(cheap noodle shop) Ming Ming Chan Ting
269 Bei Hai Road
Shanghai, China
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Well, I can unequivocally say I’ve just discovered the very best noodles in the world. And they cost 8? (US$1.20)!!!!!!!! It was when I was popping out of the office for a very quick lunch, and walked a minute down the road and saw a crowded little food joint. There was a queue forming rapidly outside, and inside were people PACKED around tiny tables… furiously slurping away at their steaming hot noodle soups and rice dishes. Naturally, I hopped into line and was at the counter within minutes… where I discovered you had to select and pay for your meal, then take your ticket and find a spot (sharing tables is very common here in Shanghai, to make the most use out of seating place).

The menu, printed up in big font on the wall, is in Chinese. There’s no English menu. Plus, I learned quickly the lady at the counter spoke not one single word of English. Survival instincts too over and i just asked her “what’s the best dish on the menu?” to which she replied “la rou mien”. I figured that “la” is spicy, “rou” is meat and “mian” is noodles….. and armed with that knowledge, I went ahead with that order and sat down at a table with 3 other people to hungrily await my food

Moments later, my bowl of noodles came – a large bowl steaming hot, and filled to the brim. There was a serious MOUND of noodles in there, floating beneath the broth, and topped with a portion of braised pork. Looked fairly stock standard, but one bite of the noodles and I just about fainted. THE NOODLES WERE THE BEST I’VE EVER HAD. I’ve also since eaten a lot of noodles around Shanghai, but they don’t even come close. I don’t know why it tasted so good.. perhaps it was made fresh on the premises? The texture was soft and silky, but still with a satisfying bite. And the flavour.. it actually HAD a taste, unlike most noodles that don’t, and which rely on the broth to provide the taste. This one was spectacular. The small pieces of pork on the top was fairly meagre and provided a nice salty extra, but the noodles was just as good on its own.. with the hot, slightly-spicy broth.

I’m still in a state of shock that such a good meal can cost just US$1.20. It’s almost hilarious. I also saw people eating big mounds of fried rice, which looked really tasty and was 6? (US$0.90) – I think I’ll have to try that too 😛

The cheap lil noodle shop

Tiny interior, with people doing nothing but furiously slurping away

“La Rou Mian” (aka spicy meat noodles). BEST NOODLES IN THE WORLD.

Tried out a massage at Jade Massage, near my place

Gorgeous, wooden interior

It was US$23 for a 90min massage from head to toe…. it was incredible. I booked Chris and I in next week 😛