China
A fantastic restaurant located next to the Phoenix Hostel on Yunnan Street in central Shanghai. There is a wonderful array of local and Chinese provincial specialities on offer including Hunnan style pork buns and lamb and shrimp dim sum. All are utterly cheap in price as well as being exquisite in taste. Definitely worth a visit if you get a chance.
17 Yunnan (South) Road, Shanghai
Google map: tinyurl.com/ydqwaat
This was my first taste of Korean Barbeque, and my friend, a native Korean, mentioned that this was one of the finest places in Shanghai. My friend couldn't have been more right, as the food served here was excellent and very light.
Huai Hai Zhong Road, Shanghai
www.pankoo.com.cn/
They call them 'chopsticks' for a reason - it's because they're from chopped-down trees. Vast tracts of forests are thoughtlessly used and thrown away every year.
Commendably, the PRC government is now beginning to crack down on this, and Japan for example has begun to tax imported chopsticks heavily. So to help this process along - anywhere in Asia for that matter - when dining in restaurants ask for (or bring along your own) plastic chopsticks. Wipe them with a tissue if you're worried about hygiene, it's not hard. And if you really can't handle the chopstick issue, bring a fork.
Yu Yuan Gardens (see www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1036) is a nice place to buy souvenir choppies - try the Shanghai Chopsticks Store, 31 Yuyuan Lao Lu
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