Yuyuan Garden is a famous classical garden in Shanghai. Although the existence of this garden is about 400 years now and undergoes multiple reconstructions, this place still remains as a famous tourist spot in Shanghai.

Sometime I felt amaze on the architecture of ancient times. It seems like they really spend a lot of time building, reconstructing, refurbishing and try to preserve the crisp of the culture. Technically, we should embrace our history but the remains turn out to be so good for photography.

Maybe I sound a bit melodramatic but as a newbie in the world of camera, ancient buildings turn me on. This is just one of the many buildings in this garden. If you have good stamina, you can walk the 20 000 square meters park, within a day. I am fit (or I wanted to believe that), so, no problem for me.

There are 6 main scenic areas that you must visit: Sansui Hall, Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall and Inner Garden. I went there twice and I don’t think I ever visited those places or maybe I did but forget the names.

To me, the main attraction is not those scenic spots. I have discovered Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant, the most famous and authentic siu long pau. Now, I also discovered the best dumplings in Shanghai called Ning Bo Dumplings (don’t know where they get the name from).

This restaurant is usually congested and probably you need to spend some time queuing to get seated and queuing to order and pay the bills. Maybe this place is the most affordable as compare to others? To me, crowded means good.. hehe..

As you might notice, they do serve big pau and some other dim sum too but the highlight is definitely the rice ball dumplings. Instead of ordering one, the long queue makes me order additional bowl. The sesame and crab roe dumplings.

In Singapore Chinatown, you can get this with almond or just plain sugar water soup. Over here, they only serve with plain water as the soup. In that case, the soup is like drinking hot water. On the other hand, the dumplings taste very nice and the texture is just perfect.

Two bowls are definitely not enough for me especially on good food. As soon as you walk out from the restaurant, you will notice that they also sell take away dumplings. I did not get it but I think it is a good deal. According to the lady, it can last about 3 weeks without fridge.

I am not leaving that place empty handed. I bought myself herbal bean curds with pigeon eggs. No, it is not stinky bean curd. This also taste good except a little spicy. Gosh, you should try to drink the soup too. Now, my floor is wet coz I can’t stop drooling when I write about this.

Ning Bo Dumplings

Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai

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In conjunction with Dragon Year, I feel a bit uncomfortable if did not blog anything about this celestial or maybe mystical creature but I am not an animal lover as well. The only two creatures that I keep as pets are house rodentS and cockroachES in my store room.

If you know me well, I will travel thousand miles to relate myself with this creature. Well, not a suicidal mission but to see if I can get hold of the Dragon Ball. I attempted to locate dragon ball on top of the roof in imperial hall (Forbidden City) but I only found ball instead with no dragon?

This time I am quite lucky in Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai. Ohh I didn’t say I found the dragon ball but I reunite with favorite small dragon pau (小龙包). No balls, pau also ok laa..Eh this task is not so easy to achieve, k? You have to literally queue up almost an hour to get seated.

Then you have to make the toughest decision to choose between the cheaper or the expensive sections under the roof. The difference is, the expensive one has more variety to choose from and obviously queue is longer on the other side.

Their history go all the way back to 1900 when Nanxiang is called Changxinglou (Giraffe? ) but the restaurant is no antique. The ambience is well lighted with electric light and not candles, with aircond and not paper fan.

Ohh and the menu did not make from bamboo. It is printed on colorful menu with pictorial dishes photos. IF you are Chinese and don’t read Chinese, you can still order as the menu is in English BUT you will be labeled as banana in TikkoSS’s terms. Hehe..

Most of the food will be served in within few minutes. Some fried dim sum will take slightly longer. The service is quite efficient except sometimes, they speak no so fluent English but hey, you are in China. IT is good enough if they serve you what you want..

I ordered big siu long pau … er.. I think as I just pointed at the menu. Oh yea, I don’t read Chinese too! Hehe. Nothing to be embarrass about right? I still get some delicious dim sum which I don’t know what its name and also another deep fried balls which I also don’t know the name

Even with limited ability to communicate, I still manage to order the highlight of this restaurant, the siu long pau. As much as I always thought there is only one type of siu long pau but they actually serve variety of it and some with crab roe too.

Although I pay RMB 143 (~RM74), I get to try the most original and authentic siu long pau from Shanghai. No regrets tho. I get food and I get to write post about something related to dragon in Dragon Year. Hahahaa…

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant

Inside Yuyuan Garden, Shanghai.

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An apple a day, keeps the doctor away . I believe that phrase is still valid until today except if the doctor is in super hot uniform. Did you know a cup of coffee a day will also keeps the doctor away?

