To understand the vibrant metropolis that was Shanghai in the twenties, Hannah Beach’s 2004 summary of the era in Time Magazine is particularly enlightening.
THE BEST CHINESE FOOD FINALE: TAI CHI HERO / SHANGHAI NO.1 SEAFOOD VILLAGE
LOX OF THE GODS: THE FAST RUNNER / RUSS AND DAUGHTERS
Before diving into the glory that is the fish selection, and in particular the cured and cold-smoked salmon on array in the bright, burnished, insanely appetizing micro-emporium that is the nearly century old Russ and Daughters, an elucidation of the distinctions between lox, Nova and smoked salmon is in order.
BURGER BATTLE ROYALE: PULP FICTION / FATHER’S OFFICE
On the endless best burger lists in LA several names come up time and again: the ubiquitous Umami burger, Apple Pan, Pie ‘n Burger, sometimes Plan Check and sometimes 26 Beach Restaurant, and frequently Comme Ça, Lucky Devils, and Golden State. These vaunted burger shrines represent two factions between which a tension sizzles.