PRICE:
Frommer's Very Highly Recommended

Offering spicy Hunan in an elegant if uninteresting environment, the cramped and therefore perennially packed Gu Yi caters to a better-dressed crowd that tries to hold off breaking a sweat for as long as possible, to no avail in the end, of course. Tops here are the fresh seafood dishes dressed in a variety of spices and ingredients direct from Hunan. Adventurous types may want to try the signature shredded pig's ear in chili oil. If not, there are plenty of other recommended dishes including roasted shrimps on skewers, smoked pork and preserved beans, and lamb with cumin spice. Note that most fowl dishes are served with bones intact. Because tables are packed close together, nonsmokers find there's no escaping any secondhand smoke from a neighboring table. Waitstaff could be friendlier, but the excellent food makes up for these little inconveniences. Reserve in advance or risk a very long wait.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Shanghai, 5th Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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