notes about my exploration of Shanghai. I can finally put this aside, get back to work and write this note before anything else because it’s way more exciting than a boring report! #ShanghaiTravel #ShanghaiTravelTips #AvoidMissteps

[Edith Friesen]

The only thing I bought in Shanghai to take home was fresh meat mooncakes. They turn out really fragrant when reheated in an air fryer, and we Northerners love them.

[Clarence Hessel II]

Get the frozen ones from Taikang. My family buys them too, and you don't have to wait in line.

[Lena Oberbrunner]

Thank you for saying 'not recommended' instead of telling people to 'steer clear.' I appreciate that 🥹

[Cathy Gulgowski]

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.

[Ellis Sauer DVM]

I bought mung bean cakes, almond crisps, and zongzi from Longhua Temple.

[Terrence Beer]

Were they good?

[Melinda Wilderman]

Why would you come to Shanghai specifically for Qiang Bing?

[Kathryn Heller]

The Qiang Bing from Mengxi Market is definitely worth trying.

[Jeremiah Stamm-Carroll]

For desserts, I think the cream in Xin Yi Dorayaki's offerings is quite good.

[Sonja Schroeder]

Does the strawberry brûlée have cream in it?

[Franklin Weimann IV]

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.

[Kay Oberbrunner]

Learned something new!

[Abel Schulist MD]

Haha, I personally feel Shanghai doesn't have a lot of amazing food. But you could try the crab roe noodles in November.

[Rosemarie Sawayn PhD]

Do Shanghai locals actually eat crab roe noodles?

[Benjamin Dooley]

The butterfly pastries (palmiers) from Ha's (Harbin Foodstuff Factory) are super delicious!

[Sadie Ortiz-Waelchi]

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.

[Shawna Keebler-Satterfield]

Is 'baituo' (butter) a type of plant-based cream?

[Stacey Kulas]

No, it's made with real butter.

[Florence Stark]

I absolutely adore Qiang Bing! It's like a Chinese ciabatta.