Coffee @ Legendale Hotel

After our delicious dinner in Dadong Kaoyadian, we took a walk along Wangfujing and stopped by Legendale Hotel for coffee. The hotel's design was a lot like The Penn, the staff was more than attentive given the golden coffee that they served.

Irish Coffee for RMB 65

Dadong Kaoyadian (Jinbao Place)

I wasn't very happy with my first experience with Dadong Kaoyadian, but my good friend Jill had only great things to say about their Jinbao branch so we decided to give it a try. No regrets on this one! I loved the interiors especially, and their duck wasn't as fat as the last one I tasted.

我非常喜欢大董烤鸭店的第二店。地方的设计很好看。他们的烤鸭不太胖， 很好吃！

Open over - pick your own duck

Cangsu @ Lotus Lane

I got a great treat from my good friend Charles who stayed in Beijing for the weekend. We took a walk around Houhai and then settled in the same restaurant where our friend Ramon celebrated his birthday. I missed the peanut slushies there, too!

Peanute Slushie for RMB 39

Beijing Dadong Kaoyadian

Dadong's Roast Duck received raves from magazines and travel books, so my brother and I decided to have our last lunch together here. Their duck did non suit my taste, but I guess it's different strokes for different folks.

Roasted pigeon for RMB 59

Baguo Buyi (Sichuan Food)

I've been craving for Sichuan food since my Aunt mentioned her trip to Sichuan province. My mother influenced me to love spicy food, thus my natural affinity to Sichuan dishes. This one, in particular, was a perfect match for a freezing Sunday evening. Thanks to my good friend Charles for the treat!

Stir fried beef strips for RMB 29

Random restaurant in Shanghai (with great jellyfish!)

For our last meal in Shanghai, my brother and I planned to walk from the beginning till the end of the long Nanjing Road, but we gave up by the last quarter and settled for the next empty restaurant with bright lights. Shanghai, god bless that place, has good food everywhere! And the best thing about a cosmopolitan city is that it's restaurants should have at least one English speaker (often the manager).

Steamed jellyfish for RMB 19

Bellagio (Taiwanese Chain)

I've been craving for the Bellagio slushies since Seb took us there a couple of months back, so after our scrumptious Din Tai Fung dinner, my brother and I headed to this famous Taiwanese chain.

Peanut slushie! Creamier than ice cream. For RMB 29

Din Tai Fung (!!) in Beijing

I wanted my brother to have a taste in one of my favourite restaurant chains, Din Tai Fung. We visited their outlet in Beijing and found the place looking high-end, unlike their outlets in Singapore that looked like a regular restaurant where people streamed in and out from.

I missed these dumplings =) Pork Xiao Long Bao for RMB 45/10 pieces

Crystal Jade Restaurant 上海

After having my cocktail in Luna Bar, my brother and I met up in Crystal Jade Restaurant to satiate my craving for DanDan Mian. I absolutely loved this place. Not only was my Dandan Mian spicy-peanut perfect, but my brother also kept on praising the food as he ate. He's the type of person who ignores food he doesn't like, so I trust his discriminating taste. Some of what we had:

Dandan Mian - loved this! - for RMB 35. I'd go back to this restaurant if only for this.

Luna Bar in Xintiandi, Shanghai

I took a long walk along the Yu Gardens Bazaar, and ended up in the glamourous Xin Tiandi (New World) complex. I love sunny afternoons like this, relaxing and watching the well-heeled and perfumed set stroll while I sipped my pre-dinner cocktail.

Moulin Rouge for RMB 70

Luna Bar
Xin Tiandi
Shanghai, China

Bar 1901, Shanghai

My brother and I had a couple of drinks in this bar in Tianzifeng that showcased period interiors. This place gave strong old world glamour vibes. It almost felt like a speak-easy, and sitting there made me want to don a fancy dress, curl my hair, and put on red lipstick so I could be one with the old world glamour look.

It was Sunday night, so it was almost empty and we had the whole place to ourselves.

Huxinting Teahouse, Shanghai

I visited the Yu Gardens area, commonly known as Old Shanghai, though the area is hardly old, for they've renovated the buildings and added fanciful roofs so it may house shops that peddle everything from tourist souvenirs to traditional medicines all in inflated prices. Still, it remains a favourite tourist spot.

By mid-afternoon, I landed myself in Huxinting Teahouse, the oldest teahouse in all of Shanghai. It is located at the center of Yu Gardens Bazaar. It was built in 1784 by cotton merchants, but only became a teahouse in the late 19th century.

Breakfast at the Peninsula Hotel, Shanghai

My brother and I watched elders performing Taichi along The Bund, then for breakfast we treated ourselves to the nearby Peninsula's breakfast buffet. The breakfast buffet went for RMB 240 plus taxes: it was a price I had to pay for great waffles.

Classic Shanghai Cuisine, Shanghai

After almost a three-hour walk along the French Concession, my brother and I took a pit stop in Classic Shanghai Cuisine, which landed a recommendation from the Shanghai Expo list of preferred restaurants. It was located along the high profile Si Nan Lu, and the place was brimming with guests, which is a sure sign of great food to come.

My brother had the quest of tasting as many roasted ducks as possible, so we had the Barbecued Baby Duck for RMB 42 a full serving.

WILD street food at Wangfujing Dajie

My brother came over for a visit, so I planned our fear factor challenge at Wangfujng Dajie. This is where they sell all sorts of street food that were out of the ordinary. I'm glad that I went with people who are more than to taste something outside of their normal meals.

Baby scorpion for RMB 15, starfish for RMB 20, and sea horse for RMB 15

Turpan Restaurant in Niujie Muslim Community

My brother and I explored a bit more of the Muslim Community and ended up in the restaurant that Seb and I missed when we visited that side of town. Lonely Planet says it is the best eatery in the Quarter, and it may be so because we entered on a Monday weeknight, the slowest business night in most restaurants, and found their place 3/4 full.

Lamb kebabs for RMB 8