Puxies stays in Puxi.  Pudongers stay in Pudong.  Such is the sad case with the inhabitants of Shanghai.  There are only a few reasons to go across the river:  work, bringing a tourist to see the sights, and the occasional can’t-miss restaurant. 

With Pudong rapidly growing, there’s no doubt that there are more and more can’t-miss restaurants popping up.  Century Link Mall, located right next to Century Avenue metro station, includes one such restaurant. 

Hao Noodle, originally from New York City, opened it’s first location in Shanghai not too long ago.   After browsing the menu, I settled on:  Shanghai Style Fried Fish Noodle Soup, Dan Dan Mian, and  Boiled Tofu with Mushrooms.

The fish soup is phenomenal.  Correction: The fish is phenomenal.  It’s beautifully caramelized, lacquered in a reddish hue, which makes for a good contrast to the broth it rests upon.  It’s firm, meaty and retains a slight crispness throughout.  Unobtrusively sweet, I couldn’t stop eating it. There’s nothing wrong with the broth or noodles, but they lack in comparison to the fried fish.

The Boiled Tofu and Mushrooms is another standout.  A stack of delicately fried (must be a mistake in translation) tofu blocks, topped with slivers of mushrooms, served in a thick and gooey sauce reminiscent of classic Chinese-American dishes.  The tofu has the taste and texture of a creamy omelet.  It’s a dish that rivals any other tofu dish in Shanghai.

The noodles in the Dan Dan Mian are cooked to perfection.  It’s not overwhelmingly spicy which can be a good or bad thing depending on your fondness for spice.   It’s a bit milder than most dan dan mians but it hits all the standard notes. 

Is it a bad thing that the two items I love most at Hao Noodle are not even the noodles?  The answer is, “Who cares?”  The fried fish and the braised tofu are dishes that beckon you to come back and keep ordering more. So, for all you Puxies out there, add Hao Noodle to your list of reasons to come out to Pudong.

Price: 60 RMB / person

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