Shanghai is home to a bunch of different tasty dishes, but did you know that when your parents bumped uglies, it happened to pre-ordain one dish for you? Let’s look at what lies in the well-seasoned soy-sauce soaked stars for you, our Shanghai-based readers.
! DISCLAIMER!
This is just a load of nonsense, like all astrology, and is just a fun way to format a listicle about local Shanghai dishes. The idea that there are twelve distinct different kinds of people is ridiculous... There are like four at best.
THE DISHES:
Dishes displayed in successive order, from left to right, top to bottom
YOUR HOROSCOPE:
♒️ Aquarius
🍽️ Drunken Chicken
📍 Wei Huang (威皇广福和小海鲜), various locations
Quirky Aquarius, the dish called Drunken Chicken or zuìjī (醉鸡) is as unique and inventive as you are. A flavour experiment gone delightfully right, chicken is marinated in a heady mix of wine and spices, so one gets an unexpected and refreshing poultry dish — it’s perfect for you, who loves breaking the mold and trying new things.
♓️ Pisces
🍽️ Yellow Croaker Noodles
📍 A Niang’s Noodle Shop (阿娘面馆), 36 Sinan Road
If this is your star sign, a bowl of yellow croaker noodles or huángyú miàn (黃魚麵) should feel just like a cosy, comforting hug. With tender yellow croaker fish and delicate noodles in a light broth, this dish is basically the edible version of you, ya dreamboat. It’s perfect for when you’re feeling all introspective and mellow — just sip, slurp, and let the soothing flavours whisk you away to your happy place.
♈️ Aries
🍽️ Sheng Jian Bao
📍Dao Ke Chun (大壶春), various locations
Vivacious Aries, shēng jiān bāo (生煎包), the pan-fried cousin of the xiao long bao allows you to express your intense impulsiveness, from biting through its crunchy exterior to flooding your mouth with scalding meat juices and greatly diminishing your ability to taste for the next few days... Be mindful of your planetary ruler Mars, the god of war. You will find much enjoyment in adding chili to your dipping vinegar.
♉️ Taurus
🍽️ Hong Shao Rou
📍 Old Joe’s (老吉士), various locations
Your sensuality and natural grace are reflected in this Chinese classic of pork belly slowly braised over leeks. Coated in a soy glaze containing sugar and spices, hóngshāo ròu (红烧肉) never fails to impress, what with its pearlescent trails of fat, which should be allowed to decadently drip down your chin into a bowl of rice. With many other signs, this excess might be off-putting, but you, oh graceful bull, have the natural femininity of Venus in your sign, so pig out.
♊️ Gemini
🍽️ Xiao Long Bao
📍 Manman Tangbao (曼曼汤包), various locations
Fickle, flighty Gemini, your restless indecisive nature is truly reflected in this amalgam of a meal — a juicy pork meatball floating in well-seasoned broth packaged in a dumpling skin juuust thick enough to be picked up with chopsticks. Eat xiǎo lóng bāo (小笼包) too quickly and you’ll scald your mouth, which will surely be met with a flippant hand gesture or a fit of rage. You are duality. So is soup in a dumpling.
♋️ Cancer
🍽️ Crab Roe Xiao Long Bao
📍 Jia Jia Tangbao (佳家汤包), various locations
Motherly, compassionate Cancerian, should your moods overcome you, cleanse your crabbiness by consuming xièfěn xiǎo lóng bāo (蟹粉小笼包), namely crab xiao long bao. You have spent your energies nurturing others. Now, allow the rich filling of these soup dumplings to nurture you. Share them with loved ones and revel in the joy you bring to those around you.
♌️ Leo
🍽️ Lion’s Head Meatball
📍 Old Xia’s Lionhead Meatballs (夏氏怪老头·扬州狮子头), various locations
Magnetic Leo, picture this: you order these giant meatballs dripping in a savoury brown sauce and all your non-Leo friends exclaim “WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?” and you look really cool while replying non-chalantly: “Oh, it’s called Lion’s Head Meatball or shīzi tóu (狮子头), which is pretty fitting since I’m a Leo,” before taking an enormous bite. Everyone swoons. Your strong presence can only be outshone by these savoury, aromatic meatballs, but you aren’t threatened. Far from it.
♍️ Virgo
🍽️ Scallion Oil Noodles
📍 Shanghai West Old Lane Noodle Restaurant (沪西老弄堂面馆), various locations
Simple yet precise, just like your meticulously planned life, dear Virgo, scallion oil noodles or cōng yóu bàn miàn (葱油拌面) speak to your soul. Each strand of noodles is testament to your quest for order and perfection, making this dish your culinary equivalent in this chaotic city.
♎️ Libra
🍽️ Pork Ribs & Rice Cakes
📍 Xian De Lai Pai Gu Nian Gao (鲜得来排骨年糕), various locationsxxx
The universe has practically graced you with a plate that embodies your quest for equilibrium, Libra: pork ribs and rice cakes. Snuggled up together, the tender pork ribs and chewy rice cakes are a match made in heaven, and the sauce accompanying páigǔ niángāo (排骨年糕) is also sweet and savoury, making you revel in the perfect harmony of the entire dish.
♏️ Scorpio
🍽️ Drunken Shrimp
📍 Nong’s Family Banquet (侬家宴), 400 Xikang Road, 2/F, Jing’an
Mysterious Scorpio, the dish known as Drunken Shrimp or zuì xiā (醉虾) is as intense and intriguing as you are — think succulent shellfish marinated in a boozy and lightly spiced concoction that’ll keep you wondering as to its ingredients. If anyone can handle a dish that’s this deep and layered, it’s you— just don’t be surprised if you end up in a fiery debate about whether the shrimp or you are better with wine.
♐️ Sagittarius
🍽️ Spicy Meat Noodles
📍 Xiao Tao Noodle Shop (小陶面馆), 222 Jiashan Road, Xuhui
Sweet wandering Sagittarius, your culinary spirit animal can be found in these spicy meat noodles known as là ròu miàn (辣肉面) in Shanghai. The porcine dish is all about embracing the bold, just as you tend to do. It’s a flavour-packed journey in a bowl, perfect for satisfying your wanderlust, while also hitting the bulls-eye for something a bit out of the ordinary.
♑️ Capricorn
🍽️ Fresh Meat Mooncake
📍 SongJi Bakers (宋记饼家), various locations
A delicious flaky pastry for you, Capricorn, who is far from a flake. Shanghai’s savoury fresh meat mooncake or xiān ròu yuèbǐng (鲜肉月饼) shirks lotus paste and salted egg yolks in favour of juicy meat. It’s a small reward for all your hard work and dedication, wrapped up in a neat little package. #treatyoself
