In searching for a particular dish I wanted to try in Shanghai (I'll leave it to you to guess), I stumbled across Weird Meat, a blog by reformed vegan Michael Ohlsson. It's such a gem I can't believe it hasn't come to my attention before. Michael's a former San Franciscan, a current Shanghai resident and looks a mensch, so I'll forgive him for dissing Shanghai cuisine generally (though he liked the vertical pork bone).
Despite the title, Michael's blog is not meant to shock or tittilate, certainly less so than the posturing of Bourdain (which Ohlsson gently twits for wussiness in one post) occasionally becomes; it is a sober-sided and truly intrepid expedition in food anthropology, even accompanied by reading lists. Although the blogger's travels have taken him all over Asia and elsewhere, his his most fruitful (weird meatful?) hunting ground is Chain, and it includes the fare served at some of Shanghai's most popular restaurants.
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2 comments:
hey Gary! saw your comment on my weirdmeat site. I'm always up for the challenge -- find me some Shanghainese food that I like, please! As I stated, I've tried a gazillion places, I'm sure i've been to the ones you mentioned, but will have to check the list again to make sure.
BTW, I think we met in San Francisco, either at a Chowhound dinner, or the mandarin language group? years ago...
Next time you're in Shanghai, give me a holler!
Michael, if we've met it wasn't under either of the circumstances you mentioned, since I avoid Chowhound events (too much collegiality for a frebooter like me) and I've never been in a Mandarin group or taken a Mandarin class (don't want to corrupt the little Shanghaihua I know!)
The next time I'm in Shanghai at the same time as my wife, we'll get together (her ability to "read" a restaurant by catechizing the staff about the offerings is admittedly a crutch for me).
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