New Shanghai Westfield

New Shanghai started as a single shopfront in Chinatown, opened by the Chen family. Since then, it has ballooned to 10 stores across Australia and one in Shanghai.

When son John Chen came to Australia in the ‘90s, he wanted to expand the repertoire of Shanghainese cuisine beyond the humble dumpling, while still celebrating it. With great design, knowledgeable staff and a menu inclusive of Western-friendly, traditional and contemporary Shanghainese food, New Shanghai does just that.

The Westfield Sydney store is one of the more “glammed up” locations, channelling a 1930s Shanghai vibe complete with red lanterns and a dumpling theatre where trained chefs work an assembly line of meat-rolling, wrapping and folding.

Ordering is easy – the placemats double as menus. Glossy Shepherd’s Purse dumplings with peanut, sesame and chilli sauce sit alongside the signature xiao long bao and fried pork buns.

There are also more traditional dishes such as prawns with salted egg-yolk (presented as a pile of crisp battered prawns), or the creative Rainbow Beef – a sweet, sour plate of crispy beef strips topped with thin strips of spring onion.

The cocktail menu, designed by award-winning bartender Michael Chiem, is executed by skilled staff. The Southern Air, a sweet and warming combination of coconut and pandan ice cream and cognac, is topped with a paper airplane. The Shanghai Sour is spicy-smelling with a light white foam and star anise on top.