Shanghai Soup Dumplings, Omakase, and Ramen Trip

Mary and Hunter take a short trip to Shanghai and stay in the Financial District known as Lujiazui. This is DAY 1 of their adventure!

We share a bowl of shrimp ramen and have soup dumplings at the famous Din Tai Fung. Although a bit touristy now, we were still very satisfied with the soup dumplings. We'll go in search of more local soup dumpling restaurants in DAY 2 of our trip.

We try some soft serve ice cream from a Japanese shop called Croquant Chou Zakuzaku. They use Hokkaido milk, which is suppose to be extremely high quality, and it did not disappoint! Mary is still dreaming about this ice cream, we'll definitely be back with Leena in the future.

Dinner was at a fantastic Japanese Omakase restaurant called Sushi Aoki. The atmosphere was laid back and we were able to talk freely with the chef and ask all kinds of questions. We shared the dining experience with 2 other couples, everyone was very friendly and congratulated us on our anniversary.

It can't be a Shanghai trip without walking the Bund, but boy was it crowded! We don't normally come during the summer months, so maybe this is normal? It could also be because it's the first summer after the COVID lockdowns have eased up.

Mary and Hunter continue their Shanghai anniversary trip and eat some of the best soup dumplings they've ever had.

Crab filled soup dumplings that are so full to bursting, they come with a bowl. Deep and intense umami flavor that features the crab tomalley and crab roe, Mary gets a crab high after eating them!

We also tried combination pork and crab dumplings, but the pure crab soup dumplings were the best in our opinion.

Dinner was at the three Michelin Starred restaurant called Taian Table, which features a large communal table around the main kitchen area. The experience was just divine. You'd think sitting right by the kitchen would be noisy and smoky, but this was not the case. It was fascinating to watch a Michelin Starred kitchen buzzing with activity, with the occasional "yes chef" being yelled out by the staff.

Everything was plated beautifully, with careful instructions on what you're eating and how to best enjoy it. We ended the night with a stroll through Xintiandi and got a local beer at a gastro pub called The Refinery.

On our last day, we get some breakfast at a popular Jian Bao and Guotie (Potstickers) restaurant. They're fried in a large iron pan, which crisps up the bottom of the dumplings. Fluffy, chewy, crunchy, the perfect way to start the day.

After some chicken ramen at a place called KingIchi, we stow our luggage and stumble across Metro City. It's a multi-level mall that has a different theme for each floor. Packed with yogurt shops, tea shops, restaurants, and boutique stores, hours flew by while we explored the whole mall.

The basement level was our favorite, and also the busiest. It had a Japanese theme, reminiscent of wandering the streets of Tokyo. Anime shops, conveyor belt sushi, ramen, Japanese bakeries and treats. We could have spent the whole day there!

We explored a nearby church and large park for a change of pace, before heading back to the high speed train station.