Indulging in a Feast on the Bund and Wandering Old Streets Witnessing a Century of Change

Shanghai is China's most dazzling metropolis, a place where East meets West in a rich cultural tapestry. I'd been here several times before, but always on the go, never truly stopping to appreciate this 'Magic City' of the East and all its vibrant splendor. This time, over the May Day holiday, I decided to slow down and soak in Shanghai's unique style and charm—to listen to the century-old tales whispered by its old streets.

A city's essence can be tasted through its food—a fast track to understanding its traditions, prosperity, and growth. Shanghai offers both authentic 'Benbang' local cuisine and Western breads and steaks, truly embodying the spirit of 'embracing all rivers, inclusive and ever-evolving.' Among China's Michelin-starred restaurants clustered in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, Shanghai accounts for half. So this trip was all about food—hitting the Michelin hot spots and savoring the unique Shanghainese culture through my taste buds.

Day 1 (April 30): Arrived in Shanghai in the evening and checked into the Peace Hotel.

The Peace Hotel, standing at the intersection of East Nanjing Road and the Bund, is a Gothic-style gem among the Bund's historic architectural ensemble. Its signature feature is the striking green copper roof. Built in 1929, originally named the Cathay Hotel, it was founded by the Jewish businessman Sassoon. Legend has it that Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Mei-ling held their engagement ceremony here—so the Peace Hotel has truly witnessed a century of Shanghai's dramatic changes.

That iconic green spire, like an emerald set on the banks of the Huangpu River, has become a legendary landmark of the Bund.

The lobby ceiling features an octagonal dome with stained glass in gold and pale green, through which light pours down onto a glass 'peace dove'—a perfect match for the hotel's name.

Its classic corridors feel like a time tunnel, instantly transporting you back to old Shanghai.

After checking in, with dusk falling, I picked a restaurant-bar and kicked off my Shanghai culinary adventure.

THE NEST, located at Rockbund, offers a stunning night view of the Huangpu River and is one of Shanghai's best-known bars.

The bar's enormous fishbone-shaped chandelier is the restaurant's hallmark.

The M9 Wagyu tomahawk steak was massive—1.5 kilograms, cooked medium, tender and juicy. Despite a choice of sauces, it tasted best with just coarse salt. Paired with a glass of their signature Grey Goose vodka, it was simply perfect.

The salmon platter, with specially made pancakes, stuffed with different flavors of salmon, roe, onion, and cheese—one bite, pure satisfaction.

The molten chocolate cake, said to be among Shanghai's top three, paired with ice cream for that hot-and-cold sensation.

Day 2 (May 1): Dàhúchūn, Shanghai's most beloved old-school shengjian (pan-fried bao) shop, hugely famous and listed as a Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant (affordable, quality food). It's said that if you haven't eaten at Dàhúchūn, you haven't truly had shengjian.

The shop is small, busy, and clean. I ordered a bowl of tofu skin and vermicelli soup and a few shengjian. Overall, the taste was just average—nothing special, no wow factor. Maybe my stomach hadn't digested yesterday's steak yet.

Wukang Road, first built in 1907 by the former French Municipal Council, is known as a 'celebrity road' that encapsulates a century of Shanghai's modern history. Literary giants like Ba Jin once lived here. Towering plane trees line both sides, shading the street, with European-style buildings scattered along the way.

The most famous is the Wukang Mansion, with its red brick walls and cantilevered corner balconies—one of Shanghai's earliest gallery-style buildings, full of French Renaissance charm.

Yì Dào, a one-Michelin-star restaurant specializing in Huaiyang cuisine, is on the second floor of a historic building at Rockbund. The solid, time-worn architecture gives the space a dignified air.

**Jiangnan-style Red-braised Pork**—the top dish of the day. Glossy red, fat that's rich without being greasy, lean meat that's tender without being dry, melting in the mouth. Even someone watching their weight like me found it hard to resist.

**Canadian Lobster with Stir-fried Rice Cakes**—springy, bouncy lobster meat, soft and chewy rice cakes, beautifully savory.

**Pan-seared Deep-sea Ribbonfish**—crispy skin, moist flesh, and thoughtfully deboned along the edges.

**Hand-peeled River Shrimp**—just okay.

**Jasmine Tea-smoked Mandarin Fish**—looked great, tasted average.

**Marbled Goby**—fresh, tender, but nothing remarkable.

**Supreme Fried Rice**—each grain distinct, not oily, aromatic—a testament to the chef's skill.

After dinner, I strolled back to the hotel. Nanjing Road was a sea of people. According to reports, the Bund saw record crowds during the May Day holiday.

Armed police and public security formed a zipper-like, pressing human wall to guide the flow, maintaining order—a clear sign of Shanghai's high management standards.

Those uniformed soldiers stood like anchors in the surging crowd.

I passed a cake shop called Salon de Thé de Joël Robuchon, a dessert boutique under the legendary Michelin chef Robuchon, located at Bund 18 and highly rated. Their palmier is said to be among the top three in Shanghai—and they sell it in limited quantities! The magic of desserts is irresistible. Since I was here, I had to try a little.

Day 3 (May 2)

Xièjiā Dàyuàn, Shanghai's most famous crab roe noodles—360 yuan a bowl. Despite the steep price, diners line up endlessly. The topping alone is said to use the roe from six male and six female crabs—12 crabs in total!

The crab roe was indeed generous, and the taste was fine, but not noticeably different from other 100-yuan crab roe noodles I'd had. However, they offered free peanuts and unlimited Evian water, and each noodle bowl came with a souvenir fridge magnet. In short: aside from the price, no complaints.

The French Concession, established in 1849 and returned in 1943, spanned nearly a century of humiliation. The 'French romanticism' visible today had nothing to do with the Chinese back then.

