Another restaurant in Tony Hu's mini-empire, this Chinatown Square Mall restaurant focuses on the specialties of Shanghai. The menu items reflect that city's closeness to the sea, with a varied assortment of exotic seafood dishes available to order. If you can't afford to take a trip to China, then all you need is a bus pass to sample some amazingly savory fish head casserole, stir-fry Shangai-style yellow eel, stewed sea cucumber or shredded fish in an effervescent mix of cucumber and ginger. Shanghai dumplings have some surprising crunch thanks to the braised cabbage, which perfectly complements the lightly seasoned pork filling the dumpling. A mouth-watering steamed chicken dish comes to the table served cold, which seals in the flavors (entrees average about $10).

Like its sister restaurants Lao Sze Chuan and Lao Beijing, the dining room at Lao Shanghai is filled with as many tables as it can hold without crossing the line to uncomfortable. Enormous round banquet tables are surrounded by slightly smaller four-tops, yet there's room to maneuver around the space if one wishes. The menu items and tables are perfect for large groups looking to create their own dim-sum experience.

Centerstage Reviewer: Chuck Sudo