DISTINCTIVE DINING IN SHANGHAI by Joel Chusid When traveling to The People's Republic of China, one often hears warnings about the kinds of food available there, since the Chinese are known to enjoy eating a far greater variety of vegetables, seafood, fowl, and animals and their parts that a visitor might have ever heard of or known was edible! While it's true that cuisine in China is not comprised of chow mein or fortune cookies that are features of "Americanized Chinese food" as the locals disdainfully call it, it is incredibly diverse. And yes, there are some things that might be offensive or strange cuisine to a visitor, but in reality there is no problem finding terrific restaurants and delicious food and great service, especially in the major cities. Shanghai, China's largest city and commercial center, shocks first time visitors with an airport that is something out of a futuristic movie and a new train from the airport to the city that travels on a cushion of air and cuts travel time to the city from 45 minutes to under eight. But approaching the city, one is reminded of the Emerald City in the movie, "The Wizard of Oz" as architectural gems with 50, 60, and in some cases, over 100 stories soar skyward. It is said that Shanghai is growing industrially at 30 times that of cities in the US, and when one sees more skyscrapers under construction than those now in place, that must be true. A city this size has dining gems, and indeed there are many. I have chosen to highlight two very different ones, but both are memorable, with outstanding cuisine, and elegant and comfortable surroundings. The Shanghai City Restaurant is the largest restaurant I have ever seen, with 5 stories, several large dining areas, and 108 private rooms, each named after a different Shanghai street. It is an elegant place, with even more exclusive "VIP rooms" on the top floor. Some of the 108 rooms even have their own individual kitchens so you wan watch your personal chef prepare your meal. The restaurant can accommodate 5000 diners at a time. The food here is traditional Shanghainese, for in China there is no such thing as just plain Chinese cuisine. There is Human, Schezuan, Cantonese, and more. Shanghainese is the local cuisine, which tends to be a little sweeter than some of the other spicier or aromatic regional foods. It is best to try and go here with Chinese friends, and have them order the individual dishes off the menu. It is common to order 10, 15 or even 20 of these, starting with cold dishes and salads, moving on to hot dishes, rice, and then soup last, finishing with fresh fruit, often melon. Chopsticks are the rule here, and there is something to please everyone. We had chestnuts, celery salad, peel and eat shrimp, a delicious deep fried boneless fish, steak in a pepper sauce, and a delicious mushroom soup plus many other dishes I can't even remember. Some of the large Chinese restaurants tend to be equipped for karaoke, but not this place. It's far too elegant to allow that. There is an extensive wine cellar, and service is amazingly efficient for a restaurant of this size, with dishes being brought to your table every few minutes in a pleasant pace. Credit cards are accepted, and considering the large scale, there'll surely be someone who speaks English and probably English menus for those who go on their own. The Shanghai City Restaurant is located at 546 Changning Road, Shanghai 200042, telephone (86-21) 6211-5788, and is about 15 minutes from the main downtown area or the famous Bund. There are also plenty of Western food establishments, and the trendy neighborhood of Xintiandi has plenty. There's even a Starbucks, a Ven-Ice Italian ice cream place, a German beer hall, multiplex cinema, outdoor cafes, and exclusive restaurants. It's much like Dallas's West Village, in fact. Here you can find one of the restaurants that Conde Nast described as one of the top 100 new restaurants in the world T8. Entering T8 you are graciously greeted, in English, by the manager, Walter Zahner, who escorts you to a table or the counter facing the chefs at work, the latter a very popular place. This is a celebrity hangout, and a Hong Kong movie star who was seated opposite us signed several autographs for fans. Everything here is served with style, from the miniature salads accompanying some of the dishes to the way the bread is served. We started with a roasted red pepper, tomato, and eggplant soup served with Parmesan and spinach cream, and then went for the wild mushroom and spinach risotto, accompanied by pancetta, chili, parsley, and lemon.  Other options included a Gorgonzola spinach tart, or caramelized salted salmon with green mango and longan salad with crispy shallot and salmon pearls. Main courses featured Sichuan seared king prawns with octopus compote, garlic cream, and crab spring roll; slow cooked lamb and Sichuan high pie with yellow coriander bisque; roasted lamb rack; char gilled beef tenderloin, seared peppered sashimi grade tuna, and Thai spiced cod and king prawns steamed in betel leaves. A variety of desserts including homemade ice creams and sorbets were available, and the wine list is extensive, with many being offered by the glass or in half bottles. Warning, expect sticker shock on the wines, even for stateside vintages. Prices are very high for Shanghai, but reasonable for a restaurant of this quality in the U.S.  Even the bathrooms are elegant, replete with soft lighting and candles! T8 is located at No.8 Xintiandi North Part, Lane 181 Tai Cang Road, Shanghai 200021, telephone (86-21) 6355-8999. It's easy to find, since everyone knows Xintiandi. There is a website, www.ghmhotels.com, since the establishment is part of an upscale Asian hotel group.  Get more "Jetset Dining with Joel Chusid" here. Do you have any questions, comments or suggestions? Email: jwdineline@aol.com Copyright © 1998 Inter Active Media Solutions. All Rights Reserved. The interactive components of this site require that you use a current browser version of Explorer; be sure to maximize your window out so you can see the entire page. This page was created by Inter Active Media Solutions.