Recent studies show that coffee drinking can protect your liver especially liver disease caused by alcohol damage. Oh yea, alcohol is evil this case. I don’t consume alcohol, not because I am liver friendly but because it is against my religion. Er..Don’t ask me what is my religion..:P

The downside of it is, the studies also bring some detrimental effects on me. What the study did not conclude is that coffee drinking will make you slightly poorer, potentially lead to diabetes and Starbucks will automatically turn out to be your must visit friend.

Starbucks in Shanghai is no difference than Starbucks elsewhere in the world. The Caramel Frappuccino and black coffee still taste the same despite I am few hundred miles away from home.  Knowing that coffee can protect livers, Starbucks is never cheap.

Many health conscious customers will not just go there for coffee, typically me. Most of the time, I will either put on few calories extra by ordering some dessert such as deliciously tempting cakes, muffins or cookies. Don’t ask me if my pancreases can take it but it makes me feel good.

This time I did not order muffins or cakes but I go for strawberry pastries and strawberry lollipop instead. I can tell you it is not cheap and it is addictive. Believe it or not, the tastes blend in nicely with the coffees I ordered.

Like I said, sometime I do take care of my liver but at the same time, I do sacrifice my pancreases too. (FYI, pancreases produces insulin to control sugar level in your body). Well, it is hard to resist on sweet stuffs right?

To certain extend, I consider Starbucks as my best friend and the time that I spent here is considered as quality dessert time. So, it is not purely for coffee but for pastries, candies, and oh ya for Low Fat Blueberry Yogurt Cup too! I am sure we share the same friend too right?

Starbucks, Shanghai

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WEB: http://www.starbucks.com/

Cell phone is so common that almost everyone in the world has one.  The convenience of it can almost make you physically and emotionally attached to it at all time, even while you are on vacation, hanging out with friends bla bla bla.

One tip of advice, try to avoid using it while you are in the toilet. It is rude if you talk to someone on the phone while he/she can hears the sound effect of it while you are doing your big business. It becomes really nasty if you accidently dropped the phone in un-flush toilet bowl.

The mess is one thing but try to imagine you are on the other side of the phone?

Maybe this is not a good start especially when I am about to write about Yo.Ba Yogurt Ice-Cream. Don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to relate toilet to ice-cream although both have H2O elements in it.

What I am trying to say is cell phone makes my photo taking possible. You know, sometime, on this one day that that you feel like you do not want to carry you baby with you, u need em? This time, my cell phone saves my day.

When everyone is busy with window shopping, this the times when I snoop around the mall with my dinky phone to keep me company. Spying around what good on the shelf, snapping photos in a no-photos zone and of course, Angry Bird as my stress relievers once in awhile.

Speaking of stress relievers, Yo.Ba rightfully disengage my cell phone bond with me that never been separated since the day I own it. With multi topping choices, finally, I can forget about my cell phones for a record of 10 mins.

Someone told me, if you take the courage to make the first step, the second, third, fourth and so on will be a lot easier. I am back to defer because as soon as colorful M&Ms, raisins and cold creamy ice-creams are gone, my phone got magnetize back to me again. That shows how strong our bond is.

BUT I discovered a new hypothesis. RMB 24 (RM 12) can help phone addicts to stay away from their addictions for 10mins. M&Ms and raisins are major contributors here.

So, to summarize, with RM 17280 (RM 12 x 10min x 6 x 24hr), you will be free from phone addiction for a day in return. Well, everything come with a price, right?

Yo.Ba Yogurt Ice Cream

Super Brand Mall

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If you read my post on Shangri-la Pudong, Shanghai, you will probably realize that I have a lot of nostalgic moments in this hotel.

Nothing can embrace my memories except carving the good one on stones and not so good one on sands so that the waves can help to flush them away.

Another way to do it, is to feed my stomach well first and start reflecting later. One way to do it is by ordering decent dinner just for myself in my own quiet room.

The trick is, you have to either order food that you crave for or food that you love. This time I go for potatoes wedges and salad as starter. Now, I can sense that my memory puzzles start to align on its own.

To speed up my thought process, I have to go for wanton noodles soup with mushroom and char siew. As a pork lover, I have to say char siew really helps in merging my brain cells together.

At this stage, I felt like as if I already travelled back through time to meet with my loves one, my family, probably about 20 years back.

To avoid myself from waking up from this hypnotic moment, I have to continue feeding my stomach with Sirloin Steak and strawberry milkshake. Or stomach growling will definitely creates distractions.

I recalled, my dad gave me my first present, my mom and sis too. How mesmerizing. I remembered we used to have a lot of fun time together and thanks to decent food, it helps to blend a good chemistry between my present and past.

