Busy streets like Nanjingdonglu in Shanghai can get chaotic. The honking sounds of delivery drivers, waves of people that bump into each other, and the blinding lights overwhelms tourists very quickly. That's why an intermission at a restaurant like Yushisan is so important.
Yushisan is a Yunnan restaurant that opened in 2022. Since then, the restaurant has become wildly popular with younger customers by providing a trendy option: something other than the binary experience of either a fancy fine-dining Chinese restaurant, or a local food stall run by a manager who is also the server who is also the front-of-the-house (as is characteristic of local shops in Shanghai).
Quilts drape the walls of the restaurant's interior - harmonizing together dozens of colorful patterns and Southwest China's unique cultural symbols. The restaurant. however, does not seem cluttered, as the quilts are contrasted with a minimalistic industrial design.
Once you walk into the restaurant, you can understand why it's popular as a trendy F&B hotspot despite being in an obscure location and serving a cuisine that isn't often associated with "fine dining." Its interior design that combines traditional elements like pottery, paintings, etc... with modern hanging lights puts you right at ease to start ordering some food.
Dishes
Fermented Rice Drink - 18 rmb
The fragrance of cooked rice with sweetened milk? Undergoing a process of fermentation, similar to the mechanism used to create drinks like sake and makgeolli, the natural composition of rice breaks down to create a foamy and milky liquid. However, the drink is non-alcoholic, so everyone can enjoy it! Definitely worth trying at Yushisan.
Fried egg with a Thai-style salad - 26 rmb
With Yunnan and the Southwestern regions of China being closer to Thailand and Vietnam, some culinary practices have diffused across borders. The salad is reminiscent of the Thai papaya salad. However, the crispy egg whites are a unique addition that works surprisingly well with a sour and spicy chili vinaigrette.
Rice noodles with a Spicy Tomato Broth - 28 rmb
MiXian is a Yunnan speciality. These noodles cannot be dried for preservation, and are always prepared on the spot. While noodle dishes in China are really diverse, ranging from Wontons to Dan Dan Mian, I've recently started to rank Mixian as my number 1 preference. If prepared right, it should have the right balance of a special chewiness and softness, and soak in all of the broth's flavor. In this case, the spicy tomato broth (laced with Sichuan peppers), gave the noodles a powerful kick. After a stressful day, the rice noodle here is perfect.
Potato and Chicken Stew - 79 rmb
It seems very hard to mess up the combo of potato and chicken. Well, KFC's mash potato and chicken set menu proves you wrong. Yushisan's stew, however, hits the spot. The stew contains pieces of fall-apart chicken and buttery potatoes that mix to create a flavor bomb.
Steamed Fish with Chili and Soy Sauce - 69 rmb
One of the highlights at Yushisan, steamed fish with diced chilis marinated in soy sauce is served at a relatively affordable price of 69 rmb. In most Chinese restaurants, steamed fish exceeds 100 rmb. There is no fishy taste whatsoever, and the texture is flaky but still firm enough.
Yunnan-style pancakes with a basil and pork filling - est. 30 rmb
Overall Summary:
Before discussing anything else about the restaurant, the service at Yushisan deserves special recognition. On most days, customers line up to get a seat at Yushisan, sitting on stools inside the cramped waiting area. The front-of-the-house would often bring out snacks and tea to make the wait significantly more tolerable. Once you make it to your seat, the servers will help explain everything about the menu and are very helpful. They're almost too friendly!
Yushisan is a hidden treasure. On the corner of a busy street, Yushisan serves affordable and high-quality Yunnan cuisine - ranging from Mixian to all sorts of cool drinks (inspired by Yunnan ingredients). Great for any ocassion, but especially for a meet-up with friends, to enjoy the bustling atmosphere of Shanghai's alleyways while trying out hearty, spicy, and unique food.
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