Chinese Takeover Is Away
New Shanghai:
Lower Ground Level, Chatswood Chase, Chatswood NSW
(02) 9412 3358
New Shanghai isn’t exactly new, John Chen’s parents built up the New Shanghai brand in Sydney’s Chinatown before expanding to Ashfield and Lemon Grove shopping centre in Chatswood. Now that their son has taken over, with MBA in hand, it’s been an era of aggressive expansion for New Shanghai. The first of the new batch opened in the Chatswood Chase shopping centre. Realising the need to cater to the upmarket Chatswood crowd, beyond the indulgent Shanghai-style food the original restaurants are famous for, Chen set about crafting a Shanghai dining experience. 
The interior, designed by Giant Design, is like taking a trip down the longtangs of Shanghai, minus the rickshaw, so you’ll have to tread the Phoenician Stone cobblestone paving to take in the red flags, traditional Shanghai artwork Signature Prints wallpaper, bicycles, and wooden front doors lining the ‘streetscape’ (that are more likely to ‘shanghai’ you into a neighbouring Calvin Klein undie store than a traditional Chinese household). But amongst all the Lonely Planet authentico, Chen hasn’t forgotten the true heroes of New Shanghai’s past — the dumplings. A live dumpling ‘theatre’ allows diners a glimpse of what’s going into those steamed and fried packages. And Chen isn’t done with a single offering, already there’s a Bondi Junction restaurant, a Charlestown restaurant and Singapore and Shanghai restaurants due to open early 2011, all under the New Shanghai banner. From there, the world!