The sweet moment was really short and I woke up straight away after I got slapped with the dinner bill. It costs me RMB 495?? That is approximately RM 250???

After this meal, I have to probably eat instant noodles for another week. Worth it or not, why not you tell me.?

In Room Dining, Shangri-la Hotel

33 Fu Cheng Lu, Pudong,

Shanghai, China.

TEL: +8621 – 6882 8888

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Funny thing about travelling is that sometime, you tend to crave for something really bad like a pregnant lady. Of course I never experience pregnancy before as I am biologically challenged.

When your brain goes haywire, it tends to make you believe that if you don’t consume it, you will die instantly. Yea.. that is how bad it is.. something like fish cannot survives without water.

Before I even enter Hong Ji Tea House and Restaurant, my big belly (physically, almost the same like pregnant lady) already helps me to register what I want to eat.

So, it doesn’t matter if the place is cozy, nicely decorated or filled with pretty girls during peak hour, all I want is my drugs to get me over with my addiction.

Dressed like a hippy, untidy hair like beggar, I desperately asked the waitress, “Do you have what I need?” She replied, “What do you need?”

Ops, I’m in a paranoia state that I totally forget to place my order and assumed she knows. She might thought this is a lame pick up line but disappointedly I asked for not her number but beef curry, black pepper and seafood noodles.

At points the cravings feel like having sex, once you have it, you are wanting for more. I did not resist that temptation as it helps in stress reduction, right? Ohh.. ok.. I guess I have that is too much detail for a young person like me.

Besides sex, the combination of siu yok and teh that is not tarik also gives the same effects. What are you thinking? I am talking about satisfaction over here. What turn me off is that I have to pay RMB 158 (~RM 80) for all these.

Quite a price to pay to ease my cravings isn’t it?

Hong Jiu Tea House and Restaurant

(Beside Oriental Pearl Tower)

TEL: +86 21 3868 8877

Opening Time: 10.00 – 22.00 hours

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Someone told me that Japanese food is one of the healthiest cuisines known to man? When comes to sushi or sashimi, most of it is not cook.

I wonder how healthy it can be when pollutions happen in just about every corner of the earth but hey, not all Japanese food is served raw.

Because of the word “healthy”, Japanese food can be found in almost every place that I have been so far. No exception to Shanghai.

Not long before this, I spent a lunch in Watami – Japanese Casual Restaurant located inside the Super Brand Mall. If you don’t like raw food and your partner does, here is the right place for both of you.

As suggested by the restaurant name, I ordered something casual. As a start, I ordered garden salad and tofu with bento. The salad is nothing unusual, just few leaves and thousand island sauces.

The tofu, on the other hand, tastes good. I know, tofu is tasteless, but this one, is different. The combination of bento and soy sauce just make it perfect.

This restaurant also serves finger food. In this case, I went for deep fried chicken cutlets and fries. As for this, I really have no clue why Japanese restaurant serves French fries?

With a dip in Thai chili sauce, the chicken cutlets can be really nice.  See, so far all are cooked dishes except the green salad.

Oh yea.. I still cannot resist myself from sashimi rice and a glass of fruit juice. N Udon. N Miso soup too.. hehe.. It seems incomplete if all these are not served on my table.

This time I paid for RMB 124 (~RM 62) and I consider this affordable. Ohh, the restaurant is just few shops away from Long Feng Dim Sum. If you are there, might as well try out for this one too.

Watami – Japanese Casual Restaurant

8^th Floor, 168 West,

Super Brand Mall, Liujiazui,

Pudong, Shanghai, China

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Another day another dollar earns. I guess it is slightly different in my case as to me, another day another day another dollar spend.

Every day, I will be thinking on how I would like to spend my money wisely, what to buy and what to eat. Of course the favourite part is eating what I plan for.

While walking in Super Brand Mall, Shanghai, my stomach gave me a red alert and my mission turned out to be hunting for a place to refill myself.

On 8^th floor, which I always think is a lucky floor, I found Long Feng Restaurant, a Chinese restaurant that serves morning dim sum starting at 11 am?

The place is rather quiet when I arrived but it started to gradually filled up with customers especially during lunch time. As much as I normally treat dim sum as breakfast, this time I called it brunch.

Started slowly with custard bun and later followed with small dragon pau as my starter. Maybe I was hungry or maybe the food was really good but my refilling needs more substances.

The waitress somehow acknowledged that and started to introduce their famous signature dumplings to me. Beside prawn dumplings, I did go for chef recommendations.