Behind the iron gate lies the infamous police station.

Tianzifang, once a street market, was transformed by the government into a modern creative hub. During the holiday, it was packed, so I took a quick look and left.

The Shanghai Museum of Glass Art, the only one of its kind in Asia, is stunning—I marveled at its brilliant, luminous beauty.

Mr & Mrs Bund by Paul Pairet, a French restaurant awarded a Michelin Plate (indicating fresh ingredients, carefully prepared quality dishes), is a highly acclaimed veteran French restaurant at Bund 18, with dazzling night views of Pudong.

**Iberian Ham**—perfect with drinks.

**Snails** served in little pots, with a vibrant green sauce, fried garlic chips, and bread—a wonderfully complex texture.

**Seafood Tower**—everything extremely fresh. The oysters had thin shells and plump meat, with a subtle sweetness, silky smooth. This was my first time eating raw oysters.

**Scallops**—paired with various condiments, each bite offered a different flavor, layered and rich.

**Bag-steamed Black Cod**—tender, springy flesh with rice on the side, refreshingly clean.

**Ribeye Steak**—medium, with a charred crust and juicy interior.

**Chicken & Foie Gras Puff Pastry**—the flaky crust soaked up the rich chicken and foie gras juices, absolutely stunning.

Finished with some dessert—perfect.

The Cathay Room, on the ninth floor of the Peace Hotel, boasts a privileged location with sweeping Bund views.

Dazzling neon, towering skyscrapers, and enchanting lights together reveal the city's myriad charms.

Facing such a view, I couldn't help but strike a pose with a peace sign, snapping a memento.

Day 4 (May 3)

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, by the Nine Zigzag Bridge in Yuyuan Garden, is a century-old establishment with great renown, a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The permanent long queue out front has become a Yu Garden 'attraction'.

The line seemed endless. After asking around, I learned there was an upstairs seating area, so I hurried up. I ordered a few local starters: kǎo fū (braised wheat gluten), braised spring bamboo shoots, and broad beans with scallion oil—all light and refreshing.

I tried different xiaolongbao flavors, and the matsutake mushroom ones were the best, savory and delicious.

Crab roe soup dumpling, served with a straw to sip the broth—too greasy and a bit fishy, just a taste was enough.

Xīróngjì, Jiangsu-Zhejiang cuisine, one Michelin star. The decor is understated yet elegant, and the service is excellent.

**Shrimp Roe and Water Bamboo**—a crisp, appetizing cold dish.

**Crispy Pigeon**—crispy skin, juicy meat, a popular dish that requires advance booking.

**Salt-baked Yangtze River Razor Clams**—plump and infused with the fragrance of scallions.

**Home-style Braised Yellow Croaker**—tender flesh, rich and savory broth, paired with soft, steamed rice cakes—delicious.

**Abalone and Red-braised Pork**—tasty, but a bit too fatty.

**Sea Anemone and Bean Noodles**—sea anemone seemed like a kind of seafood I hadn't seen before; the dish was just okay.

**Cabbage in Fish Broth**—very much to my taste, approved.

I opened a bottle of wine, so I ordered two classic drinking snacks. What's local is universal.

Day 5 (May 4)

Having already tried Shanghai's famous snacks—xiaolongbao, shengjian, and crab roe noodles—I wasn't sure what to eat next. I wandered into a mall to browse. Bumping into a 'Song Fa Bak Kut Teh,' I found it quite good. Shanghai never runs out of tasty options.

Jean Georges, French cuisine, one Michelin star, at Bund 3, with beautiful Bund views.

Amuse-bouche: a salmon bite and a black truffle sphere; the juice had a unique flavor.

**Egg Yolk Toast with Caviar**—plump caviar, savory egg yolk, crispy toast, with a touch of scallion—rich and full of flavor.

**Egg and Caviar**—caviar perched on a foam of egg white, stunning presentation.

**Deep-sea Scallop with Daikon Purée**—tender scallop, the radish cutting the richness, well balanced.

**King Crab Risotto with Sweet Peas**—light yet aromatic, very enjoyable.

**M7 Wagyu Beef Fillet with White Asparagus**—medium, juicy, with fragrant asparagus.

**Pan-seared Foie Gras with Lychee Sauce and Toast**—thick, rich, and aromatic.

**Lobster**—fresh and springy, with a subtle natural sweetness.

**Turbot with Yellow Wine Sauce**—delicate flesh, lightly infused with rice wine aroma.

**Chocolate Lava Cake with Ice Cream**—too sweet.

The Old Jazz Bar on the ground floor of the Peace Hotel features a famous elderly jazz band, averaging 80 years old, impeccably dressed and graceful—a signature attraction of the hotel.

I ordered a drink as classic tunes like 'Night Shanghai' floated by. The simple, old-school instrumentation whisked me back to the glamorous nightlife of old Shanghai.

Day 6 (May 5)

The last day of the holiday, with an afternoon departure, so one more meal.

Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine, Cantonese, two Michelin stars, at Rockbund. As it was lunchtime, I ordered dim sum style. The crispy pigeon was especially good.

Time flies, and this food-focused short trip was drawing to a close. Reflecting on the past days, I'd say Shanghai is absolutely a culinary capital. It offers not only its own Benbang cuisine, but also outstanding Huaiyang dishes, high-end Cantonese food that rivals Guangzhou's best, and the creations of chefs from around the world. Shanghai's unique geography and history have allowed global cuisines to blend here, giving rise to an even more brilliant food culture. One small regret: I missed 'Deda Western Food Restaurant,' an old local Western-style eatery that adapted Western dishes for Shanghai tastes, treasured in the memories of old Shanghainese as a place of 'refinement.' I'll have to come back next time.