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SichuanOld City
Tan Sichuan Cuisine at Yu Gardens in Shanghai holds a Bib Gourmand for Chengdu-style Sichuan food with a Nine-Turn Bridge view from upstairs.
OrderOrder the saliva chicken in chili oil and the whole fish cooked yuxiang style.
TipIt carries backing from Chengdu's THE BRIDGE but runs its own menu; the dan dan noodles and mapo tofu are also strong here.
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ShanghaineseXuhui
Old Jesse on Tianping Road in Shanghai has served Shanghainese home cooking in a packed lane house since 2004, the original of several Old Jesse rooms.
OrderOrder the hongshaorou red-braised pork belly, plus the cod fish head braised with green onions if pre-ordered.
TipThe scallion oil noodles round out a table; in hairy crab season, add the crab roe mixed with rice if it is on the menu.
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ShanghainesePeoples Square
Wang Bao He on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai began in 1744 as a Shaoxing wine maker and moved here in 1936, when it started steaming crabs to go with its wine.
OrderOrder the wine-soaked crab and the fried bean curd jelly with crab paste, the kitchen's proudest dish.
TipAbout nine in ten dishes on the menu carry crab in some form, down to the xiaolongbao and the Lion's Head meatballs.
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ChineseThe Bund
Lost Heaven on the Bund in Huangpu district, Shanghai serves Yunnan folk cuisine with Burmese and Thai touches in a vast room of dark wood and red lanterns.
OrderOrder the Dali-style chicken with chilies and green onions, plus the mushroom platter.
TipBook ahead for a Bund-view window seat at dinner; the room feels grand for what is still a mid-priced regional Chinese meal.
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ChineseFrench Concession
Xibo on Changshu Road in Shanghai has served Xibonese and Xinjiang minority cuisine since it opened in 2009, run by Xibonese founder Atina Kuo.
OrderOrder the big plate chicken and lamb skewers, best shared with a group over pilaf and grilled corn.
TipCome with a crowd; the whole roasted lamb and big plate chicken are built for sharing, not a solo lunch.
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ChinesePeoples Square
Jia Jia Tang Bao on Huanghe Road near People's Square in Shanghai has hand-wrapped xiaolongbao since 1986, now a chain with several shops across the city.
OrderOrder the pork xiaolongbao or the crab and crab roe version, both made to order rather than pre-frozen.
TipMany locals stop here after buying the famous palmiers from the nearby Park Hotel; the Huanghe Road branch is the best known.