Shanghaiist loves our dear readers because you never hesitate to let us know when you disagree when it comes to a restaurant recommendation. Well, now's your chance to put a little of your own skin in the game. Famed restaurant guide Zagat is currently collecting survey responses regarding restaurants in Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. Users who submit the survey by the September 23rd deadline will receive a free copy of the resulting 2008 China's Restaurants and Hotels Guide when it's published. According to Zagat they are covering over 175 restaurants in Shanghai. We signed up (site registration is required in order to take the survey) to take a peek. The restaurants are broken out by district, and glancing at the full list it looks like usual suspects from the listings on City Weekend (which, by the way, appears to have upgraded their website).

The format of the survey will look familiar to readers of Zagat guides: food, decor, and service are all rated on a scale of 0-3 (with three representing "excellent"), and there's an input area for comments, from which the editors will comb through and filter for publication. According to the site they're looking for comments that are descriptive, witty and pithy...basically, of the same caliber that you dear readers so lovingly leave for us.

Restaurant Update: A couple of weeks back we mentioned that Backyard Cafe was ostensibly closed for renovation. One loyal reader (thanks Thomas K!) sent us a recent picture of the exterior, which shows the front windows plastered with posters that say: "Get ready for the true Australian experience." We ask: does the true Australian experience include super-sized burritos? Yes, we're stupid, but with a never-ending fountain of optimism.

Happy news for lazy beer lovers: Sherpa's is now delivering some American Craft Beer selections. Says the website: "99 rmb per 6-pack, served cold! Best price in Shanghai (or at least we think it is). Varieties available: Rogue, Dead Guy, Acme, California Pale Ale, Brooklyn Lager." Those of you in Pudong and Hongqiao will have to hold off dialing a bit longer; service to you guys is coming soon.

Eric Hu is Shanghaiist's Food Editor. Email tips, recommendations, and news and gossip about Shanghai's food scene to food at shanghaiist.com.

Yep, it's that time of year again: When Americans here try to explain to everyone else why we place so much importance on college athletics, namely football (the version where you don't use your feet too much). If you'd like to try to understand, or if you would just like to tell college footballs fans how silly you think they are in person, head out to Bubba's today. The first full Saturday of college football games is going on right now in the good ol' US of A. And Bubba's will have a couple selected games playing on tape delay on Sunday. Here's Bubba's email:

And like last year, Bubba's will be NCAA headquarters all season each Sunday with NCAA Tailgate Parties, cold beer, fine barbeque, and plenty of smack talk among fans. Each Sunday we'll feature two to three games played by top-ranked teams. We'll also run specials on barbeque and will have our usual happy hour with 20 rmb draft beer and house pours, and 30 rmb margaritas and Texas Teas from 2 to 8 p.m. We'll kick this season off on Friday night at 7 p.m. with #2 LSU vs Mississippi State. Then, on Sunday, we'll show Alabama-Birmingham vs Michigan State at 1 p.m. followed by the feature game of the weekend.....#15 Tennessee vs #12 Cal at 5 p.m. For NFL fans, we'll be dishing up games all season via satellite and also via slingbox.

If you want the results of Saturday's games to remain shrouded in mystery until you have watched them at Bubba's DO NOT click here.

And if you know of any other places to watch college football in Shanghai, please let us know.

Hunker down, you hairy dawgs.

Image from the official website of Penn State intercollegiate athletics.