Four Shanghai specialties people are queuing up to eat

Just like I instinctually trust a full restaurant over an empty one, food vendors with long lines always pique my appetite. I often see the longest queues at vendors serving the most authentic traditional foods, especially seasonal specialties. I recently got in line at several conspicuously popular spots to find out what everyone was waiting to eat this fall holiday season.

One: Qiu Xia Ge. This weathered corner shop is a neighborhood pitstop for fans of “meat mooncakes” (xianrou yuebing). Even if you abhor traditional sweet mooncakes, you’ll likely love these fresh-baked savory pork pastries. Qiu Xia Ge’s have a flaky exterior and a soft shredded pork stuffing (different from the usual meatball-type filling). Verdict: Get in line and eat ‘em while they’re hot—they’re only available in the fall.

Two: Lan Ting. This inconspicuous dive serves up Shanghainese food just like mom used to make. The top dish here, jigu jiang, looks like a pile of chicken parts in gloppy dark brown sauce–but it tastes just like childhood to a born and bred Shanghainese. This tender chicken dish is intense with sweet, caramelized hongshao flavors. Verdict: Take a Shanghainese friend here, nonchalantly order this dish, gain major street cred.

Three: Lao Guangdong Restaurant. On mid-autumn festival, this restaurant sells 1000 roast ducks, up from regular daily sales of 200 to 300. The diligent chefs here are in constant motion: the roasting method includes blanching, stuffing the birds with a huge handful of scallions and ginger, dousing them with a secret liquid involving yellow wine and spices, and then baking in a coal-fired kiln oven. The result is a full-flavored, amber-skinned fowl. Verdict: This juicy bird makes a terrific casual dinner–all you need is rice.

Four: Jing’an Bakery. If you want to try the best of Shanghai baking, circa the 1990’s, look no further. For years I have marveled at the lines outside this ordinary-looking bakery whose bestselling chestnut cake involves creamy frosting, chestnut puree, and bland, bouncy yellow cake. This style of cake has been eaten at countless birthdays over the last decade and though it won’t win any awards, it sweetly evokes memories of the first widely available Western-style cakes. Verdict: Bring this retro cake to your next birthday celebration and win over the party.

Still hungry? Check out another favorite place where I line up for good eats, Tianping Lu's morning street food.

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