It's finally Friday and with the end of the work week you're guaranteed a new Weekendist. This weekend, Shanghai has got a lot to offer. If you're in the mood for crazy 90s dance music, chamber music, or some classic rock and roll, we got you covered. more ›

Despite our eager anticipation of its summer arrival, we hadn't had a chance to review Southern Belle until now. Recently, we went with a 12-person birthday swarm to try out a bit of Southern hospitality in the French Concession - particularly the Southern hospitality that guarantees a ¥100 all-you-can-eat grilled chicken wings and jumbo beef-pork hotdogs until 11pm (tack another ¥100 for open bar). more ›

We've heard about this for a while, but never managed to head down so we weren't sure what to expect when we got to Kommune the other day. An OCN-style networking mingling over dinner? Thank god for the laidback Aussie nature, it's more of a cozy get-together among friends, i.e. booze and all-you-can-eat BBQ minus the pretense. So the price has now been upped to RMB 148 (from RMB 100) with two drinks thrown in instead of one. Still, it's a bargain if you like hamburger patties, sausages, kebabs and salads (4 kinds, well mixed). Too bad there's no warm summer breeze yet and it got a little chilly while we were waiting for the food, otherwise it's all good. Nothing to complain about a hearty meal midweek. Would we be asking for too much if we want a little more variety and how about BBQ vegetable kebabs next time? more ›

As much as you want of the above for 150 kuai. more ›

Only five more days until the City Diner/Shanghaiist 4th of July party this Sunday — which, yes, we realize is the 1st of July and (thanks to a commenter) Canada Day. But we promise this party, like all Shanghaiist parties, is very Canadian friendly. In fact, this party is open to anyone of any nationality who enjoys food, drink, music and fun. Sound like you? more ›

Another small restaurant we like, called Naughty Fry (Táo Qì Xiǎo Chǎo - 淘气小炒) has the same owners as Naughty Barbecue. They have a large lunchtime menu. But in the evenings, it's another fantastic location for barbecued food. Also for excellent oysters. more ›

Is it us or have there been a lot of political news stories and incidents in recent weeks? A few weeks ago, the restive group of villagers in Guangxi rioted over fines relating to the one-child policy, a glimpse of which you can see in the video on the left. Then maybe on Thursday or Friday night of last week, hundreds of Zhengzhou students rioted in the streets, after a student vendor was beaten by some inspectors. Down in Shenzhen, thousands of workers protested outside a plastic Christmas tree factory, citing long working hours as the source of their discontent. (Note to self: get real tree and throw away plastic tree currently hidden in closet before December.) more ›

We were leafing through the latest City Weekend* over breakfast this morning when we realized we forgot to tell you something very important: We love Southern Barbarian (南蛮子). It's a Yunnan restaurant that opened in the fall (we have mentioned it briefly twice before). It is easily one of our favorite restaurants in the city, Chinese or non-Chinese. The food is fantastic — tasty and plentiful — and it is cheap (especially when compared to another Yunnan restaurant that opened recently). An added bonus is that Feng Jianwen, the owner (yes, he's from Yunnan), is a lover of beer — the result is the best selection of bottled beers we have ever seen at a Chinese restaurant. There's Hoegaarden, Chimay, Coopers (Sparkling Ale and Best Extra Stout), Leffe and a bunch of others. They are priced reasonably, too. Hoegaardens are 28 kuai; Coopers are less than that. Or you can always just get a tall bottle of Suntory for 6 kuai — they have that, too. more ›

Out of this world, exquisite, unbelievably good-tasting meat on a stick. This is not your two-a-penny BBQ vendor to be found peddling rat meat outside VIP Room at 3am, the food at Naughty Barbecue (táo qì shāo kǎo - 淘气烧烤) will blow your head off. Better yet, the owner, Hán Lóng, and his girlfriend, Polly (Zhū Mǐn), are so friendly and cool that you’ll be happy to spend as much money here as you can, which still won’t be very much. more ›

Five reasons we won't be rushing back to Yeeha Texas BBQ & Sports Bar more ›

The restaurant is called Southern Barbarian, and it is up in Zhabei District, our old stomping grounds. They sent us an email back in September. Here is what it said: more ›

OK, OK, we must confess we didn't actually taste the pulled pork at Bubba's Texas-Style Bar-B-Que & Saloon, which opened last month in Hongqiao -- because they didn't have any. This, as any connoisseur of this countrified cuisine will tell you, is not uncommon. Sometimes barbecue joints will not have everything on their menu available ... because it's not done cooking yet. A pig's butt needs to spend a decent amount of time in the smoker to get nice and tender. Deal with it. (Or, better yet, call ahead if you have a craving for something in particular. That way you can make sure you aren't making a wasted trip out to Shanghai suburbia.) more ›

Great news out of Jarrett Wrisley's restaurant and bar gossip column this week in SH (especially if you live near Tongren Lu like Shanghaiist does): more ›

We just noticed a street food that may not be new, but it is new to us. We spotted it last night just outside our neighborhood (we were walking to dinner at Guyi ... fantastic Hunan cuisine) and made a mental note to check it out today. What caught our eye on Weihai Lu near Yan'an was the vertical spit and the man shaving off juicy slices of pork (gyro style) with a long blade. We had not seen this before in Shanghai, but then again we didn't see our first Tujia pizza stand until last weekend. more ›

According to SH magazine's Jarrett Wrisley, there soon may be no reason for Shanghaiist to move back to the States. Why? BBQ, baby! more ›