Shanghai Cafe

Surprising flavor combinations and innovative dishes break the mold of traditional Chinese eats at Shanghai Cafe, making it a welcome departure from the norm. The restaurant's strip-mall facade and casual decor belie the food's quality and presentation. Try an appetizer of chili-spiked cucumber or the "vegetarian goose," which pairs shiitake mushrooms and tofu. Enticing entrees include sautéed sugar peas, a cilantro-tinged dish that combines chicken and jellyfish and the house specialty: addictive, hand-shaved barley green noodles with your choice of meat. For dessert, try the pan-fried red bean cakes, among other delicious dishes. The restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.