- SaKaBaNa Cafe
At another corner of our compound in Changning is a Japanese dining café and bar, SaKaBaNa, which sells bar food, and it is where Richard and I went on Friday night for our meal.
We had been recommended the place for its fried chicken and potato salad, so that is what we ordered. This turned out to be Japan’s version of Kentucky Fried Chicken. First two portions of cold lumpy mashed potato arrived – one natural coloured, the other pink. The pink one had been flavoured with what tasted like a Marie Rose sauce, you know the one that goes over a prawn cocktail. Neither were as bad as they sound.
- The Sliding Door Entrance to SaKaBaNa
The deep fried chicken was ok and certainly better than KFC. We also ordered some minced pork balls a bit like burger meat and a Japanese omelette, which arrived much later. The large omelette had been rolled up and then cut into 5 slices. These slices were eaten by dipping them in soy sauce. It was surprisingly pleasant.
The western man who came in and sat down at the table next to us ordered the mashed potato dish, a plate of cheese and some beer. I wondered if he happened to be a vegetarian, and thought it must be really difficult living around here and not eating meat. Anything that we eat when we eat out is so hit and miss – a culinary magical mystery tour every time – that to have to add the added restriction of vegetarianism must make things so very difficult unless you have already mastered Mandarin.
- Interior SaKaBaNa
The café was mainly filled with men. I could see one other woman, besides myself. She was in a group of men that were downing large quantities of red wine and getting more and more raucous as time went on. She reminded me a bit of my life at BP, when I was often the only woman in meetings, or whilst out for a business meal or dealing with a night-long drinking session where I would definitely have to pace myself against the men (halves instead of wholes, and every other one seemed to get me through the night only moderately worse for wear). I’m glad we left when we did. I must be getting old.
- The Old China Hand Reading Room
By way of contrast, during the week I had afternoon tea at the Old China Hand Reading Room. This is a bookshop, library and tea shop all rolled into one on the Shaoxing Road in the Old French Concession. Originally China Hands were merchants in 19th century Chinese treaty ports, the term then went on to be used to describe any expert on China, the Chinese language or its people and then the term was adopted by the Americans to refer to their experts and diplomats in this arena. It is a term oft used in Hong Kong. Here in Shanghai it is used to good effect to name this café. There are books in English and Chinese to browse and or to buy and a place for bibliophiles, with a special collection on English books on Shanghai. You can sit on comfortable sofas or at tables. Most of the clientele had open books in their hands as they drank their beverages
- Book-lined walls
or took afternoon tea. The ambience is one of a library and words are spoken in hushed tones. Bookcases line the walls.
I could have ordered gonfu tea, but what I ordered was the full works, as I was going to be home alone in the evening – Richard was off to the famous Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria with a customer and I thought that a full high tea would see me through the evening. What came with my black tea was a quarter of a toasted egg
- Afternoon tea Old China Hand Style
and lettuce sandwich, an egg pudding in a mini-ramekin, a scoop of vanilla ice cream with some chocolate sauce and a brownie. Its not quite how I remember afternoon tea. Richard has been asked by his Chinese work colleagues to explain the difference between afternoon tea and High Tea. I wonder how much debate that would cause if you asked people that question in the UK? What do you think is the difference? Like all western food here in Shanghai it was expensive compared with Chinese food, but it did the trick and I didn’t need anything more once I got home that evening.
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