Specializing in Shanghai cuisine but not confined by it, Cuisine Shanghai (大味小館) has attracted a loyal clientele who enjoy its long list of slightly modernized Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Sichuan and northeastern Chinese dishes.
Cuisine Shanghai is not big but its interior is tastefully decorated in gold, scarlet and cream to create a warm and relaxing atmosphere, enhanced by diffused sunlight through the foliage at its door.
Japanese, French and other foreign businesspeople can often be seen at the tables, as well as many local families. Business is usually brisk, even after dinner hours, so you would be well-advised to make a reservation before going.
One reason for the restaurant's popularity was summed up by the spring onion pasties (NT$60). The enticing fragrance of this pastry filled the restaurant long before it reached my table. It is much thinner than its counterparts elsewhere and the inside was richly stuffed with the shoots of tender spring onions. The use of oil was minimal, making the pastry particularly crispy. Baked and sauteed to a pleasant honey hue, the appetizer scored high marks for smell and taste, as well as appearance.
Steamed soup dumplings with fish and vegetables (NT$180) is a traditional northern Chinese snack but is rarely found in Taiwan, as the complicated techniques it requires are too challenging even for experienced cooks these days. The shredded fresh fish and vegetables are mixed in chicken broth and then wrapped inside thin pastry. The steamed soup dumplings with gourd and shrimp (NT$180) is also recommended. Pleasant to look at, the cubes of gourd retain their light green color and crispiness, while the shrimps were firm and fresh. The two dishes exemplify the restaurant's philosophy which is to bring out the original flavors of the ingredients naturally.
A popular dish at Cuisine Shanghai is crab with rice cake and bean sauce (NT$600). The chewy Zhejiang-style rice cake slices covered in thick bean sauce are appetizing, while the crab meat is tender and has thoroughly absorbed the light yet fragrant bean sauce. The restaurant insists on buying only a limited number of crabs every day to ensure they are fresh, so do arrive early, as they run out quickly.
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