Authentic Shanghai Restaurant near Chicago

[tcfvm]

My girlfriend just returned from a business trip to Shanghai and I'm now looking for a restaurant in the Chicago area whose menu includes authentic Chinese cuisine so she can help me experience the "flavor" of her trip. Thanks to all of you!

[tcfvm]

Thank you both for your recommendations! That's a great start and we'll check those restaurants out.

[mountsac]

Lao Shanghai is your best bet. I've never actually been, but the Chinese menu reads authentically Shanghai.

IChef in Hoffman Estates also has some Shanghai dishes (the restaurant specializes in Jiangsu-Zhejiang cuisine, which is the region that encompasses Shanghai).

Shanghai Terrace is nice, but it is a misnomer. I tried their Shanghai dumplings once, and they were awful. It is not a restaurant I'd go for Shanghai cuisine. The menu is heavy on Cantonese and contemporary fusion items. There is a Peking duck tasting menu that is well executed (even though it tastes more like Cantonese roast duck).

[bearmi]

Wow.. thanks for the info. Do you still think Shanghai Terrace is authentic Cantones/fusion, although it doesn't really serve authentic Shanghainese? Also, do you know how much it is? I am curious to go but if it's too expensive and not authentic.. maybe not.

[nsxtasy]

Did you read the post above? In this paragraph, it already answered the questions you're asking:

"And Shanghai Terrace, in the luxury Peninsula Hotel, features cuisine from various regions of China. It's authentic high-end Chinese dining. (The Peninsula chain has always been headquartered in Hong Kong, and three of its nine properties are in China.) Beware, it's not inexpensive, not for Chinese food anyway; you can expect to pay around $100 per person including moderate alcohol, tax, and tip. But the food is very good and the experience is lovely. http://chicago.peninsula.com "

[bearmi]

Sorry, only read the one from mountsac, not yours. Thanks for reposting the info.

[mountsac]

Yes, the Cantonese dishes and dim sum items are authentic. Prices are high, comparable to other fine dining restaurants in the city. There are plenty of cheap and authentic canto places in ,Chinatown. If you go to Shanghai Terrace, it'll be for the slightly better execution and much better ambiance and service. Treat the experience as fine dining, then you will be happy. If you try to compare price with other Chinese restaurants, you will feel ripped off.

[bearmi]

Sounds good.. I am older now and have low tolerance for the "Chinatown" type atmosphere so this maybe just up my alley. Thanks for explaining.

[nsxtasy]

Here are two possibilities.

Tony Hu's restaurant empire, led by his Lao Sze Chuan, has restaurants featuring cuisines from different regions of China. I haven't been to his Lao Shanghai in Chinatown, but that's an obvioius candidate. www.tonygourmetgroup.com

And Shanghai Terrace, in the luxury Peninsula Hotel, features cuisine from various regions of China. It's authentic high-end Chinese dining. (The Peninsula chain has always been headquartered in Hong Kong, and three of its nine properties are in China.) Beware, it's not inexpensive, not for Chinese food anyway; you can expect to pay around $100 per person including moderate alcohol, tax, and tip. But the food is very good and the experience is lovely. http://chicago.peninsula.com