Shanghai

Review

Everything used to be more colorful

Jasomirgottstraße was a catwalk of gastronomic vanities: Cantinetta Antinori has been Vienna's most elegant high-end Italian restaurant since 1995. Wein & Co opened its multi-storey flagship store here in 2001. The Roberto Bar opened its first branch, and two Romanian online millionaires opened their bling-bling restaurant Tuya. But before all these eateries, there was the Shanghai Restaurant, which has been here since the early 1960s. Not particularly large, but over the decades it has served impeccable cuisine without discount attitudes, without pandering to fashions, but above all it is incredibly colorful and magnificent. Dragons, lions, lotus blossoms, cranes, birds of paradise, flowers and even more dragons: And even if they really went all out here in the early 1960s - it's not really kitschy. However, you only get to see a little of the splendour because the windows were boarded up at some point. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Qiu Liping ran the restaurant more or less alone and decided two years ago to hand it over to Tim Urban, junior chef of the Sichuan Restaurant, who immediately arranged three things: firstly, Master Cao was brought to Austria from Shanghai to run the kitchen. Together with him, they developed a kind of fusion cuisine between traditional Shanghai cuisine and Western Chinese cuisine. Secondly - together with wine merchant and sommelier Robert Stark - a great wine list was created, which also lists remarkable wines from China. And thirdly, the restaurant was also supposed to be visually modern, but fortunately this was abandoned (which, according to reports, was not entirely my fault). And now they serve spring rolls, for example, which are served with a little bit of organic pork instead of minced pork - great (€ 6.00). The main courses are all available in small portions, but also in a large format for sharing: The Kremstal veal liver from the wok with onions is fantastic (€ 14,-/23,-). The interpretation of the American Chinese restaurant classic "Orange Beef" made from XO Beef (old dairy cow from Austria) and perfect bean sprouts is also great fun (€ 15/25). Mapo Tofu, also made from XO Beef and with pickled chillies from the Bach nursery in Vienna, is simply delicious (€ 11/16). And best of all, Dong Po Rou, also known as Mao's favorite dish, belly meat prepared according to the "Hong Shao" method (first boiled, then fried, then braised), with only lightly wilted and seasoned vegetables as a contrast - delicious (€ 11/19). In summary: A bit like the Chinese restaurant used to be, only much nicer and much better. And with better drinks.

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