Did I tell you about...

...Whisk? Cafe Whisk? I think I did, but just so you don't forget: Go to Whiskies and have some of their AWSOME chocolatie things. Anything from their dessert list. Anything from their ice cream selection.

Also the sandwhiches are good, pizzas not so much.

Just be aware: they are so good, if you don't have a reservation, you better be prepared to wait a moment for a table. But go there! Now!

WHiSK
1250 Huai Hai Lu (near Changshu Lu)
By metro: Line 1, Changshu Road Station

Sticky and sweet

The past weekend it was time to sweept the dusts from the anchestors' graves. And for that reason Monday was a national holiday. I of course don't have any anchestors here, thus no grave stones to clean, but I welcomed three day weekend warmly.

For it was Qing Ming "festival", according to Shanghai Daily, more than two million people in Shanghai went to the graveyards during the past weekend to pay homage to the anchestors. Took them flowers and fruits. And another 2 million went already the weekend before. Traditionally also (fake) money should be burned at the graves, but at least my colleague told me that it is nowadays strictly forbidden in many places, to prevent bush / forest fires. So people will have to settle burning money elsewhere. Personally I prefer to burn my money shopping. It is really a really safe way to do it.

Chinese have a different snack for every festival. Or at least so it seems to me. For this one, they like to eat little green monsters. That's not relly what they are called, but they are sticky and sweet green slimeballs. Like big green snails.

Actually they are some sort of rice glutein, colored with a type of grass, and they have red bean paste inside. The taste is mild, sweet and indeed "green". Not bad, actually. But the texture feels like something you are not supposed to eat. It is soft and elastic, hard to bite. One of these is more than enough. Really. More than enough.

On a different note: guess who's going to see something else in the theme of Sticky and Sweet in August :o) I think I like that one more.

Sweet indulgence

One of the things Shanghai offers that you rarely (ok, never) get to enjoy in Finland is champagne brunch. (Or maybe we have those in Finland too, but I doubt.) It is utter indulgence, and that is just what makes it so great. It is free flowing champagne and abundant selection of delicious food. And friends. And an opportunity to use all those silk dresses that you have had tailor-made here. And, above all, it is a lazy, indulgent Sunday afternoon.

Here, many *****-hotels (and propably 4*, too, but why bother) offer Sunday brunch with either no champagne, one glass of champagne, or endless flow of champagne. We, naturally, opt for the latter. There are few hotels, where you can have the cool Bund / Pudong view while brunching away, but this time our hosts had chosen an inland establishment, Le Meridien.

They all offer a great selection of foods, but of course there are differencies in the selection and quality. Comprehensive selecton process is required before you can say you Le Meridien brunch seemed to have a sort of a modern air to it. They had an excellent grill stand, sushi, loads of sea food (from hummer tails to tuna Nicoise and from gravad lax (hmmm... I wonder what is the correct english term?) to oysters), good salads, quiches, roasted meets, asian delicacies, antipasties, cheese table, soups, fruits and desserts. Have to have desserts. Even though usually when it is time for desserts, you would be better of not eating anything anymore. It is like Christmas, in that sense.

In Le Meridien they also had a girl dressed-up like a nurse, except in pink and giving out medicines, except it was booze. I did not find that very classy. And who, in the name of Dom Perignon, wants vodka if there is champagne?

It is way too challenging to stuff down all those delicacies and enjoy at least a few glasses of champagne.

'Cause let's be honest: that is why we are there for. You can usually get champagne free brunch with about 100 RMB less.

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Le Meridien champagne brunch on Sundays 12-15, 458 RMB (~50 euros) per person.

Nanjing Est Road 789

Next time I plan to check what are the Shanghai Hyatt's offering. All three Hyatts in this village offer spectacular views to the river.

Other options:

- J.W. Marriot

- J.C. Mandarin
- "Tables" at the Portman-Rizt Carlton. Many people like this, but to me, the room was a bit dark, food selection was not that impressive. For example the signs telling which is which food were misplaced, and all in all it didn't left that high quality impression.

Sweets

Someone please tell me why on earth there are candies that taste like jalopeno or pop corn?

And someone please tell me why on earth I bought them?

Blueberries and mangos

I am a traditional girl. I like traditional things. I like blueberry pie, for instance. Sometimes that means that I am not quite as open to new things as one should be. I am working on it, but results are not promising...

I have no problem comprehending apple chips. You know, those snacks made of apple that kind of remind potato chips, in form and color. But in my world, there is just no room even for a concept like blueberry flavored potato chips.

Even if they are natural and cool. There just isn't.

Let me know if you have tasted these, because I get shrills if I even think about buying them. Not to even mention mango potato chips and lychee potato chips. Natural and warm as they are, I just don't feel it.

