Shanghai is located on the grubby end of Kingsland Road just up from Dalston Junction. The Chinese restaurant which was once a traditional Pie & Mash shop is pretty huge inside with a larger less attractive dining area at the back of the building – We’d recommend bagging yourself one of the booths out front.
The restaurant specialises in homemade Dim Sum and Cantonese roast duck which hangs in the window for all to see. The food is authentic and reasonably priced, highlights for us were the King Prawn Ball on the Sandpit; a huge portion of juicy prawns in a crunchy batter and the Shanghai Raviolli with chilli; three dumplings filled with minced prawns, bamboo shoots and Chinese mushrooms.
Lamb in Homemade chilli sauce, Special Fried Rice, Pak Choi with Shrimp Sauce and Singaporean Vermicelli noodles were all fresh, tasty dishes without a hint of microwave or grease between them. The only grumble we had was the Spare Ribs, which were a little too authentic for our liking served boiled rather than BBQ’d – more a personal preference than criticism.
If you do visit and you’re a little intoxicated you may want to check out the two karaoke rooms out back.
41 Kingsland High Street, E8
www.shanghaidalston.co.uk