01 / The breakfast quartet
Four classics to start a Shanghai morning.
A little field guide to what is on the table. Compare the textures as much as the names.
大饼
Dabing
Baked sesame flatbread
A warm, lightly chewy flatbread; sweet and savory versions give us different ways to begin.
油条
Youtiao
Crisp fried dough
Two joined sticks, an airy middle and a golden crust. Best enjoyed freshly fried.
粢饭团
Cifantuan
Glutinous-rice roll
Chewy rice around crisp youtiao; fillings may include preserved vegetables or pork floss.
豆浆
Doujiang
Fresh soy milk
Plain, sweet or savory. A bowl that ties the breakfast together.
Order by texture, not only by name
Try a small selection and compare the crisp dough, chewy rice and soft bread. A quartet does not mean you need four full portions. If you're eating with someone else, sharing makes it easier to notice the differences.
For soy milk, check whether you are ordering sweet, plain or savory. Savory versions may include dried shrimp and other additions, so the name alone does not tell you all the ingredients.
Beyond the quartet.
Small wontons and fried rice cakes are other familiar Shanghai morning comforts. They sit outside the four-part breakfast set.
Make the morning part of the experience
Go earlier rather than treating breakfast as a late lunch. Look for food coming freshly from the oven or fryer, and keep your order simple when a shop is busy. These are working breakfasts as well as things for a visitor to discover.
Dietary needs deserve a question before an order. Rice does not make an entire dish gluten-free, and a savory drink may contain seafood. Ask about ingredients and preparation rather than guessing from appearance.