A Culinary Journey to Sheshan, Shanghai

I’ve been to Shanghai many, many times, and have seen its thousand faces—the neon-lit glamour of the Bund, the childlike wonder of Disney. This past month, the Jiangsu-Zhejiang-Shanghai region has been in the middle of the plum rain season, which does affect travel a bit. But no matter! There’s always a suitable way to relax. So on this trip to Shanghai, I set my sights on Sheshan, a place I hadn’t been to before.

What kind of place is Sheshan? It’s called the backyard of Shanghai people, located in Songjiang District. It’s divided into West Sheshan and East Sheshan. West Sheshan is about 100 meters above sea level—though that sounds low, for the flat terrain of Shanghai it’s actually the highest land peak. East Sheshan is a bit shorter, at 72.4 meters. The area boasts an excellent ecological environment and is a health and wellness retreat. So not only can you enjoy beautiful scenery on fine days, but even if it rains, the experience isn’t diminished—because you can, like me, come mainly for the food and culture.

This trip’s itinerary was simple: take a high-speed train from Changzhou to Shanghai (trains are as frequent as buses), then catch a taxi from Hongqiao Station straight to Sheshan Forest Hotel. Lunch at the hotel, rest in the afternoon, dinner at Lansun Villa in the evening, and the next morning, Guangfulin Relic Park.

Sheshan Forest Hotel

In the bustling city of Shanghai, Sheshan Forest Hotel is a hidden retreat, nestled on the southwestern foot of Sheshan Forest Park. It’s a star-rated hotel built along the hillside. The first impression upon arrival is being surrounded by mountains and forests, with lush bamboo and green hills everywhere—truly away from the urban clamor.

The hotel lobby is very welcoming, with a lounge bar where you can rest, sip a coffee, flip through a book, and quietly wait for the rain outside to ease… I couldn’t help but ask myself, is this really the fast-paced Shanghai? At least not here in Sheshan.

The accommodation at Sheshan Forest Hotel is also different from the high-rises of downtown Shanghai. Here, red-roofed villas are tucked among the trees. I stayed in Building No. 2, which from the outside is a classic Shanghai “little Western-style house”—very charming. The lobby’s décor has a subtle European feel, and the guest room area is no exception. Stepping inside, the stairwell’s glass windows are especially fresh and bright.

My room was a standard guest room with decent amenities that match the room rate. What surprised me was the spaciousness. Having stayed mostly in downtown Shanghai hotels where space is at a premium, even high-end rooms tend to be small. I never expected that in Sheshan, also part of Shanghai, I could enjoy such a roomy space. There was a large desk perfect for me to stay in the hotel all afternoon, and even a sofa for receiving guests without awkwardness.

Of course, staying at Sheshan Forest Hotel isn’t just about the accommodation—the food here is also noteworthy. At noon, I had lunch with friends at the hotel’s Forest Family Restaurant, ordering many specialty dishes.

The average cost per person is just over 100 yuan. Now let me comment on each dish one by one—if you’re reading this travelogue on an empty stomach, be prepared to salivate. First dish: Grandma-style vegetable rice with braised pork. Shanghai braised pork tends to be a bit sweet. Forest Family Restaurant selects black-haired pork with just the right amount of fat, giving it a pleasantly sweet aftertaste without overdoing it. The sauce seeps into the vegetable rice, making it incredibly flavorful and simply outstanding.

Second dish: crisp-fried spare ribs with scallion netting. The presentation is very attractive, and the dish gets its name from the shape. The ribs are marinated, coated in batter, deep-fried, and finally stir-fried with a house-made scallion seasoning. The aroma is irresistible, and the meat is lean but not dry. The ribs also have some crunchy cartilage on them, giving a chewy texture that’s hard to stop eating.

Third dish: Thai-style stone pot beef brisket with a bit of exotic flair. Due to the special times, I haven’t flown to Southeast Asia for a long while and haven’t had curry in ages. The curry in this dish is rich and creamy—a feast for the taste buds. The beef brisket in the stone pot is tender to the point of falling apart, and the potatoes are soft and glutinous, requiring little effort to chew.

Fourth dish: a nostalgic stir-fry of two mushrooms with egg white in soup. The restaurant owner says this dish is a childhood memory from the outskirts of Shanghai. The broth is made from chicken and pork bones, with common oyster mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and plain boiled egg whites. Seemingly simple yet incredibly umami-rich, for older visitors from Shanghai’s suburbs it’s an irresistible “memory blast.”

Another creative dish is fresh pineapple stir-fried with shrimp paste, a refreshing combination of shrimp paste, asparagus, and pineapple—perfect for summer. Like me, did you think shrimp paste was only for hot pot? I didn’t expect it could be so delightfully unconventional.

The last dish that won unanimous praise from all of us was the signature coral fish head soup. Living in Changzhou, I often get to taste the local Tianmu Lake fish head soup, but the Forest Family Restaurant’s version is quite different. The milky white fish broth, loved by all, is served with handmade large fish balls that are silky smooth and delicate. Packed with collagen, and sprinkled with pepper and coriander, everyone had at least three bowls!

That wraps up most of the dishes at Forest Family Restaurant. While editing photos and writing these words, I’m still savoring this sumptuous feast. After the meal, I saw many award plaques on the wall near the restaurant entrance. No wonder there are so many repeat visitors to Sheshan—you can dine at Forest Family Restaurant even if you’re not staying at the hotel. They not only have cups and medals but also the praise of the people.

