Shanghai Here we Come - Part 1 - IgoUgo Shanghai Journal

Hope Star Restaurant

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Restaurant | "Hope next time is better"

Lovely corn crisps Photo - Hope Star Restaurant, Shanghai, China

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Hope Star restaurants seem to dominate Terminal 1 in Pudong International Airport having three restaurants on the top floor above the departure area. There are other small restaurants but these mainly serve fast Chinese food. It was around 11am when we decided to look for something to eat having spent the night in one of the airport hotels for the night. This particular hotel called itself a motel. I am never really sure what the difference between a hotel and a motel is but never mind on with the story. Motel 168 didn’t serve breakfast so this is why we were mooching around in the airport looking for food. At this time I didn’t fancy a bowl of Chinese food or a burger. I wanted a sandwich or somethin...Read More

Hope Star restaurants seem to dominate Terminal 1 in Pudong International Airport having three restaurants on the top floor above the departure area. There are other small restaurants but these mainly serve fast Chinese food. It was around 11am when we decided to look for something to eat having spent the night in one of the airport hotels for the night. This particular hotel called itself a motel. I am never really sure what the difference between a hotel and a motel is but never mind on with the story. Motel 168 didn’t serve breakfast so this is why we were mooching around in the airport looking for food. At this time I didn’t fancy a bowl of Chinese food or a burger. I wanted a sandwich or something with bread. Hope Star came to my rescue.

Hope Star are a Chinese franchise of sophisticated looking restaurants with a central semi-circular bar, cream leather chairs spread throughout with lacquered wooden tables. The floor is carpeted in a shade of brown, palm trees have been planted very nicely in large Chinese pots; ones with dragons painted on the front. I noticed lots of sweet scented lilies and the slate grey thick vases they came forth from. I also liked the stone water features which were minimalist in design. The gentle sound of water trickling is very calming in a restaurant.

There was a large number of staff walking around cleaning up debris from the tables. It wasn’t long before one young girl caught our eye and came straight over with a menu. This particular waitress was dressed very smartly with her long black hair tied in a plaited bun on top of her head; she had a very nice manner and seemed to enjoy her job.

The menu consisted of a selection of teas, coffees, cakes, soups, sandwiches including ham and cheese which I love when I am starving, Chinese dishes and desserts like blueberry cheesecake.

I thought the prices for beverages were about right for an airport. Coffees ranged from 39CNY (£4) to 45CNY (£4.50) for a 330ml cup. Teas are of the leaf variety and are more expensive. Yellow Label Tea costs 68CNY (£6.80) for a pot. I ordered a Cappuccino which was served in a pretty blue and gold cup. The milk was creamy rather than frothy; the coffee was very strong and piping hot underneath the cream. The waitress also brought me a glass of water. This happens a lot in Chinese hotels and restaurants. Water is available freely and there always seems to be a jug on every table. My husband stuck with the water as he doesn’t like to drink a lot of hot beverages. We both chose a cheese and ham sandwich. The order took about 10 minutes. From writing it down on a slip of paper the waitress gave it to a young man and off he went down the concourse outside the restaurant. The food is prepared in another part of the airport and delivered by trolley. I was excited when I saw our sandwiches; 4 triangular double decker sandwiches with a covering of corn chips on the top. The wholemeal bread was toasted on the outside and inside was a layer of lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayonnaise, cheese and ham. The layers were skewered together with cocktail sticks that had coloured endings of blue, red and orange. We both really enjoyed these sandwiches costing 31CNY which is the equivalent of £3. Very good value, I think.

Having had good service once we went back to the same establishment later on in the day for a proper meal. This time the waitress was a bit frostier but efficient. She took our orders speedily. We ordered 2 Chinese beers which were served immediately. The taste was fine but they were weak having an alcohol content of 4% only. We both liked the look of the set meal consisting of a soup, snack and main dish. The soup was meant to be a chicken soup only my husband didn’t find any pieces of chicken and I only had a couple of small pieces that looked like pieces of neck. My husband said his looked like greasy dishwater and left it.

For our main dishes we chose one beef with vegetables and rice and one beef curry. I had eaten noodles most of the week in Shanghai and fancied a change so opted for a rice dish plus I wanted to practice my chop stick technique. The main dishes took about 10 minutes to arrive and when placed on the table looked substantial although I did think the beef and sauce looked like it had come out of a tin. Having tasted the meat I was sure my first instinct was correct. The beef chunks were definitely from a tin with fatty bits included. The beef and vegetable dish consisted of 2 pieces of red pepper, I piece of yellow pepper and two triangular slices of cucumber. Rice was and sticky and presented from a mould. I liked the taste of the rice, it was scented and spicy. My husband’s beef curry was extremely hot but tasted more of curry powder than any other spice. He also thought that the meat was tinned and too fatty. He left quite a few pieces. The food wasn’t revolting; it just wasn’t what we were expecting. It filled a gap. At the end of the meal my husband marked his meal 5/10 and I gave my dish 6/10.

I think the Hope Star restaurant is very attractive and the service is good. The sandwiches we had in the morning were enjoyable and very filling. However, the set meal was a bit of a disaster, I forgot to mention the snack; a couple of cubes of ginger and two pieces of carrot, both of these were stale and had seen better days.

