New Shanghai Chinese Restaurant, Ashfield

Ok, so this place is not to be confused with Shanghai Nights (next door) or Shanghai Dumpling (down the road) – they are all good, but this place is consistent and doesn’t have regular hygiene breaches!

When hungry, it’s good to order a shallot pancake to start with, as they’re super-quick and very very good. We always get an assortment of dumplings – steamed, boiled or fried, they’re all delicious – then douse them in delicious black vinegar and chilli. They’re amazingly good and amazingly good value at about $8 for a plate like this:

The traditional ‘northern style dry noodles’ are an unfamiliar combination of noodles, pork mince and shredded cucumber, but absolutely delicious. I don’t even like cucumber but I need to eat this every time I come here.

On my recent trip, I took the opportunity to try one of the dishes I’d heard was a specialty: Shanding Shredded Chicken with Garlic and Chilli. Oh. My. God. The chicken was flavoursome, succulent, indulgent and moist and crispy-skinned without feeling too fatty. A must try! Last, but certainly not least, the vegetables are scrumptious. Baby vegetables with garlic sauce is basically baby bok choy stir-fried in garlic and light soy, and the Chinese broccoli is steamed and topped with a traditional oyster sauce. Perfect.