Shanghai 456

Tucked away in the west industrial side of the city lies Shanghai 456. If you don’t know what you’re looking for then you probably won’t find this restaurant. It’s located in a nondescript building with a small sign that might as well not be there. You need a GPS to get there otherwise you probably won’t find it. Shanghai 456 was the first time that I tried Shanghainese food and afterwards, it made me want to go to Shanghai 10x more. I actually really want to move there too but probably not for another 10 years.

We came on a Friday around 2 pm so it was pretty quiet inside but that also meant quicker food for us. Some people probably are wondering what the hype surrounding Shanghai 456 is. Xiao long bao. That is all. I didn’t take a photo of it individually because we all devoured them as soon as they came out. Xiao long bao ($7.50 for 6) are steamed dumplings filled with soup and meat. It was love at first bite for me. These are a MUST if you stop by Shanghai 456!!

The special fried rice ($10.95) wasn’t all that special. It was a combination of shrimp, fried egg, vegetables, and BBQ pork. We found the dish to be a bit bland and lacking saltiness/flavour in general. 

Our waitress recommended the house special hot & sour soup ($7.95). The soup leaned more towards the spicy taste with a little hint of vinegar. It consisted of a lot of tofu, green onions, and chicken. Sadly, I don’t have a spicy tongue but this soup would be enjoyable for those who do!

Soy braised pork belly with preserved salty Chinese cabbage ($12.95). Although the pork belly was a little fatty, the meat was still tender and juicy. The Chinese cabbage that it was served with was fresh and cooked nicely. 

Our last plate of the day was wor tip ($7.50). I consider this to be another one of Shanghai 456’s “specialty” plates. They are pan fried dumplings that are filled with soup and meat like xiao long bao’s. The dumplings were fried to a crispy touch on the outside and filled with hot, delicious soup inside. I would recommend coming by Shanghai 456 to try these dumplings and XLBs!

Apparently complimentary dessert is a thing at Shanghai 456. On my trip there, they served us red bean and coconut jello. A sweet touch to end off our Shanghainese meal! 

Although some dishes at Shanghai 456 didn’t really stand out, the soup based dumplings sure made the trip worth it. It’s worth a try for those who have never experienced Shanghainese food.