Distinguished diners who have passed this way include Queen Elizabeth II and President Clinton, on his recent visit in June 1998. But all the hype in the world can't conceal the mediocrity of the cooking. Standard Shanghainese fare for the gullible and the starstruck. Located at the back of the Hilton, it serves up tasty dim sum, plump, moist dumplings and fine bowls of wonton noodles, guaranteed to revive weary night-owls. One to remember if you find yourself being thrown out of the nearby Manhattan Bar at dawn.
English menus are available.
Average lunch Y110, dinner Y160. No credit cards. Although the Chinese menu and non-English speaking staff could prove problematic, this restaurant, tucked away down a little alley in an old colonial villa, is a good starting place for those wishing to acquaint themselves with Shanghainese cuisine. The dishes here are steady and reliable rather than innovative, with freshness of the ingredients a major selling point. Braised beef and pork in sweet dark sauces, eels, Chinese cabbage, perch and carp are all tasty.