Dance, Sing and Eat Xinjiang

A perennial favorite cuisine usually on an expat's "don't leave China without savoring" list, Xinjiang fare, mainly characterized by hala dishes, their use of lamb, noodles and spices, is a different take on the plethora of Chinese dining options in Shanghai. Bypass the nang-to-go at the entrance of this venue. Once inside, you'll have a difficult choice to make: Dine in the larger upstairs dining room and be entertained by live traditional song and dance performances while running the risk of being pulled up to dance, or eat on the first floor where you can watch the upstairs shenanigans on the television from a safe distance. The thick, bilingual menu offers everything from a full grilled lamb (approximately 8kg) for YY998 to a comprehensive "recommended dishes" section with classics like grilled lamb skewers (YY4 per skewer) topped with Xinjiang seasonings of chili powder, black pepper and zir, lamb chops with red and green peppers and onions in brown sauce (YY58), fried beef ribs with black pepper and garlic sauce (YY68) and spicy fried lamb (YY38). Also make sure to order the nang chao rou, traditional Xinjiang bread that's spiced, toasted and cooked up to be eaten with lamb and mutton. There's plenty more to choose from and you're sure to be back enough times to sample them. --Jessica Beaton