Although the last meal wasn't too good I am prepared to give Hope Star another chance next time I visit Pudong Airport. I liked the atmosphere of the restaurant, the décor and the waiting staff were very good.
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 16, 2012

Hope Star Restaurant
Pudong International Airport
Shanghai, China

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Old Shanghai Teahouse

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Restaurant | "Tea for four in Old Shanghai"

Old Shanghai Teahouse Photo - Old Shanghai Teahouse, Shanghai, China

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On our last day in Shanghai in June of this year our hosts, Mr Wang and Viva Du offered to take us to the airport but before doing so they wanted to take us to a traditional Chinese Teahouse. There are many teahouses in Shanghai but this particular one situated in the Old Town on Middle Fangbang Road is ancient and considered to be one of the best.The building the teahouse is situated in looks slightly run down from the exterior and there was work being carried out on the front façade so we had to be careful when stepping over the huge stone step to reach the lift to take us all to the second floor of the building. I expected the tea house to be crowded and was surprised at how few people ...Read More

On our last day in Shanghai in June of this year our hosts, Mr Wang and Viva Du offered to take us to the airport but before doing so they wanted to take us to a traditional Chinese Teahouse. There are many teahouses in Shanghai but this particular one situated in the Old Town on Middle Fangbang Road is ancient and considered to be one of the best.

The building the teahouse is situated in looks slightly run down from the exterior and there was work being carried out on the front façade so we had to be careful when stepping over the huge stone step to reach the lift to take us all to the second floor of the building. I expected the tea house to be crowded and was surprised at how few people were sat drinking tea and eating.

I could hear Chinese singing voices and the melodious sounds of traditional Chinese instruments being played. Escorted into the heart of the teahouse by the head waiter we were then given a table in front of a small stage where a lady and gentleman dressed in traditional clothing were performing a Chinese Opera. Sadly, we came into the teahouse at the end of the show so only caught a few seconds of this entertainment.

The atmosphere in the ancient building was one of peace and tranquility. Tinkling sounds of water droplets falling into rivulets behind our table was a wonderful sound. Looking behind me I saw carp and other fish swimming gently amongst orange and white lilies.

The décor was heavy with dark blue walls and heavy carved wooden furniture featuring Chinese vases and other ornaments. Items from the 1930s were hidden in corners; old typewriters, sewing machines and old fans. I loved the stone lions that guarded the entrance; a sign of Good Luck.

We were given a tea menu written in Chinese with the English equivalent underneath. Choosing a tea was a difficult task as the selection was so extensive. I had tried Jasmine tea in the hotel and enjoyed it so decided to try it again. My husband was going to have black tea but because he had been suffering from a cold and sore throat over the last few days Diva VU advised him to try chrysanthemum tea. She said this would help as black tea makes you perspire too much. He took her advice.

The food buffet was situated in another room near to the entrance. A selection of hot and cold dishes were on display; sweet and sour pork, chicken neck and wings, fried zucchini, shitake mushrooms, egg fried rice, noodles. There was plenty of fresh fruit to choose from like melon, grapes, papaya, figs, apple, banana and apricots. The etiquette is to take one large plate for hot food and smaller wooden bowls for fruit.

Different teas are served in glass mugs and an extra jug/flask of hot water is placed on the table for re-fills. These are fresh leaf teas and the taste is very strong. My husband’s chrysanthemum tea was very attractive to look at with white and orange flower heads floating around in the clear hot water.

The food was absolutely delicious. I chose sweet and sour pork with a side portion of fried zucchini, noodles and fried rice. My fruit selection consisted of apricots, grapes and sliced melon.

After we had finished eating we talked for a long time and then had the last glass of tea. We raised our glasses with a toast for a bright and prosperous year. Time passed so quickly and soon it was time to leave for Pudong International Airport. I enjoyed our visit to the Old Shanghai Teahouse and wished we had found it during our stay before the last day. We will definitely visit again in September on our return to the city.

You can find The Old Shanghai Teahouse at 385, Middle Fangbang Road. Metro stop, YuYuan Garden
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 20, 2012

Old Shanghai Teahouse
385, Middle Fangbang Road
Shanghai, China

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Yu Garden Cafe at Renaissance Shanghai

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Restaurant | "An animated and sophisticated restaurant in Shanghai"

Funky dining space Photo - Yu Garden Cafe at Renaissance Shanghai, Shanghai, China

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On our recent stay at the Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel we chose to eat in the Yu Garden Cafe rather than any of the other three restaurants in the hotel. It seemed that this was the most popular place to dine in mainly because of its large size and the wonderful views outside of South He Nan Road.The Yu Garden Café is on lobby level, open from 6am until midnight daily; a pretty funky place and one I fell in love with from the first time we sat down for lunch on the first day of our trip. It has a real 80s feel to it with orange and yellow plastic cylindrical lights decorating the central aisle where food is displayed. There is an L shaped fruit section where you will find bananas, ...Read More

On our recent stay at the Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel we chose to eat in the Yu Garden Cafe rather than any of the other three restaurants in the hotel. It seemed that this was the most popular place to dine in mainly because of its large size and the wonderful views outside of South He Nan Road.