Eating out

Last week I tested four new restaurants: new cafe from where to pick great paninis, pieces of pizza or sets of tapas for lunch (I actually tested all the before mentioned, and went there four times in a week! Well, we decided to be supportive for the new entrepeneur. And it is inexpensive, 50 RMB for luch set, including soft-drink).

Then I went to an Indian restaurant Indian Kitchen with friends. Earlier, I've been restricting myself to Vedas, 'cause I like their food, even the restaurant itself is a little cold. I mean the decor isn't their strong suit. We often opt to eat on the lounge side, it has got loads of more atmosphere and character. But I found Indian Kitchen to be worthy of a new visit, soon. I LOVE Indian food. And Indian Kitchen was much more affordable than Vedas.

Thirdly, on Satuday night we went to Chartre. Kind of French restaurant, but, which is quite common here, not purely French, as they also had French fries, potato skins, rice curries and bunch of other stuff available. Chartre is located in an older building, and I, no, all of us, found the atmosphere and milieu really nice. We ate upstairs, which was more quite and private than sligthly noisy downstairs. All the dishes were reasonably priced, and manu was extensive. There were couple of bummers, though: three of us ordered grilled leg of lamb. It had not been grilled, and it was not a leg of a lamb. To be honest, it had an "earthy" taste in it, so it wasn't very good. But fillet of beef was, or so was reported. Another bummer was desserts: four of us ordered chocolate mousse, and they only had one left. Three of us then had to change, but they were also out of couple of other dessert options. But we got our desserts ordered. When they brought them up, they only had one piece of Very chocolate something something cake left, even though two of us had ordered that. I was one of the two, and luckily for me, the other person was a gentleman and let me have the last piece: it was very chocolate, and very good. But the said gentleman was then left without dessert at all. But very nice atmosphere, maybe we'll try them again sometimes.

And lastly, we also went to Mesa/ Manifesto. I've been trying to go there for some weeks now, but always end up somewhere else. I have no idea what is up with that. But now the important first step has been taken, and I will be returnig. I think. I try, anyway.

Okay, what is the point of this lengthy narrative of what I have gulped down during the past week? The point is, that this city is so full of amazing restaurants, where you can eat with remarkably less than in Finland. But with this remarkable restaurant-scene two things follow: at any given moment I could think of at least 5 restaurants I have not been to, and would like to try. Most of the time it is closer to ten, than five. (Like now: one Japanese, its name escpaes my mind at the moment, beed-place Moon's, Italian restaurant Casanova, and I want pizza at Velvet Lounge (some say it is the best of the city), Whisk, acclaimed for its chocolate cake, Vue, a high-end place with gorgeous Bund views and House of Hamilton and... about 1000 Chinese restaurants. I could go on and on, you know.) At the same time, I would also like to go to the places I have already been to, and that I liked. Or loved. Or drooled at.

But biggest problem of them all: I have no idea how, after Shanghai, I am going to be able to go back to living in my hometown Tampere, which, with love, and all, has only a few decent places to eat, and even fewer of them have any distinctive character! Well, I have more than a year to enjoy Shanghai.

Allium Sativum

Allium Sativum. Sounds like a spell in Harry Potter, don't you think? Well, it equals garlic. Kynsilaukka. Valkosipuli. Valkolaukka. Heaven.

I love garlic. I think I always have, 'cause I remember a delicacy from the time I was just a little girl: toasted dark bread (jälkiuunileipää), fresh and uncooked garlic and tomato. The taste of pure garlic... mmm.

Anyway, out of coutesy to my comrades (also called collagues, but comrades seems firring here, where communism is still rocks. No it doesn't actually, but that's the officual truth anyway) and the poor garlic-smell hater I live with, I try to keep it down, on most parts. But as the mentioned person I share my life with, is currently enjoying part-sabbath, he's become more relax with the use of garlic. A change I have excepted with utter contempt, but without trying to make a big deal out of it.

I really think my drug of choice is garlic. Once I start using, it is very, very difficult to be without. And the daily dose just grows. I think if I had to choose whether to never ever have a glass of red wine again, or garlic again, the wine would be left for others to enjoy.

Like a proper junkie, once I get going, I don't see no reason to cut down on my garlic-usage. Quite the opposite. This week has been a particularly bad. Or good, which ever way you see it. Reason being, that my darling has been several thousand miles away. I've made pasta with tomato and garlic, "the best garlic bread ever" (by Jamie Oliver) (and carefully picked all the lovely roasted garlic pieces that didn't stick on the bread), tomato soup (of course with garlic), tzaziki with extra garlic and I have't had my heart's content. I am trying hard to figure out how I could have MORE garlic tomorrow. More that sweet, sweet taste that tingles on my tong...

