China Food | Synotrip

City	Address	Tel. Num.
Qingdao	No.139 Ningxia Road	0532-85800636
Beijing	No.1 Pufang Road, Fengtai District	010-67674500
Beijing	No.12 Xiaoying Road, Chaoyang District	010-84641085
Harbing	No.254 Zhongshan Road, Nangang District	0451-82669999
Harbing	No.18 Yiman Road, Nangang District	0451-87526688
Taiyuan	No.158 South Changzhi Road	0351-4199999
Taiyuan	No.55 Xinmin Road, XinHuaLing District	0351-3191318
Zhaodong	No.99 Zhengyang Six Street	0455-5993232
Baotou	No.88 Baizhi Road, Kun District	0472-2166009
Qiqiha’er	Near the Jianguo District Government	0452-2578111
Zhengzhou	No.11 Nongye Road, Jinshui Distrct	0371-65756229
Shenyang	No.50 Guangyi Street, Shenghe District	024-88508050
Shenyang	No.3 The Third Alley Wenhua Road, Heping District	024-31509977
HuHeHaote	No.28 Bei’er Road, Huimin District	0471-6694711
Nanjing	No.55 North Huju Road	025-58829707
QinHuangDao	No.141 Gangcheng Street, Haigang District	0335-3639699
Baoding	No.25 Dongfeng Road	0312-5970999
Dalian	No.31 Yang’an Road, Zhongshan District	0411-82643333
Dalian	4F Rosefour Tianxing International Centre	0411-83899133
Xi’an	No.81 Heping Road, Beilin District	029-87415353
Anshan	No.53 South Jianguo Road	0412-2256668
ShiJiaZhuang	Building-B 4th District Dajing District	0311-6036186
ChangChun	No.1768 Hongqi Street, Chaoyang District	0431-6817709
MuDanJiang	The 1st east Street, Dong’an District	0453-6955455
Chengdu	Shuanglan Community Shopping Centre	028-85262726

Zao Zi Shu

Zao Zi Shu is an excellent Buddhist restaurant that has been a mainstay in my restaurant repertoire since moving to Shanghai. It serves easily appreciated Chinese food in a very clean location. The menu is great, as it features tons of classic Chinese dishes that use creative meat alterna...

Be sure to order the spinach jiaozi (dumplings), and the cucumbers and miso for starters. For a main course I love the fried tofu and peanuts, which is similar to but even better than Kung Pao (Gong Bao) chicken. The ginger chicken, stir fried noodles, and beef and peppers all come highly recommended. There are plenty of options on the menu which I adore, but there are a few dishes that try a little too hard to be meat dishes and fail miserably. Stay away from the ribs, which have edible bones that are indeed quite strange. I was also not crazy about the “scallops,” which lacked the consistency of a true scallop. Otherwise everything on the menu has been a success! For me, the best aspect of Zao ZI Shu is that you can try all those unusual Chinese dishes made with faux meat, that might otherwise make you a bit nervous at a typical local Chinese restaurant (like boiled intestines - I have no idea how Zao Zi Shu makes this dish out of tofu). Be adventurous!

How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 to Huangpi Nanlu Station. Exit onto Huaihai Lu and head east. Take a right on Songshan Lu. Half way down the street on the left there is a small alley with a lighted entrance. Zao Zi Shu is on the left side of the alley.

Other locations of Zao Zi Shu:

No.258 Fengxian Lu, by Jiangning Lu, Shanghai (上海市奉贤路258号)
Tel: +86 (0)21 6215 7566, 5228 0693

No.848 Huangjin Chengdao, by Shuicheng Nanlu, Shanghai (上海市黄金城道899号)
Tel: +86 (0)21 6275 1798

Bella Napoli

Bella Napoli served its purpose as a pleasant meal. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful, despite its location just a block away from the bustling Nanjing Road, the Portman, and Plaza 66. The restaurant’s simple interior décor felt a little like Italy, with a something of a Trattoria feel. I particularly liked the large window between the small dining room and the kitchen that integrated the chef into the experience.

We ordered a good, hearty vegetarian meal of appetizers, pasta and dessert. We started with bruschetta (fresh tomatoes with lots of garlic) and a salad caprese sprinkled with delicious fresh mozzarella. The servings were generous and the food was a perfect amount for four of us to split. For our main course each of us ordered a vegetarian pasta dish. Everyone was content with their dish, although they were nothing to write home about. The desserts, an apple pie and a Tiramisu, were simply delicious.

Including a nice bottle of wine, the bill came to 700RMB for four people. We felt the bill was a bit too much, so it sort of put a damper on our overall opinion of the place. Until they improve upon the pastas and make them worth the higher prices, I would recommend heading up the street to Pasti. Pasti is cheaper and features homemade pasta dishes, albeit a much less charming decor.

Take Metro Line 1 to Jing’An Temple Station. Walk east along Nanjing Lu (南京路) for about 10 minutes. Take a left past Plaza 66 onto Xikang Lu (西康路). Bella Napoli is on the right.

Ups: Cafe and More

This funny little café actually serves my very favorite cup of coffee in Shanghai. Located right at the entrance to the courtyard section of the Taikang Road art and shopping area, Ups Cafe is ideal for a cup of coffee after an afternoon of shopping.

The in...

The inside is a bit overrun with purple couches for my taste, but the interior art is awesome and exudes a relaxed feeling inside the cafe. The wait staff ignores you unless you ask for them, which is preferable in a generally pretty quiet spot. Don’t worry though, you can always grab their attention when you need it, but they do not hover.

The menu has some good food options, including paninis, pasta and salads. Sit outside on a nice day, but the funky ambiance inside is pleasant too.

