Results tagged “sandwiches”

We were first introduced to Cincinnati-style chili back in the States when our roommate brought back a few cans of Skyline chili from his hometown. Poured over spaghetti and topped with a mound of shredded cheddar cheese, the chili's consistency was much thinner than the denser, Texas-style chili that we had come to cherish. Still, the finely ground beef and combo of spices made it a memorable one time experience before we packed up for China. At least, we thought it was a one time thing, since its lack of availability in California was a pretty good indicator that we probably weren't going to come across it in Shanghai.

For this Shanghaiist, lunch during the work week typically consists of lukewarm slop served downstairs in the company canteen. So, when we get a rare chance to take a day off from work or telecommute, we like to venture out and take advantage of the many lunch specials that are offered by Shanghai's popular restaurants.

As we got up this morning, we were already delighted at the idea that we would have lunch at Paul. We could already hear the sweet sound of the bread crust of their baguette sandwiches, taste the rich butter of their viennoiseries, and see the wooden shelves, behind the counter, full of different kinds of bread. Just like home.

Shanghaiist has finally found a great local place to buy vegetarian bacon. We could have probably tracked it down much earlier if we had bothered to look properly, but we are still happy to be able to buy meat free bacon and sausages from Vegetarian Lifestyle on Songshan Lu.

Shanghaiist isn't one to get up too early on the weekend to go out and buy groceries or produce; we prefer to watch the back of our eyelids. But we know that some of you do like to do active things each weekend morning. Personally, we dread the thought of hitting Carrefour, Lianhua or Hymall at this time, let alone any form of shopping on a Saturday morning.

We'll keep this quick. It's beautiful outside and half-price beers await.

During a break from stuffing our faces with sandwiches, we noticed that, like Sina, Baidu came up with one of those dialogue, cross-fire type programs. Their version is called Fei Dian (沸点) or Boiling Point, which makes sense since the Youth Daily (中国青年报) already has the rights to Bing Dian (冰点). The latest issues of Boiling Point (in Chinese), is a discussion about the two conferences (National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference). We used to be interested in Chinese politics, but with the help of some caring people we've managed to put that behind us, so we're not going to vouch for the quality of this thing. The first episode of Boiling Point was a dialogue between a Southern Weekend reporter and (former? current?) bad-boy author Wang Shuo.

The editors of Shanghaiist have been accused of spending too many words on sandwiches, and if we examine the evidence we have to admit the accusations are not ungrounded.

Valentine's Day is only a few days away, and we here across the Gothamist network wanted to express would like to tell you, in the spirit of the holiday, just how much we love you, our readers. Don't let it get to your heads, though. There are plenty of things we love, you included. Just be glad you're not amongst the things we hate.

We have been accused (more than once) of dedicating too many words on this website to discussions of sandwiches. So we'll try to keep this one short, and just answer your questions. Fire away:

If we had a dime for every new shop that claimed to be home to "the best sandwiches in Shanghai" we'd still have nowhere near enough money to afford lunch at City Deli, the latest eatery claiming to have "the best sandwiches in Shanghai." And you know what? Their Reuben (pictured) is pretty damn good. Real rye bread. Real Thousand Island dressing. Real sauerkraut. And real swiss cheese (although maybe not enough). The bread slices weren't huge, but the (real) pastrami was piled high in between. It was a real Reuben. And really tasty.

Going to Beijing is a little like embarking on a Chinese safari - we see rare species (honest dedicated government officials), fascinating landmarks (Olympic Buildings, formerly known as Hutongs), and even blood-curdling adventure (Ring Road traffic at 5 pm).

