Canton 8 offers one of the best Cantonese cuisines in Shanghai with each dish prepared with care and an original mix of flavors.

PROFILE
Canton 8 is located on a quiet street off of Jumen Lu, a quite local area of Shanghai not well known. This restaurant is known for being the least expensive two-star Michelin restaurant in the world. The local restaurant offers one of the best Cantonese cuisines in Shanghai with each dish prepared with care and an interesting mix of flavors.

MUST TRY:
You have to try the pork belly. It’s absolutely outstanding, cooked with care and the crackling and taste is heavenly.

AMBIENCE
Canton 8 is a typical Chinese restaurant but not fine dining-like furnished. Each table seats a maximum of four people and the restaurant’s floor to ceiling windows look out onto a terrace. You will be greeted at the entrance by a small reception counter and a sleek looking black facade and the black wall of dragon murals in the main dining area. A more sophisticated decor is actually expected from a two Michelin starred restaurant.

SERVICE
Staffs are attentive and speak good English but you might have to queue for about half an hour to get a seat. Most of the dishes were either not served at the same time or dumped on the table without following the sequence on the menu. The restaurant stops accepting diners just before 2 pm though it advertises 3 pm as closing time.

FOOD
For food there were a few options – a la carte, 300ฅ set menu or ฅ500 set menu. Simple dishes like fried rice with egg whites and scallops show major culinary skill as their taste and freshness is outstanding! The Siu Yoke boast of the appropriate layers and crispy crackling with extraordinary porky flavors. The well-seasoned Cantonese roast meat of Char Siu is marinated to the savory tender flesh and slightly charred bits. Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumplings is as tasty as it can get, Siu Mai, BBQ trio combo, and the daily vegetable are other wonderful choices. Drinks and tea are also available in various types.

SUMMARY
As some people have said, you don’t visit this place for the atmosphere but for the food. The food was amazing and the price very reasonable. Worth a visit for non-fussy and bargain for Michelin level food but more is expected overall from two Michelin starred restaurants.