[Shanghai] Mo-Mo Paradise

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[Shanghai] Mo-Mo Paradise

Mo-Mo Paradise

Address: Hong Fang Zi, 2/F, 35 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Changle Lu 红房子, 陕西南路35号2楼, 近长乐路
Tel: 5236 6038
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 11:30am-3pm, 5-10pm [Sat-Sun] 11:30am-10pm
Website: www.mo-mo-sh.com
Price:  [lunch] 118~128 RMB/person, drinks extra [dinner] 138~150 RMB/person, drinks extra
Visited: Nov 2011

Last year, Sugared & Spiced kicked off the hot pot season with Qimin Organic Hot Pot (still a lovely spot to visit), and this year, it all started with Mo-Mo Paradise. Originally from Tokyo, this hot pot chain now has around 100 branches in Japan, Taiwan and Thailand, and its Shanghai branch just opened earlier this year. For 118~128 RMB (lunch) and 138~150 RMB (dinner), they offer all-you-can-eat selections of quality meats and organic vegetables. Clean interior, excellent service, no fuss.

The appetizer plate.

Mo-Mo Paradise offers four broth choices: sukiyaki, shabu shabu, spicy miso, and curry. The most popular choice is the sukiyaki broth, a sweet and savory combination of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin (a rice wine with a 40~50% sugar content).

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[Shanghai] Qimin Organic Hot Pot 齊民有機中國火鍋

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[Shanghai] Qimin Organic Hot Pot 齊民有機中國火鍋

Qimin Organic Hot Pot 齊民有機中國火鍋

Add: 407 Shaanxi Bei Lu / 陜西北路407號
Tel: 6258 8777
Hours: [lunch] 12pm-2pm [dinner] 6pm-12am
Website: www.qi-min.com
Price: [weekday lunch] 68~88 RMB/set [weekend lunch] 148~198 RMB/set [dinner] 250 RMB/person
Visited: Oct 2010

‘Tis cold in Shanghai! To combat the sudden drop in temperature, we went for a hot pot lunch at Qimin to get warmed up. The idea of hot pot naturally conjures images of steamy restaurants and messy table tops, with people hovering over one communal pot filled with meats and veggies and unidentifiable blahs swimming in a foamy, murky broth.  Qimin is quite the opposite. The combination of fresh and organic ingredients, individual pots, elegant interior, and attentive service means that hot pot can be an upscale dining experience as well.

A la carte menu is available, but we went for the 68 RMB lunch set which gives you: two small appetizers, a broth of your choice, a basket of vegetables and/or meats, and a choice between rice and noodles. Two dipping sauces were included with the set. The Qimin house sauce is richer with a sesame flavor and is recommended for the meats, while the Empress sauce is lighter and recommended to be paired with vegetables. You can choose to add minced garlic, chopped spring onions, chili pepper, etc. to the sauces.

The fresh ingredients came out daintily arranged in wicker baskets. Here’s what you get from the 68 RMB lunch set: 6 slices of prime pork, some tofu, a piece of mochi, corn, three types of mushrooms, one meat ball, and lots of leaves.

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[Shanghai] Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐

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[Shanghai] Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐

Din Tai Fung 鼎泰豐

Add*: 3F Super Brand Mall, 168 Lujiazui Lu / 陸家嘴路168號正大廣場3樓
Tel: 5047 8882
Website: www.dintaifung.com.tw
Price: 100~150 RMB/person
Visited: Oct 2010

For many people, Din Tai Fung needs no introduction. This Taiwanese chain, with its remarkable consistency in quality and well-trained service, has been rated one of the top 10 gourmet restaurants in the world by NY Times and now operates in 9 different countries. Their soup dumplings (xiao long bao) are simply the best and easily make Shanghai’s famous local 南翔小籠 (Nan Xiang dumplings) look ridiculous in comparison. This place is always packed so be sure to make reservations.

*Multiple locations available in Shanghai, check website for details.

Some of my favorite starters include 辣牛筋 spicy ox-tendon (35 RMB),  辣味小黃瓜 sliced cucumber with chili and garlic (23 RMB), 什錦豆干絲 shredded bean curd with seaweed and bean sprouts (19 RMB), and 香干馬蘭頭 chopped wild vegetable and bean curd (22 RMB).

Din Tai Fung soup dumplings are made with great care – they have exactly 18 folds on the skin, which is translucently thin but never breaks at the squeeze of the chopsticks. After dipping the dumpling in vinegar, put the whole thing in your mouth, give it some pressure with your palate, feel the delicate skin burst and let the soup fill your mouth. The soup doesn’t burn, and it makes the meat and skin taste exponentially better.

My favorites are 蟹粉小籠 (steamed pork and hairy crab roe dumpling, 86 RMB/10 pcs) and 特色小籠 (steamed pork dumpling, 58 RMB/10 pcs), and if you order both, eat the steamed pork dumpling first because these are lighter in terms of flavor. There are some other variations on the menu, such as 黑松露小籠 (steamed pork and truffle dumpling) and 魚翅小籠 (steamed pork and shark fin dumpling), which I’ve never tried.

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