The dim sums are good and comparable with many Malaysia dim sums but lacking of one thing, the sweet and chilli sauce. Yes, you can dip in soy sauce but I still think it tastes better with sweet sauce.

Whenever I go for dim sum, I will automatically order chee cheong fun (I ordered 2 plates .. hehe) and deep fried spring rolls. The feeling is incomplete if I eat it. How weird isn’t it?

If 10 is good, I will only rank this place as 7. Not because the food is not good but minus 1 for no sweet sauce, minus 1 for start at 11 and minus 1 for too expensive. I actually paid RMB 137 for this “brunch”

Long Feng Restaurant

24, 8^th Floor, 168 West,

Super Brand Mall, Liujiazui,

Pudong, Shanghai, China

TEL: +86 21 2206 0003

WEB: www.longfengyudian.com

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People are never satisfied. When you have something you complain, when you don’t, you complain. I guess this is what people call human nature.

The last time I check I am still a human, so I guess I cannot avoid from the fact that I do complain once in a while. I used to complain about Chinese Food until I am here.. a place that makes me pork-free for almost 3 weeks now.

Looking back, I did actually spent a great time in China, Shanghai in particular. Old photos remind me of this Gui Hua Lou Restaurant in Shangri-la Pudong.

Now, I hardly even see any oriental food within my vicinity. Although this restaurant is just another Chinese Restaurant.. it reminds me of my root, a Chinese one where dim sum should be my breakfast.

I miss this fried spring roll and century egg porridge every morning. I tried to order porridge here but guess what, the hotel serves me with oatmeal porridge instead of rice porridge, how sad .

Believe it or not, I hardly find soy sauce or sweet chilli sauce. If this continues, I guess I will start writing on my travel instead of food. Or worse, you don’t get to read my post anymore as I might starve to death here.

It doesn’t matter if the char siu pau or siu long pau is good here but I can tell you it is a lot better than most of places I have been. I wonder when I will get a chance to go back to this restaurant again.

Try to put yourself in position with no pork and alcohol free for 3 weeks. It is rather torturing. The feeling is like pregnant lady who are craving for certain food. Ohh I never pregnant before but I have big belly that the effect is almost the same.

Aww.. looking at this porcupine custard bun shows how creative and insensitive a human can be,  creative because the chef can creates a miracle with scissors on pau and insensitive because his customer is an animal lover.

If you are cruel enough to take the first bite, the sandy custard blood of porcupine is melted in your mouth.  I tried it for sure and kept the other two as souvenirs

Chee cheong fun with big prawns or char siew is my all time favourite. When it serves with a glass of Chinese tea, just makes the breakfast as wonderful as it can be.

With RMB 163.30 (~RM 80), you are completely ready to start your wonderful days ahead. Slap by reality now, I have to figure out what I need to order for my breakfast, not bread and butter again

Guihua Lou (inside Shangri-la Pudong)

33, Fu Cheng Lu, Pudong,

Shanghai, China

TEL: +86 21 6882 8888

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Maybe it is too early to ask this to some of you but have you think of places where you want to go with your soul mate for honeymoon?

A very special person to me once suggested Maldives. Coming from tropical country, I directly object it, which led to the reason why I travel ALONE nowadays.

Come on, when the weather is at average of 28 deg C, beaches and expensive, how romantic can it be? I can no longer take off my clothes when you are cold and you need a lot of tissues to wipe my sweat.

Why not I suggest an alternative colder place, Honeymoon Dessert instead? It is cooler, sweeter (not sweater) and affordable? If you minus the crowd, we can spend some quality times together.

You might think I am cheapskate but I am not. I am a realistic person. What happen when all of the sudden you are hungry while we both enjoy the scenic sun rise moment.

Aha.. that why over here is better because you get to order at least tofu fah or durian pastry. Forget about the “big egg yolk” sun as these are much tastier for sure.

I might not bring you to love warm heaven but I bring you to sweet desserts heaven. You might say I don’t know you but I can tell you, I know you “inside” out. When I say inside, I meant your stomach and not something else.

Mango and pamelo slush might be ordinary to many but I know you are craving for it. Sweet potatoes and glutinous rice ball is on the list although I remember you said you will have gas when you have it.

Romantic is never about the places but it is always about who you are with at that time. Again, you can call me not romantic but I am not a cheapskate and I can justify it.

With air ticket from Malaysia+ RMB 67, you really think this honeymoon is cheap? Ohh, I did included shopping in the itinerary too and it is on me! Does that change your mind?

Honeymoon Dessert

Road 699, Block B, 3^rd Floor, 200-333,

Pingtang Road,

Shanghai Changning District

TEL: +86 21 6275 5777

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WEB: www.i-manji.com