For dinner, we ate at Lansun Villa, which is actually just 10 meters inside the intersection next to Forest Family Restaurant. Why switch? Obviously, as travelers we want to experience more. Lansun Villa is also a combined restaurant and accommodation venue. It features European-style architecture, with pointed roofs, red tiles, and white walls, like something out of a fairy tale.

At Lansun Villa, we had authentic Shanghai cuisine: black pepper beef fillet, crystal shrimp, seafood and tofu casserole, farmhouse-style steamed three delights, and more. Shanghai cuisine is characterized by rich, oily sauces, well-balanced saltiness, preservation of original flavors, and deep umami. Our dishes perfectly matched these traits. Shanghai cuisine often uses sugar, but compared to Wuxi or Suzhou, the sweetness is much more moderate, used just to enhance the umami without being cloying.

One dish worth highlighting at Lansun Villa is the special gluten puff casserole. In Jiangsu, we often eat gluten puffs stuffed with minced meat or simply braised gluten. This special gluten puff casserole contains fish paste, unlike the large stuffed ones; it’s a thin layer clinging to the gluten skin, so the bite isn’t too heavy but incredibly flavorful.

Another dish is Huadiao chicken from Taoyuan. When the chicken cooked with Huadiao wine arrives at the table, the subtle fragrance of wine immediately wafts up. Huadiao wine has a low alcohol content, so even teetotalers won’t find it unpleasant. The wine also removes any chicken odor, leaving the meat tender, juicy, and perfect with rice.

Finally, let me explain the villa’s name. “Sheshan Lansun” (Orchid Bamboo Shoots) gained fame because Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty favored it, and Sheshan was then bestowed the name “Lansun Mountain,” making it a product with strong local identity. Every year, Sheshan holds a cultural festival themed around Lansun, featuring activities like “digging shoots, tasting shoots, picking tea, tasting tea,” allowing more visitors to learn about and enjoy Lansun—a highlight of Sheshan tourism. Thus, Lansun Villa is a must-visit local spot.

Guangfulin Relic Park

While in Sheshan, besides the forest park, you must visit Guangfulin Relic Cultural Park! If the forest park represents Sheshan’s natural scenery, Guangfulin is its cultural heart. Originally called Huangfulin or Guangfulin, this area was part of the Huating Valley in ancient times, nurturing the brilliant Guangfulin ancient culture. It was the eastern center of culture, politics, economy, and transportation in the ancient Dongwu region… until Huating County was established in the Tang Dynasty, and during the Ming and Qing dynasties, it contributed to the glory of Songjiang, thus earning the title “Root of Shanghai.”

Simply put, archaeological evidence shows that as early as 5,000 years ago, Songjiang ancestors were already living and working here. By the late Neolithic period, around 4,000–5,000 years ago, rice cultivation was widespread, indicating advanced agricultural practices. Understanding Guangfulin’s cultural background makes exploring the park much more rewarding; combined with the scenic area’s introductions, you’ll gain a more vivid picture.

Personally, I like two spots in Guangfulin Relic Park. One is Duoyun Books (Guangfulin branch), an internet-famous bookstore in Shanghai. Beyond selling books, it sells beauty! Focusing on literature, history, painting, and calligraphy, it provides a wonderful platform for traditional, Haipai, and Jiangnan cultures.

Bookstores nowadays aren’t just about selling books—they sell culture and ambiance. At Duoyun Books, I found many interesting cultural and creative products. I already have many similar items at home, but I couldn’t resist buying a few more. I usually pick things with distinct local cultural features—it’s the best memento of a trip.

Duoyun Books is housed in a classic Huizhou-style old building with carved wooden beams and a sunken courtyard with a pond. The architecture itself is highly worth appreciating. Huizhou people regarded rainwater as wealth, and modern people know that “books hold a house of gold.” The bookstore’s perfect combination of these two concepts makes rainy days especially atmospheric here. If not pressed for time, ordering a coffee and reading would make for a fulfilling and rewarding day.

Guangfulin Relic Park is quite large, and a full walk around can be tiring. That’s when it’s time to rest and enjoy more food. In the alley behind the park’s Great Screen Wall is a restaurant called “Xie Xie Ba” (Take a Break). Here you can eat local specialty noodles; the front hall is also a bubble tea shop in a Huizhou-style building.

The environment here is more compact than Duoyun Books, but it’s right next door, so it’s very convenient to fill your stomach after reading.

At Xie Xie Ba, there are more than ten kinds of noodles on the menu. I had the most expensive one, braised lamb noodles, which was only 38 yuan a bowl—a price with great value for a Shanghai scenic spot. Even a drink at Disney might cost more! The lamb was large chunks of truly braised meat, tender to the point of falling apart with a gentle press of chopsticks, resulting in excellent texture.

My companion had a bowl of authentic Songjiang-style spicy sauce noodles, which better represents the local flavor. Like noodles in Southern Jiangsu, Shanghai’s are topping-noodles, and the key lies in the quality of the topping. The spicy sauce is made by heating a wok, adding scallions, chili powder, diced pork, and other ingredients, stir-frying them with sauce and sugar. Once the noodles are cooked, this spicy sauce is ladled on top—that’s a genuine special spicy sauce noodle. It’s not actually very spicy; the flavor is mainly savory and aromatic, with rich layers. Meat-lovers can also order a pork chop or chicken leg here.

As you savvy foodies can probably tell, my Sheshan trip was a foodie’s journey. Food isn’t affected by weather or seasons, and it’s the easiest way to bring joy! In a beautiful place like Sheshan, accompanied by so many delicious dishes, I’m sure you’re also eager to set off. So, in the name of food, embark on a spontaneous wellness getaway!