The Yu Garden Café is on lobby level, open from 6am until midnight daily; a pretty funky place and one I fell in love with from the first time we sat down for lunch on the first day of our trip. It has a real 80s feel to it with orange and yellow plastic cylindrical lights decorating the central aisle where food is displayed. There is an L shaped fruit section where you will find bananas, kiwi fruit, water melon and freshly squeezed juices. Another section displays cheeses, hams and also a sushi section. Both of these sections are very lively with chefs stood inside the areas squeezing fresh fruits to make up smoothies and juices. I was fascinated one morning watching a young chef cut up slices of cheese. He used an enormous knife to cut the smallest of slithers.

Cross over to the other side of the restaurant and you come to the main cooking area, a very attractive area with a green backdrop where shelves of jars containing spices and herbs are displayed. Three or four chefs are always doing something whether it is making noodles, preparing curries or cooking scintillating dishes like shrimp a la Shanghai, sweet and sour Mandarin fish, black bean chicken etc. Here, there is an aisle with high tables and stools with wacky lights hanging above shaped like corn husks, kitsch but effective.

You can choose from the buffet selection or à la carte menu but I think the buffet is better value and obviously you can mix hot and cold dishes and eat as much as you wish. I did try a couple of meals from the à la carte, they were okay but the portions were small and sometimes the vegetables weren't cooked enough. If you choose the buffet selection in the evening a prepared drink is included in the price; a liqueur with coconut milk served in a coconut shell. One evening we sat down to eat the buffet and fancied a bottle of wine. It was a bit of a drama as the young waiter on duty wasn't sure if we were allowed to have a bottle of wine because we were meant to have the coconut drink. In the end the head waiter said it was okay but they looked a bit baffled. I would say that most of the Chinese people I met during my stay didn't drink a lot of alcohol and certainly not wine.

This is the same room used for breakfast and generally a buffet is displayed from 6am and replenished up until 2pm in the afternoon. Breakfast choices were very good, there was a section serving croissants, different breads, cakes, cereals and shrimp patties. These were gorgeous, the pastry was soft and really did melt in your mouth and at the same time you got a kick of shrimp. I had to have one of these every morning. There is a cooked breakfast section for international guests. Here you can choose eggs, bacon, hash browns, mushrooms, baked beans. All the ingredients used in a typically English fry up. I didn't try the cooked breakfast as I didn't like the look of the bacon; it was dried up and glistened with oil. Freshly brewed coffee was available every morning, sometimes one of the waiters would come to the table, fill your cup up or leave the percolator on the table with a jug of hot water. I always had to ask for real milk which was served in a small white jug. Sometimes my husband had a pot of tea. This was elegantly served from a small white porcelain pot on a tray with a dainty cup and saucer and a jug of hot water.

We both loved the Yu Garden Café. There was always a gentle atmosphere with a touch of sophistication. The food preparation areas were animated with chefs preparing Chinese dishes in an artistic way. Waiters and waitresses were friendly, smiley and extremely helpful. There was a great choice of food and although I would say the standard of cuisine was only mediocre the meals were beautifully presented and served with panache.
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Member Rating 4 out of 5 on August 7, 2012

Yu Garden Cafe at Renaissance Shanghai
South He Nan Road
Shanghai, China

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Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel

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Hotel | "Renaissance Yu Garden Hotel - I love you"

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel Photo - Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel, Shanghai, China

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This attractive 4 star hotel belongs to the Marriot chain of hotels, located on South He Nan Road in the Huangpu district of Shanghai. The location is excellent near to the Yu Yuan Metro stop and within walking distance of the Old Town and Yu Yuan Gardens & Bazaar. The Bund and water front is only about 30 minutes away; one of the top attractions of Shanghai. Arrival at the hotel was a blessing. We were exhausted and overheated; all we could think about was having a shower. Our hosts for the week went and checked us in which was a nice gesture.The reception desk is based in the lounge, a long desk attended by 4 or 5 efficient Chinese staff. Passports had to be handed over and checked a...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on August 7, 2012

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel
159 South He Nan Road
Huangpu District, Shanghai 200010
86-21-23218888

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A touch of futurism in Pudong

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Story/Tip

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Having never travelled before to Shanghai I didn’t really have an image of Pudong International Airport in my head and no idea what the facilities were like. Taking into account the size of Shanghai and the land space I had an inkling that the airport would be on a grand scale and modern. Indeed it was grand and very futuristic. The roof alone is very impressive; it looks like a giant blue metal pin cushion with white steel pins coming forth from the top holding the large expanse together. On arrival I was very pleased that the temperature was 28 degrees centigrade but I hadn't really prepared myself for the humidity level. Warsaw is very humid in the summer but Shanghai is a different sto...Read More

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Shanghai Here we Come - Part 1

Hope Star Restaurant

Old Shanghai Teahouse

Yu Garden Cafe at Renaissance Shanghai

Renaissance Shanghai Yu Garden Hotel

A touch of futurism in Pudong

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