Mehood Lestie, Shanghai Jiaotong University Dongchuan Road

The lush green, airy room is home to a farm-to-table dining concept. The passionate chef adds a modern spin to country recipes from all over Italy. Veg grown on Arva’s own farm is paired with Italian produce and seafood from all over China in a culinary lineup packed in familiar flavours. Fresh handmade pasta stands out with silky texture and wheat aromas. Arva is nestled in a remote luxury resort, so driving there is the best option.

The brand started on the banks of West Lake, Hangzhou, hence the name. This outpost near Longhua Temple is especially popular among worshippers. The room is furnished in a modern style, with a show kitchen where diners can see the chefs making dim sum. Try their matsutake soup dumplings, with three mushrooms enrobed in translucent skin. Seared tofu is loaded with smoky peppery flavours. The desserts and drinks are also popular.

Founded in 1878, this two-storey noodle shop is something of a local landmark thanks to its gilded sign and elaborate façade. Chefs start work at 4am, making noodles and dim sum from scratch. The ground floor serves 20 different noodle and rice dishes, including the famous three-treasure soup noodles (fried eel, fried fish and pork hock). The dining room upstairs offers more comfort and a bigger Shanghainese menu, from soups to hot dishes and dim sum.

Never judge a book by its cover: despite an unprepossessing shopfront, this eatery is packed with hungry diners addicted to its goat’s meat noodle soup. The caprine is slow-cooked for hours until tender, either in water with spices or in a soy-based broth, while the goat bone soup boasts rounded sweetness and meaty flavour. Cuts like tail, trotters, tripe and intestines are also available. Sautéed goat offal with garlic provides an opportunity to taste several cuts at the same time.

Restaurant

An outpost of its famed namesake in Chengdu, this place operates in a sleekly furnished space – the oversized starburst sculpture over the circular counter is definitely the focal point. The kitchen is run by a team from the parent restaurant, and their Sichuan menu showcases both classic and creative recipes. Try the torrent catfish, which is endemic to Sichuan, either in a patchouli-scented broth, or with tangy pickles in aromatic chilli oil.

The archway lined in porcelain art is the prelude to a sophisticated dining experience in a swish interior with the bonus of spectacular river views. In addition to Minnan classics, the menu also features some novelty recipes with creative twists. Crispy eel is air-dried before being deep-fried and dressed in honey with three types of lemons, imparting fruity and citrusy aromas. Round off with dimpled sticky rice balls in brown sugar syrup and sesame.