Our neighborhood has a lot of dining options, from alleyway noodle shops to (the only) Applebees. Beyond a really exceptional Euro/American breakfast place, we’ve got at least one of everything. We’re lucky. Our current favorite spot is Yeshari. Yeshari’s walls are covered in pictures of, and murals depicting the Northwestern province of Xinjiang.
We eat here a lot for a few reasons: the yogurt here is fuckng amazing, and made in house. The yogurt here is in half a roasted pumpkin. Hell fucking yes. That noodle dish in the foreground? Noodles Xingjiang with smoky tomatoes, garlic scapes, beef and what might be just one loooooong noodle. Around dinner time they’re making the noodles fresh too. That dish to the upper left? Oven roasted eggplant in a spicy, oily delicious. On the right? Uigher Lamb Wontons and Xinjiang beef and potatoes, both so inundated with cumin and coriander they dance as you chew. Throw in that pot of Milk Tea. Boy are we happy we learned how to ask for the sweet (tián) kind, not the salty (xián). Not pictured, my favorite thing about this place, and Xinjiang in general–Sinkiang Black beer, the best beer made in China I’ve had so far.
I’m partial to other dishes there that aren’t in the photo, such as the mutton puffs; girlie loves the lamb kebabs on rods of red willow. Also awesome: we’ve yet to be punished by the promised belly dancing. I guess we don’t eat at peak hours.
Yum.
Yeshari Xinjiang Restaurant 147 Nandan lu (near Xujiahui station) Xujiahui, Shanghai, PRC.
are they Muslims? what is it with Muslims and making really good food across tons of different cultures? (not to stereotype or anything)
Xinjiang is a predominantly Uighur province, so yes, they’re Muslim. Not too strict though–the beer flows freely (no pork though).
looks tasty, especially the yogurt! have you been to the one on Yi Shan lu, Xinjiang Fengwei Restaurant? if so, how does it compare? in any case, i’ll try this one for sure as i’ve far too often been subjected to the promised belly dancing (as well as dragged on stage) at the other one.
I can report that the food is indeed delicious (and the yogurt especially so), even more so than the Xinjiang Restaurant on Yi Shan Lu. The environment was disappointing though: a sort of Xinjiang Disneyland–Han Chinese in kitschy dress, squished tables, and blaring music. And yes, I was punished (and I do mean punished) by the promised belly dancing. The Yi Shan Lu location is run and staffed by Uighurs (who prefer to speak English over Mandarin) and has a far more welcoming and authentic environment.
[...] waxed poetically before about this exceedingly popular Xinjiang restaurant before, and this time around I was lucky enough [...]