The Tamesis
10 am Go climb dumplings
A neighborhood on Jianguo West Road is a paradise for dumpling lovers. Start with Man Man Tang Bao, where Mr. Li Dailiang and his son order particularly delicate xiao long bao, steamed dumplings stuffed with a gelatinous pork broth that melts when cooked (eight pieces from NT$20). Nearby Fuchun Xiao Long Bao (circa 1885) serves excellent pan-fried steamed buns: larger, softer pan-fried soup dumplings (from $18 for four). Denglong Wonton has two wonton soup options: bamboo shoots, shepherd’s purse and shredded pork (25 yuan) or shrimp and pork shreds (32 yuan). While light broth is traditional, the broth here is rich. You can even order an extra spoonful of lard – aptly called Lekofu, the blessing of happiness (RMB 5).
12 noon Go shopping
On Julu Road, you can browse loose-structured clothing inspired by the Tang Dynasty at Label Del. or browse the latest creations from China’s emerging fashion designers at Labelhood House. Half a mile to the southwest on Wuyuan Road, you can buy pretty little items like a ginkgo leaf-shaped copper tea sieve at the party. Across the street is the former residence of Zhang Leping, one of China’s earliest cartoonists and creator of the children’s cartoon character Sanmao (“San Mao”), now a free museum. Yongkang Road, about a mile south, is dotted with long-established stores such as Guqing Jinan Baihuo, which has been selling foods such as sauces, elixirs and cured meats based on family recipes since 1925. Beiye Tofu’s tofu ice cream and pudding (from RMB 28) and other sweet treats, and Yelo Bow’s durian cake (a slice from RMB 49).
3pm Experience Chinese Medicine
Kangyou Temple is a popular traditional Chinese medicine health clinic with branches across the city. Head to its Jing’an branch for a full-body massage, a 2,000-year-old technique of massaging the body’s energy, or chi, (from RMB 250 an hour). The therapist will first ask about your sleep, digestion and stress levels (it may be helpful to prepare a brief written overview in Chinese), then observe your posture and determine muscle tension. A series of rhythmic movements will then follow your body’s meridian pathways, which are thought to carry Qi throughout the body. Plus an ear cleaning service for 168 yuan, which requires using a tuning fork to remove earwax.
5pm Enjoy tea and art in Wong Kar-Wai movies
Fans of the 2000 film “In the Mood for Love” can now experience its creator’s opulent aesthetic at Prada Wing House, a new dining and art space designed by Prada in collaboration with Hong Kong director Wong Kar-Wai. You can have tea on the garden terrace of the restored circa 1918 mansion, or in the Art Deco rooms, where almost every surface is mirrored, gilded or covered in velvet or lacquered wood. Order a tea ceremony to sample five teas (RMB 228), including China’s coveted Pu’er variety. Upstairs, you can visit biannual art exhibitions, including an upcoming exhibition created in collaboration with Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas’ studio AMO/OMA that seeks to find meaning in data.
7pm Taste classic Shanghainese dishes
For a nostalgic feel of the 1930s and delicious Shanghai cuisine, head to Renhe Guan on Zhaojiabang Road. With mint green walls covered in vintage art and dim lighting from stained glass lamps in the booths, the atmosphere would seem kitsch if it weren’t so mesmerizing. Most nights from 6 to 7 p.m., a singer croones folk songs on a small, neon-lit stage designed to look like the stage at the Paramount, a historic nearby nightclub that reopened in 2017 after decades of neglect. Order classic sweet and savory dishes like the Drunken Shrimp (prawns cooked in broth and served cold with plum wine) (RMB 53); the Guo Shao He Man, braised river eel with sliced bamboo shoots and chilli (RMB 99), and the Braised Pork, braised pork belly with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and sugar (from RMB 27).
9pm Explore after-get off work alternatives
In recent years, the area surrounding Fuxing Park, on Nanchang Road and Fuxing Road, has become a low-key alternative to the high-tech and bottle-service clubs that have long characterized Shanghai’s nightlife. Bar Leone, a Hong Kong import that opened last year, is modeled after an Italian aperitivo bar, serving classic cocktails (from RMB 128) and a few twists, such as a velvety whiskey sour shaken with olive oil. Across the park, head to Root Down to join the Japanese listening bar craze. A few blocks away, Paal’s cocktails (from RMB 98), like smooth gin made with clarified yogurt, are inspired by what the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh called the “three percent rule,” with a subtle twist. For those looking for bottle service, nightlife hub INS in Fuxing Park features eight venues dedicated to a variety of music genres, from Chinese hip-hop to Studio 54-era disco (admission starts at RMB 168).