How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 to the Shanxi Lu Station. Exit onto Huaihai Lu, and then head east for a block and a half to Ruijin Rd. Take a right, and then head south until you hit Taikang Lu (about 15 minutes). Take a left on Taikang Lu. This road has several small shops, but keep and eye out for a shop called InSH (210 Taikang Lu.) on the left side of the street, about 5 minutes down. There is an alley just before In Shanghai (very cute t-shirts) shop, where you need to take a left. Head down the alley, Ups is on the left. (Edited by Xiaoqing)

T8

T8 is yet another fantastic restaurant in Xintiandi. The restaurant displays a warm and contemporary Asian décor, while incorporating traditional Chinese furniture and art, in keeping with Xintiandi’s redeveloped historic atmosphere. We loved everything about this restaurant, including the crisp white plates that our meals were served on. The experience and ambiance was totally cool, but not over the top.

We started off with cocktails and appetizers, which were all delicious. Champagne lovers should try the martinis that have been nicely topped off with champagne... YUM. Our appetizer was a foodie’s dream, a sample of four different beautifully presented delicacies, including an amazing tuna tartar (my favorite). The mushroom consommé was excellent, perfectly light and flavorful at the same time. Our main courses were equally delicious. The “meat pie,” not for the light eater, was so delicious it was gone before anyone had a chance to ask for a taste. Another popular choice was the cod, served so light and fresh it had a melt-in-your-mouth consistency.

The total bill, on par with typical Xintiandi restaurants, was around 600RMB per person. That included a starter, main course, cocktail and shared dessert.

How to get there: Take Metro Line 1 to Huangpi Rd. Station. Head south on Huangpi Lu. until you see a sign for T8 on the right side of the street at the edge of the Xintiandi complex.

Jean Georges

Jean Georges is one of Shanghai’s well known, highly respected restaurants that actually lives up to the hype. I’m always somewhat nervous going to “THE” restaurant in town with guests, as I am never sure if it will live up to my hopes and the high prices on the menu. Fo...

The ambiance is warm and a bit dark without being too claustrophobic. The adjoining dining and bar spaces are huge. The ceilings must be 10 meters high, allowing for huge windows which offer a full view of the Bund and Pudong. The clientele certainly prefers Gucci and Prada, and you will likely want to take a walk around to see which famous couples might be snuggling in the booths. Dignitaries and moguls enjoy a separate lounge to smoke cigars and talk business, but the rest of the restaurant is thankfully non-smoking.

The menu is varied but decidedly French. Each of the four guests in my party enjoyed both their appetizer and main course equally well. Particular favorites were the “Ribbon Tuna” appetizer, which was a healthy serving of raw tuna with a wonderful dressing and fresh radishes. We also loved the shrimp salad, the beautifully presented mushroom soup, and the red snapper encrusted with nuts and seeds. Cosmopolitan fans should not skip the Shanghai Cosmo; it was the most delicious cocktail I have had in a long time. With cocktails, a bottle of wine from the exceptional wine list, appetizers and main courses, you are looking at a bill of at least 800RMB per person. For a night out on the town, Jean Georges is definitely worth it.

How to get there: Take a cab to arrive in style! Otherwise, the restaurant is at the corner of the Bund and Guang Dong Lu.

Tudali - Korean Restaurant

Tudali is a Korean restaurant chain with many locations across northeast China. Choose from pre-prepared and do-it-yourself styles of Korean cuisine at Tudali.

Chinese Famous Snack City

Famous Snack City sounds bigger than it actually is. It is a small street lined with a variety of Chinese restaurants located close to the stadium.

If you are in the neighborhood, and craving a Chinese treat, Shandong style in particular, then this street is well worth a t...

Famous Snack City sounds bigger than it actually is. It is a small street lined with a variety of Chinese restaurants located close to the stadium.

If you are in the neighborhood, and craving a Chinese treat, Shandong style in particular, then this street is well worth a try. However, it is not worth travelling across the city just for a famous snack.

Sumo Sushi Bar

If you need a quick break from the spicy Chengdu diet, stop in at Sumo Sushi Bar, literally steps away from Tianfu Square. The bar itself features a convenient sushi conveyor belt while tables are also available. A variety of sushi dishes cost Y5, Y8, Y10 or Y15 depending on the contents of the roll. True sushi aficionados may not be too impressed, as the chefs are Chinese, not Japanese. Still, those who enjoy sushi once in a while should be satisfied by the wide selection of simple rolls. There are over 30 types of rolls to choose from, but none are too fancy. Sake is available at Y20 for a small pitcher; be sure to drink it while it’s still warm. If you aren’t in the mood for sushi, ask for a menu of traditional Japanese dishes that is in Chinese and English. The fried dumplings are excellent, especially the sauce that comes with them. A full meal with a few drinks will cost about Y40-60 per person.

Directions: With Mao’s statue at your back, walk south on Renmin Lu. Very soon you will turn left on Lihua Jie. The restaurant’s red sign is immediately on your right. Walk up the stairs to Sumo Sushi, which shares its space with Kyoto Japanese restaurant. The sushi bar is on the right when you walk in the entrance.

Starbucks Tianyi Square

While not really a restaurant, Starbucks can be a refreshing stop on any foreigner's journey through China. There are two Starbucks in Ningbo, this one at Tianyi Square and a smaller one at Laowaitan.

The Starbucks in Tianyi Square is large and easily found. It is a common meeting point...

The Starbucks in Tianyi Square is large and easily found. It is a common meeting point for visitors to Ningbo. If you want a place to sit and relax over coffee, a sandwich or cake, then this is as good a spot as any to park a tired body. Starbucks also boasts free wireless internet for your laptop if you are dying for a dose of internet.