Shanghai Cafe
New York, NY 10013-4626
Phone: (212) 966-3988
- Price:
- $
- Cross Street:
- Between Hester Street and Canal Street
- Directions:
- 6; N, R, Q, W; J, M, Z at Canal St
- Hours:
- Daily 11am-10:30pm
Editorial Review for Shanghai Cafe – by Janet Tzou
The Scene
Chinatown aficionados know this relative newcomer for its exceptionally juicy soup dumplings, and the restaurant brings something upbeat to this still lower-income neighborhood: a bright, pleasant, cafe atmosphere with a robust menu. Peach walls, metal mesh chairs, and rainbow neon ceiling tubes lend a perky '80s feel, and the roomy booths and plentiful seating help avoid table-sharing occurrences.
The Food
The cuisine offers a refreshing change from New York's Cantonese-dominated Chinatown. Whole talapia fish gets fried and then braised to melting tenderness in a rich garlic-ginger brown gravy; cold, aromatic beef slices come marbled with succulent hints of fat; Jia Jiang noodles (served warm instead of the traditional cold) are topped with a savory, not-too-salty black bean sauce, crunchy sprouts, and cucumber slivers. Unlike many Chinatown restaurants, tasty dessert choices abound: Peanut butter lovers must sample the warm, chewy moi-gee rice balls, generously dusted with peanut powder and oozing with molten sesame seed filling.
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Insider Tips
What to DrinkTsingtao beer and a staggering array of smoothie and milkshake flavors (boba pearls optional) add to the cafe feel; no hard liquor is served.
User Reviews for Shanghai Cafe
04/25/2008 Posted by soothsayer0
OK, food, they are shanghai cuisine, so don't expect dozen and dozens of variety of rice dishes that you can get at a Cantonese place like in most of chinatown. they do have dumplings, that is what they specialize in. but you can get better dumplings, steamed or fried from joe's shanghai, or any of the other joe's restaurants. i don't recommend this restaurant because of the POOR SERVICE. i had a ten dollar bill, the lady boss at the counter told an underling to fetch two items from the refrigerator behind her, she did, leaving them on the counter. then the boss lady continued to do what she had to do, and i had to wait several minutes for her to finish and then have those items put in a bag. I tried paying for them with a ten dollar bill but she refused the bill because it felt soft. YES IT WAS FADED, but it was still a REAL FKING TEN DOLLAR BILL YOU B*TCH. I told you to look at the security features, but no, you said it felt soft, like WTF? you wasted my time you ignorant asses. I had to go to the bank and exchange the bill so this won't happen to me elsewhere because of ignorant fresh off the boat (FOB) chinese. and i am now boycotting this restaurant and recommend others to do the same because they don't care about the customer, only about $$$$$. the food is average, and i always see few people eating inside every time i walk past. GO TO joe's shanghai, his restaurants are always super busy and that means fresh food.
Pros: if you like being ignored and treated like dirt
Cons: shanghainese people all think they are high and mighty.
03/09/2008 Posted by trendygrlz
They have great food, but I dread going there because of their service. They do rush you out and are short of being rude. But I've tried a few other places and the food just isn't the same. Thats the only reason why they still have so much business. Its definitely worth going there, just ignore their rudeness, they can't do much to you after the food is on the table lol. just kidding. As for seating....aim for the booths if possible.
Pros: food, atmosphere
Cons: service
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