RESTAURANT: Taste of Shanghai (World Square)

Usually when I walk through World Square and pass Taste of Shanghai it’s after I’ve had dinner elsewhere. I’ve wanted to go there for a while, since the crowd that’s constantly hanging around outside at around 8 must count for something.

Finally, I went there.

I shouldn’t have waited so long to come, because the food is awesome. The pan-fried pork dumplings had a crispy base and a great, soupy filling. The cumin lamb stirfry was one of the best I’ve had and the shredded pork in yu xiang sauce with golden buns is delicious. Yes it’s probably 25% more expensive than normal Chinese places serving Shanghainese food, but the quality is there. Service is pretty friendly and quick, and it’s a pretty comfortable place.

A second was just as--if not more--enjoyable. The fried pork buns were delicious and still filled with heaps of soup (to my shirt's detriment) and give the dumplings a run for their money. While mapo tofu isn't up with some other Szechuan restaurants around the city, it's still very respectable. And cod fried in shallots was well cooked and delicious, being a popular dish in the restaurant for good reason.

My one gripe is with all of the additional charges. For example, it will have pork dumplings listed as $9, but you have to add $2 for getting them fried. Or the milk tea with pearls in the drinks section is listed as $4 + 50c (50c for the pearls). It’s good if you want to order a dish without the extra charge item (ie unfried dumplings) but if you just want what’s on the menu without then it feels like they’re just adding an extra cost to screw you. That’s not the case, but that’s how human psychology works. Give me a flat fee and let's keep the transaction at that.


RATING: Will return to [?]