Charmed

Hong Kong style cafés (_cha canting_) are all the rage in Shanghai lately, and none is better or more popular than the Charme chain. On any given night of the week, lines of locals dozens deep spill outside any of their half dozen locations around town. The specialty of the house is quality meat roasted in lip-smacking sauce (YY35). Choose from goose, pork shoulder or lean beef, or be ambitious and mix 'n match. As a nod to its colonial age background, Charme also whips up respectable versions of classic European cuisine. The baked cod (YY88) and lemon salmon filet (YY98) go great with a thick milk tea (YY15). Desserts are a must at any respectable Hong Kong style café. Charme serves up excellent renditions of classic mango-based treats, but we love the baked honey bread loaf topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (YY28)--it's one of the best and most unique desserts you'll find in town. Reserve a couple days in advance as tables are very hard to get. --Lee Mack