Web Edition

NEWS

FEATURES

ENTERTAINMENT

COLUMNS

CONTACT US

New Shanghai Park Restaurant Offers Authentic Asian Cuisine

I grew up with Shanghai food. I can tell the difference if it's really authentic."

James Qin, owner of the new Shanghai Park restaurant in the Princeton Shopping Center, is very proud of the quality of the cuisine, which specializes in Shanghai dishes and Japanese sushi.

A native of Shanghai, who came to the U.S. 15 years ago, Mr. Qin and his wife own another Chinese restaurant in Highland Park.

"My wife had been in the restaurant business," he says, "and she had a dream to have her own place. We have had the restaurant in Highland Park seven years, and now are very encouraged in Princeton. We're off to a good start."

Many Highland Park customers were from Princeton and the area, he adds, and they had urged him to open a quality Chinese restaurant here.

"80 percent of my customers are Chinese. They know we have very authentic Chinese food. We are the first to offer truly authentic Chinese food, not American-Chinese food. I want to emphasize that we are very, very famous in the Chinese community in all of New Jersey. Our Highland Park restaurant has received a 4-star rating in the Home News and an excellent review in The New York Times."

Top Chefs

There are many types of Chinese cuisine, he points out, including Cantonese, Szechuan, and northern. "Shanghai cuisine is cooked in a brown sauce, which can have a lot of different flavors. It is not basically spicy, although we can make it spicy, if the customer wishes.

"Our food is set apart by its quality, freshness, sauces, and special recipes. We totally emphasize freshness. We have top Chinese chefs. The least experienced chef here has 20 years experience, and they have all gone to cooking school.

"Americans tell us they never see fat Chinese people," adds Mr. Qin. "I think it's because Chinese food is really healthy, and we use lower fat ingredients. We also have special weight-watcher diets for customers."

Chicken, beef, pork, seafood, and vegetable dishes are all very popular, he reports, and favorite appetizers include vegetarian dumplings and scallion pancakes.

"Also, crabmeat with pork steamed buns – Americans know it as 'Juicy' buns – is very popular for dim sum. In addition, our Peking duck is very authentic. We roast the duck and slice it right at the customer's table."

Favorite house specials include Sarong Ba Rong (formed fried taro-filled shrimp, chicken, baby corn, snow peas, and black mushrooms, topped with cashew nuts); Two-flavor Chicken (General Tso's chicken paired with chicken and snow peas); Love Boat (a mixture of scallops, prawns, and chicken combined with fresh vegetables sauteed in a brown sauce, surrounded by crispy pan-fried scallion pancakes); and Lion's Head with Vegetables (a special family-style dish, including a lean pork chop shaped like a lion's head, served with Chinese cabbage).

Sushi Bar

Shanghai Park also has an expanded sushi bar. "We have a very good sushi chef, with 20 years's experience," notes Mr. Qin. "We are in the location formerly occupied by King's Castle, and they also had a sushi bar. But we have expanded it considerably."

Desserts at the restaurant include Chinese red bean paste pancakes, Eight Treasure taro cake, Eight Treasure sweet rice cakes, and of course, traditional fortune cookies.

In addition, American ice cream and milkshakes are a popular feature of the soft drink and ice cream bar, the restaurant's nod to the American sweet tooth.

The new owners have also provided a brand new look. "We renovated the whole place, emphasizing green decor. Green in Chinese means money," explains Mr. Qin, with a smile.

"We also have a relaxing water fountain, and we thought very carefully about all our decor, because when Chinese people do business, they emphasize feng shui – the harmonious arrangement of decor. We wanted to do this and offer a welcoming atmosphere for our customers."

Indeed, the spacious restaurant is nicely configured, and appealing with white linen tablecloths and burgundy linen napkins. It can seat 140 people, including a special 60-person section for private parties.

Special Events

"We do a lot of private parties and business parties," says Mr. Qin. "Next weekend, we have a party for 35, then another for 30, and another scheduled for 25."

The restaurant is planning a variety of special events as well, he adds. "We expect to have some famous Chinese actresses and singers here in July and August, and also, Yao Ming, the most famous Chinese basketball player, now with the Houston Rockets, will be here."

Mr. Qin is very pleased with the shopping center location, which he believes not only offers easy parking, but an attractive setting for his restaurant. He also looks forward to becoming a part of the community.

"We were the first restaurant in Highland Park to do things for children and seniors, such as donating our food to special events for their benefit. We will try to do the same thing in Princeton. We want to give back to the community."

Shanghai Park offers lunch, dinner, take-out, and delivery. Prices start at $6.50 for lunch and $9.50 for dinner. Reservations are recommended.

Lunch specials are Monday through Friday 11 to 3. Overall hours are Monday through Friday 11 to 9:30; Saturday and Sunday 11 to 10:30. (609) 924-8001.