Shanghai's Best (also known as Shanghai's Best Street Food)[2] is a Chinese restaurant in Portland, Oregon.[3] The business operates from the Pine Street Market, as of 2022, and has previously operated from Portland's Alder Street food cart pod and in Salem.
| Shanghai's Best | |
|---|---|
 | |
 The restaurant in Pine Street Market, 2022 | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | April 2018 |
| Owner(s) | Lin Chen[1] |
| Food type | Chinese |
| City | Portland |
| County | Multnomah |
| State | Oregon |
| Country | United States |
Description
editShanghai's Best specializes in shengjian mantou, a type of fried baozi (steamed buns). Pan-fried dumplings are made with pork, chicken, vegetarian, or vegan fillings.[4] The vegetarian variety has egg, chives, and mung bean noodles, and the vegan version has tofu, mushrooms, carrot, and celery. The menu also includes steamed buns with barbecued pork or sweet red bean paste,[2] as well as mooncakes.[5]
History
editOwner Lin Chen established the business in April 2018. In 2019, the Alder Street food cart pod closed for the development of Block 216 and the Ritz-Carlton, Portland. The Shanghai's Best food cart was initially placed into storage,[6] then relocated to The Yard Food Park in Salem in October 2019.[2][7][8] The business began operating from the Cart Blocks in July 2021.[9][10] Shanghai's Best operates from the Pine Street Market, as of 2022.[5] The restaurant also participated in The Oregonian's annual Dumpling Week in 2022.[11]
Reception
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In 2018, Andrea Damewood of the Portland Mercury included Shanghai's Best in her overview of "great new choices for your dumpling fix". She wrote:
The sheng jian bao are the real stars, arriving piping hot and bubbling with juices from the porky filling. Find a place to rest your paper serving tray, which won't withstand the hefty buns without help, and let them rest just a bit before taking your first bite. Your reward will be a thick skin, an oil-crisped bottom, and a savory filling that really oinks when you add some vinegar and soy sauce.[12]
In her 2021 article "Best Thing I Ate This Week: Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings from Shanghai's Best", Portland Monthly's Katherine Chew Hamilton wrote, "The dumplings were a delight—meaty, juicy but not greasy, with crackly bottoms and pillowy tops, and generously sprinkled with sesame seeds."[4] Seiji Nanbu and Brooke Jackson-Glidden included Shanghai's Best in Eater Portland's 2022 overview of "Where to Find Outstanding Chinese Food in Portland and Beyond".[5] The business was also included in Eater Portland's 2022 overview of "Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown Portland".[13]
See also
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References
edit- ^ "Portland's largest food cart pod will be gone by June 30, making room for development". KATU. May 30, 2019. Archived from the original on September 23, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ a b c Teel, Emily (October 28, 2019). "Portland food cart, displaced by Alder Street hotel development, sets up in Salem instead". Statesman Journal. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ Russell, Michael (2018-05-09). "This new food cart pan-fries Shanghai-style soup dumplings". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2020-11-09. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ a b Hamilton, Katherine Chew (October 14, 2021). "Best Thing I Ate This Week: Pan-Fried Pork Dumplings from Shanghai's Best". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ a b c Nanbu, Seiji (2016-03-03). "Where to Find Outstanding Chinese Food in Portland and Beyond". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-05-20. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ Weil, Audrey (August 22, 2019). "Portland food carts fundraise for their new location near Ankeny Square". KPTV. Archived from the original on February 27, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ "Photos: Shanghai-style dumplings food truck opens at The Yard in Salem". Statesman Journal. October 28, 2019. Archived from the original on February 28, 2022. Retrieved February 25, 2022.
- ^ Teel, Emily (July 19, 2019). "All of the restaurants that opened in the Salem area in 2019. How many have you visited?". Statesman Journal. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ Peel, Sophie (July 22, 2021). "Displaced Food Cart Pod Downtown Is Finally Opening New Location Saturday". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2021-07-23). "The Developer of the Ritz-Carlton Is Opening a Food Hall to Make up for the Carts it Displaced". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-02-27. Retrieved 2022-02-27.
- ^ "More than 30 restaurants join Dumpling Week 2022". The Oregonian. January 24, 2022. Archived from the original on February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ Damewood, Andrea (October 23, 2018). "Dreaming of Dumplings". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on December 5, 2021. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
- ^ "Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown Portland". Eater Portland. 2015-09-16. Archived from the original on 2022-01-04. Retrieved 2022-08-10.
External links
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Media related to Shanghai's Best at Wikimedia Commons