Sorry, got to go now. Mission Impossible III is starting on HBO. It's not like I was planning to watch it, or anything, but Tom Cruise just told how great it was to shoot in Shanghai, and how gorgeous the city looked at night. (Didn't tell to me personally, of course but I happened to cath a glimpse of "Making Mission Impossible II & III"). Anyway, I have got to see how great Shanghai was at night with my own eyes. You should, too, cause I get to see the real thing, too, anytime I choose to :o)

PS. The chinese Cruise is trying on the airport check-in counter does not sound one bit like the real deal... Just so you know, next time you're watching.

PPS. Of course the gddammit HBO went to pixels just when they got to the Shanghai night scenes. It does that on a regular basis, dunno why. But were the Bund and Pudong mighty beautiful and glorious, or where they ever! Some of the bits I saw didn't look like anything I've seen here, but hey, it's a movie... And "Better city, better life" sign pretty much prooves they actually were in Shanghai.

Ain't it gorgeous?

PPPS. In the day scene the chinese have been dressed like Mr. M would still be in power... How dum and stereotypic.

Sadonkorjuujuhla

Päättynyt viikonloppu oli pitkä, sillä maanantaina vietettiin Mid Autumn Festivalin merkeissä vapaapäivää. Mid Autumn Festival on yksi perinteisistä kiinalaisista juhlapyhistä, jotka on vasta vuosi sitten nostettu takaisin kansallisten vapaapäivien joukkoon. Tarkoitus on, että ihmiset muistaisivat viettää näitä pyhiä, ja perinteet säilyisivät. (Erään maan menneen johtajan aikanahan kaikki tällainen hapatus (tai ylipäätään vanhat asiat) olivat järjestään pahaa.

Kyseessä on jonkinlainen sadonkorjuujuhla, tai siinä ainakin on juhlan tausta. Tärkeää on kuulemma perheen kanssa yhdessä oleminen, ja kuun kunnioittaminen. Kuun pitäisi mollottaa juhlan aikaan komeimmillaan.

Ja kuinka kunnioittaa kuuta, jollei sitten kuukakuilla (Moon Cakeilla). Niitä on mainostettu jo ainakin elokuun alusta alkaen: omat herkulliset kuukakkunsa on niin Starbucksilla ja Haegen-Dazsilla, kuin myös kaikilla isoilla hotelleilla. Ruokakaupassa on ollut tarjolla pienen yksiön kokoinen röykkiö eri merkkisiä ja laatuisia Moon Cakeja jo pitkään. Ilmeisesti niitä on tapana antaa lahjaksi niin yhteistyökumppaneille kuin ystäville, usein kupongin välityksellä. Tässä on lappu, hae itse kakkusi ;o)

Kakut on pakattu hienosti, jokainen erikseen ensin muoviin, sitten pahvirasiaan. Kaikki, yleensä 5- 12 pientä pakettia on sitten pakattu isompaan pahvirasiaan, ja kaupassa tämä rasia pakataan vielä näyttävään paperikassiin. (Tästä voitaisiin siirtyä siihen, kuinka paljon täällä syntyy aivan turhaa pakkausjätettä muustakin kuin näistä kakuista, mutta ei mennä nyt siihen...)

Kakuissa on eri makuja, mutta perinteisesti niihin kuuluvat (sekä tai joko) lootustahna ja seesaminsiementahna. Meidän kakuissamme oli myös ainakin omenaa ja kiiviä. Lisäksi niitä on lihatäytteellä, jollaista pääsin maistamaan kun kiinan opettajani toi tunnille muutaman Moon Caken. Täytettä kuvailisin hyytyneeksi possunpaistin rasvaksi, eli ei ihan meikäläisen makuun.

Kaikki minut tuntevat tietävät että olen hieman perso makealle. Vaan en Moon Cakeille, se tuli huomattua. Makua on vaikea kuvailla, mutta pieni kakku on todellakin täyttä tavaraa. Jo yhtä suupalaa tuntuu olevan vaikea saada alas, niin tuhtia se jotenkin on. Joku väitti, että yhdessä pienessä kakussa voisi olla jopa tuhat kaloria. En tiedä siitä, mutta jos näin on, niin olisi tietysti hyvä että moinen kaloripommi myös maistuisi hyvältä. Ehkä täytyy pistää kakut vähäksi aikaa säästöön, jos vaikka taifuuni Sinlaku sattuu iskemään, niin on sitten varalla ravintoa. Yksi päivässä riittänee, mutta ilman hätätilaa taitavat jäädä syömättä...