A feast of seafood flavors with no catch
Donglai Haishang, on Fujian Road M. near People’s Square, specializes in Shandong cuisine with a focus on dishes from the Jiaodong peninsula region.
Shandong fare is listed as one of China’s eight major cuisines. Shandong is also the birthplace of a host of famous ancient scholars, including Confucius. And its cuisine has a history as ancient as these sages, making it the oldest major cuisine in China.
There are several different subdivisions in Shandong cuisine.
Jiaodong cuisine originates from Yantai and Qingdao, the coastal cities of the province. And because of Shandong’s location in the large peninsula by the Yellow Sea and Bohai Bay, it means seafood and fresh-water fish are major players in its fare.
Stir-fried sea intestine with yellow chives is a signature dish.
The seafood dishes are known for their delicate aromas and freshness, enhanced by soy sauce, shallots and garlic.
Donglai Haishang offers abundant seafood dishes unique to the peninsula, such as sea cucumber, sea intestine, sea conch and purple clam. These varieties are rarely found in Shanghai’s other seafood restaurants.
We started the seafood feast with mixed jelly fish and black fungus with aged vinegar, sea whelk, stir-fried sea intestine with yellow chives and deep fried oyster with spiced salt.
Sea intestine, unfamiliar to most diners, is a sea worm that grows only in the cold water of the Yellow Sea region. When cooked, it has a great seawater taste.
The unique crunchy texture is highly prized by most diners.
Barbecued squid
Deep-fried oyster with spiced salt is another delicious seafood dish. There is something very gratifying about biting through the crisp outer crust and into the tender center of a fried oyster.
Though the restaurant mainly offers seafood dishes, diners can still try several other classic Shandong dishes from other parts of the province. For example, jiuzhuan dachang, or braised pork intestines in brown sauce, is a classic plate that cooks the middle portion of the pork intestines through repeated steps of boiling, frying and braising until the intestines have a bright and glossy color, as well as a compound flavor of sweetness, sourness and saltiness. The intestines are then cut into bite sizes with an elegant presentation.
After 8pm, the restaurant offers seafood barbecue that is widely popular among seasoned diners in town.
There is a great variety on offer, from barbecue squid, sea intestine, to Shandong natives’ favorite fried mantou (steamed buns) with shrimp paste, which are all delicious.
Info
Opening hours: 9:30am-2pm, 5pm-10pm
Tel: 6311-5800
Address: 94 Fujian Rd M.
Average price: 150 yuan (US$21.93)
