Hungry for History

2 Photos

by Jocelyn Betts
on Friday, June 11, 2010 12:00 AM

Shanghai has got stamina; her construction sites are feats of architectural endurance. After all, the sense of a precariously preserved time-gone-by is apparent to all those who visit the streets of Shanghai's older districts. It would be a shame to let it go forgotten. So I gather my time travelling paraphernalia and find myself in 1931 - the restaurant, that is, located in the French Concession.

It is a tiny space, so small in fact that it seems suspiciously like a ploy to transform the modern desk-hunched gait into the refined, delicate movements of a 1930s' tea-sipping young lady. Tottering daintily to the bathroom, it requires the utmost care to avoid smashing the pretty pastel-colored china plates with one's derriere, or sweeping cups of tea onto the vintage-looking wall paper. With a feeling of sophisticated accomplishment - perched on a shabby-chic upholstered chair - there is a moment to consider whether a powdered nose is de rigueur, before said nose gets busy sniffing the wonderfully smoky notes of the rooibos, one of 1931's specialty teas.

Rose Rong, the owner of 1931, has recently decided to enlarge upon her Old Shanghai theme with a new extension, which will be officially opening in less than a month. It has a more uniform, contemporary feel than the flea-market kitsch of the original space. However, its separateness favors those seeking a quiet drink, or an afternoon tea away from the busy restaurant. A good cake selection is still a novelty in Shanghai, and 1931's offerings - including a stone-colored black sesame mousse and a very creamy green tea sandwich - are certainly novel, if not yet perfected (RMB98 with tea or coffee).

All of the restaurant's trusty classics are still on the menu for more substantial meals, including the popular Steamed Delicious Crab and Powder Silk in Casserole (RMB138). The glass noodles deliver their chili punch with admirable force, and the crab is tasty too when coaxed from its shell. The portion of YuYuan Fried Dumplings is generous for RMB35, whilst other highlights include the Spring Greens and Tofu Skin Roll as a lighter option. These RMB30 rolls are faintly fragranced and very pretty on the eye, if a little too elusive in flavor for meat-craving taste buds.

It's hard not to be a little charmed by the assorted bric-a-brac, assembled to reminisce of a past age never to return.

The Bottom Line: Large bottoms watch out; large appetites tuck in to this tiny taste of history.