Bund Shanghai

New restaurant alert! Well, new for me. Bund Shanghai has been on Jackson near Kearny for several years now, but somehow J and I have never made it there because we tend to avoid Chinatown on the weekends. Today I decided to do a scouting trip to see if it was worth a trip some time. 

The restaurant is nondescript but very clean. In fact, I would categorize it as exceptionally clean by Chinatown standards. Good job, Bund! The first smell that hit my nose when I walked in was that of black vinegar and sugar, two things which Shanghainese stereotypically love and put in all their cooking.

Since I was all by myself and unable to partake in the many delicious things on the menu, I decided to veer completely off course and order mushu pork. I never order mushu pork, because people who order that are usually mocked by all the Chinese people at the table. But guess what? I was the only one at the table today, so I ate whatever I wanted! And I enjoyed every bite. The mushu filling was a stir fry of thinly sliced carrots, green onions, cabbage, eggs, bamboo, wood ear mushroom, pan fried egg, and pork. The flavors were bright and fresh, and the dish was not overly salty or greasy.

Four pancakes came on the side along with a dish of hoisin sauce. I thought for sure that there would be too much filling for these thin pancakes, but actually everything is perfectly proportioned. I think anyone who likes burritos or wraps should give Bund's mushu a try. As for myself, I was eying other diners all lunch long, and I think Shanghainese small plates, rice cake noodles, and pan fried red bean pancake are the must tries here.