Shanghai Bites:

Dianping.com, the giant of democratic restaurant review sites in China, has just released a definitive short list of the best places to go for some of Shanghai’s most famous small eats, as reported by Shanghaiist today. This is definitely a major development for those seeking out Shagnhai’s tastiest. Some, like Xiao Yang’s for shengjian bao (a slam dunk) and Jia Jai Tang Bao for xiaolong bao (which I’ve lobbied for often) are obvious choices, but you’ll get second and third choice picks for these, as well as the scoop on where to go for hong shao rou (Shanghai’s hallmark “red cooked pork”), you bao xia (stir-fried fresh-water shrimp in the shell) and xiefen doufo (hairy crab meat with tofu). Shanghaiist gives more details, as does the link provided to the original Chinese posting (where you can at least find some user-uploaded photographs, even if you don’t know Chinese). As a public service (for myself, if no one else), here is a summary list to clip and put between the pages of your Frommer’s:

Shengjian Bao:

• Xiaoyang Fry-Dumplings, 54-60 Wujiang Rd (the Wujiang Lu food street)
• Caijing Shengjian, 530 Sichuan Middle Rd.

Xiaolong Bao:

• Jiajia Tangbao, 90 Huanghe Rd
• Fuchun Xiaolong Shop, 650 Yuyuan Rd. (Jiangsu Rd metro stop)
• Delongguan, 473 Jiangxi Middle Rd.

Hongshao Rou:

• Jesse Restaurant, 41 Tianping Rd
• Yuanyuan Restaurant, 550 Wanping Rd
• Keven Chinese Cuisine, 1A Urumqi Rd.

Youbao Xia:

• Lanting, 107 Songshan Rd
• Lüya Restaurant, 372 Jiangxi Middle Rd
• Chun, 124 Jinxian Rd.

Xiefen Doufu:

• Lang Yifang Restaurant, 168 Lujiazui West Rd
• Ye Old Station Restaurant, 201 Caoxi North Rd
• Xiao Nanguo, 214-216 Huanghe Rd.