Wang Bao He

Description:

• With an opening date stretching back to 1744, this restaurant claims to be Shanghai's oldest. It also claims to be the best place to feast on Shanghai's famous hairy crab, though you're just as likely to lose some hair when you see the final tab (a kilo/2 1/4 lb. of crab will cost around ¥380/$54/£27). This brightly lit restaurant is often full, and your average diner on any given night will likely be a government official, China's next billionaire, or a Japanese or Southeast Asian crab aficionado with kilos of disposable income. Crab dominates the menu, of course, from dumplings and soup to the whole hairy monster, which is typically steamed and eaten with a dipping sauce of ginger, soy sauce, and black vinegar. True crab aficionados then put the whole crab back together after eating, as if it had never been dismantled, piece by succulent piece. Wash it all down with the restaurant's famous Shaoxing wine.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010