Atmosphere: Weixiangzhai is just off a fairly busy stretch of Middle Huaihai. It's brightly-lit, packed with greasy tables, and has an air of surliness and grime that extends not just to the staff but into the very bricks and mortar of the place.

Here's the deal: you go in through the glass doors and turn to the woman at the counter on your left. You tell her what you want (more on that below), or show her a picture if you don't speak Chinese. You pay her, take the ticket, fight your way to a seat and peg the ticket to your table (or just wave it expectantly at one of the aunties dashing around). Someone comes back with your food, some of which won't have slopped out of your bowl in transit.

You eat. You leave, having filled up on noodles, tried a Shanghainese classic, and decided you'll probably never go back for anything... except maybe those sesame noodles (ma jiang mian).

Food: Those sesame noodz, though. My word. They're almost worth the atmosphere and fear of contracting botulism. That's, really, all you want to order. They arrive swirled together in a tight bundle, resting in chilli oil and topped with a big, messy dollop of sticky sesame paste and a few chopped scallions. You won't be able to talk much as you eat because your mouth will be clogged, but that'll probably be a blessing. It allows you to focus on the sheer decadence of blowing your entire day's calorie allowance on a bowl of noodles.

There are some other options if you want to give them a chance, although I can't recommend them. They're subsidiaries. We got three things to share (the famous sesame noodles, a bowl of spiced beef broth and a fried pork cutlet) but ended up just ordering a second bowl of the sesame noodles. Unless you're going for the signature dish, don't make the trip.

Service: Shanghainese and surly. This place has a pedigree, and don't they know it. The woman on the front desk probably won't help you very much, and the fuwuyuan breeze around shouting and spilling broth.

Some people see this as part of the local charm of the place, and I get it. I do. It's not a very relaxing experience, though. Avoid rush periods and watch out for the food tour groups, too.

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Wei Xiang Zhai is one of those places that you can’t live in Shanghai and not try at least once. A small mom and pop type of shop that’s famous for their 10 rmb masa noodles pair with the golden combo of their 10 rmb beef soup and spicy meat toppings, this place remains a gem in the glitzy xintiandi area. The first time I came here was on a crowded weekend afternoon, where sharing table space was pretty common, and we happened to be seated across a well-known foodie youtuber, who was filming a scene at the restaurant on his noodle run across China video.

To avoid the crowd, I came back on a weekday afternoon where most people were at work, and the only customers in the shop were a couple of elder folks, who seemed to live around the area. As usual, service doesn’t exist in places like this. I ordered at the counter and quickly found a seat. It didn’t take long for the food to arrive, and the portions were fairly large. The beef noodle soup had a rich flavor with a hint of curry, topped with scallions on top. The masa noodles had a rich sesame sauce on top, which on its own, wouldn’t make for much of a meal. That’s why most people order toppings on the side to blend with the noodles. The spicy meat toppings this afternoon was disappointing. It wasn’t even heated up properly and it was a bit too heavy for my taste.

While eating, I came across what seems to be a food tour that made the joint a stop on their list. This place is popular among locals and tourists alike, however, it seems a bit overrated to me. It has become a must try in Shanghai, but I don’t think I will be coming back.

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