Tomorrow marks the arrival of the Shanghai Creative Bazaar, which as dutifully reported in our local English-language rags, is a celebration of those brave souls who flout conventional wisdom and revel in offbeatedness. (Otherwise known as artisans.) Forty designers and 30 shops of handcrafted zaniness, y'all. We’d be amiss, however, if we didn’t mention that in addition to sartorial sizzle, there’s plenty of sizzling food to be had as well. The luncheon, which runs in conjunction with the rest of the festivities (from 10 am to 3 pm, with an afterparty to commence at 7:30 pm) showcases a cornucopia of organic food’s finest, and yes, we’re here to break down exactly what that means. To start, a half-leek, half-spinach soup, followed by a squash and sweet potato sformato (similar to a soufflé), and then, the piece(s) de resistance: a Panini duo. Beef tenderloin with tonnato sauce (no, that’s not a typo), and for veggie lovers (and lovers of peppers), a roasted pepper sandwich. Oh, and in case the sformato didn’t tip you off, this is definitely Italian, and we’re not talking Ruzzi either, although the one-price-buys-all (50 kuai for the whole shebang) might lead you to think that.

Shanghaiist wandered into Shanghai Times Square on Huaihai Lu the other day -- against our volition, of course (this being a shopping mall and all). But in the end it was worth the pain of having to stand inside various clothes shops and nod glumly in support of countless new items that the better half seemed incredibly energetic about the purchase of.

As fall settles in and another calendar page gets turned, thoughts turn from bbq's and vacations to holidays and the realization that '06 is coming to an end. With all that going on, with change in the air, we wonder what is it that made that makes the -ists ponder?

We wish we were outside right now. The weather as changed (although it will likely change back again) and so have the leaves (although only just a few). This has us in the mood ... in the mood for college football. Unfortunately, in China, college football is usually a craving that goes unsatisfied. Last year, when our satellite would work, we were overjoyed to find some games (albeit the Mountain West conference) on Sports Plus ... but then upon further review realized the games were around a month old. This year, with the introduction of prime-time televised games, we thought surely ESPN Asia would show these games on Sunday mornings (instead of the usual snooker or cheerleading), but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Shanghaiist was shopping for bikes along Xiangyang Lu when, tired and bedraggled, we saw, like a mirage in the desert, a sign that promised exactly what we were craving at the moment: Illy.

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.)

We first found about the Sandwich Express on Smart Shanghai and decided, after reading their review, to give it a try. We ordered a sandwich with the stuff we like: pesto, eggplant, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes. It wasn't half bad, but we're not sure we would agree with SS's conclusion: "their manager 'promised with her tongue' that their sandwiches are among the best available in town, so naturally we had to see for ourselves, and pleasingly, she was spot on." We haven't exactly had a representative sample of sandwiches in Shanghai, and years and upon years of peanut butter and jelly from Mom has created a palate only nominally more refined than that of a caveman, but it was undoubtedly a decent sandwich -- or was it just a case of pesto working its magic?

It is officially "the best Greek restaurant in Shanghai."

Since Shanghaiist has been accused of ruining things like the old Tang Hui, we thought we'd share with you the fruits of our actions -- the new, improved (?), definitely not at all dingy, gritty, divey, '50s-Motown-music-during-the-intermissions place on Xingfu Lu you that once knew and loved. Here's the rundown: Tang Hui has not only expanded and moved to a four-story villa on the corner of Huating Lu and Huaihai Lu (85 Huating Lu, just by the Changshu Lu subway station) but they've also expanded the concept -- there are now four floors and will thus feature simultaneous music (one act on floors 1-2, another on 3-4), so that if rock doesn't strike your fancy that night, you might be able to catch some electronic or more intimate (solo instrumentalist) performance instead. And while they're sticking with the mainland scene, expect them to book some overseas acts when they're in town.

Three years ago, when this Shanghaiist first arrived in town, the downtown area was THE place to be for quality foreign food. It wasn’t exactly Manhattan (or even Omaha) but it was where you went when the craving struck — for Mexican at Taco Popo, Pizza at Melrose, burgers at Rendezvous Café, and that take-your-visiting-parents favorite, M on the Bund.

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):

Nangka Cafe on Fuxing Zhong Lu

Mediterranean Sandwich and Coffee Bar on Da Gu Lu

Xinhua news reports that as of August 5, Kentucky Fried Chicken is introducing traditional Chinese breakfasts into its menu. The report states that Chinese people have traditionally viewed breakfast as an important meal, but with the growth and change of the city, finding a decent bowl of zhou (粥), the watery rice that has long been a staple of the Chinese diet, is becoming increasingly difficult.