603 Fuzhou Lu, near Zhejiang Lu
21/6322-3673
HOURS: Daily 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 5-8:30 p.m.
COST: Entrées less than ¥100
METRO: People’s Square (Line 1, Line 2, Line 8), exit 15
A specialty of the Shanghai region is the hairy crab. The whole city goes crazy for crustaceans when they come into season in the fall. The best specimens come from Yangcheng Lake near the city of Suzhou, but other sorts are shipped in to satisfy demand.
Wang Bao He is the oldest crab restaurant in Shanghai, claiming a pedigree dating back to 1744. Don’t worry if you’re not in town during hairy crab season; the imported crabs are tasty too. Wang Bao He serves one of the best crabmeat and tofu dishes in town, as well as crab soups, dumplings, and most other permutations.
The restaurant is smart and clean, with dark wood furniture and white tablecloths. At peak times, expect a renao (hot and noisy) atmosphere.