Shanghai in 12 Dishes: How to Eat Like You Live There (Antony Suvalko, Leanne Kitchen)

Shanghai is exhilarating, dynamic and endlessly fascinating. But, when hunger strikes, where to start in a city with so much on its menu? Beautifully designed, sumptuously photographed and chock-a-block with invaluable dining information, Shanghai In 12 Dishes helps you cut to the chase, culinarily speaking. Aimed at traveling food lovers, this book assumes you're visiting Shanghai for a limited period and don't have time to waste. You don't need to be overwhelmed with endless listings, options and recommendations; you just want a reliable entree into the local dining scene so you can cut right to the chase. You want authenticity. You want dining experiences that are meaningful. You want to rub shoulders with locals.

Focusing squarely on Shanghainese cuisine, the emphasis here is as much on what to eat, as it is on where to eat. Structured around 12 iconic dishes, it features meaty information on each dish, guiding you to places you can find them. Dishes such as sheng jian bao (pan fried pork buns), xiao long bao (soup dumplings), lion's head meatballs, red cooked pork, squirrel-shaped mandarin fish and tofu braised crab. These define Shanghai and you'd be nuts to leave town without discovering them.

Shanghai in 12 Dishes doesn't stop at just 12 dishes, however. The restaurants listed represent so much more than these essential dishes- this book merely gives you starting points for making your own culinary finds. All you need is a sharpened sense of adventure and to throw yourself into Shanghai's incredible world of food. As you follow the local food trail, you'll meet locals, see sights, buy things and create memories that last.