Exploring Hongbinlou in Shanghai: A Century-Old Halal Legend Meets Haipai Seafood
[Internet Repost]
Exploring Hongbinlou in Shanghai: A Century-Old Halal Legend Meets Haipai Seafood
Abstract:
Step into Hongbinlou, a century-old halal institution right next to Jing'an Temple, to check out its famous halal seafood and traditional stir-fries. We're putting their signature seafood dishes to the test—where strict halal principles seamlessly blend with the fresh, delicate flavors of Jiangnan aquatic delicacies, showing off this veteran spot's timeless culinary chops.
Curiosity Meets Everything
Discovering unique spots across the city
Anyone who knows me well knows I run a special column called "Stories of Hot Summer Fun" (Huoxiale), and as an out-of-town editor, I've popped by quite a few times.
The first time was when a friend invited me over for dinner. Afterward, I felt both the food and the vibe were totally *lingguang* (awesome), so I wrote a story about the place—Jing'an District's ultimate halal food market, "Huoxiale". "Shop Stories" is another column of mine where I’ve featured several spots I love, and writing one for Huoxiale just happened by chance.
Every time I go to Huoxiale, I'm always curious because foreign friends keep trickling in to dine. The frequency of bumping into expats actually feels pretty high—there are usually 2 to 3 tables of international guests every time.
▲ Two international friends walking in right as dinner rush hits
I remember Tiger (the boss) telling me that Xinjiang cuisine is actually a fusion of French and Turkish culinary styles. I guess foreigners just love meat; Xinjiang food is mostly about mutton, beef, and chicken—all delicious cuts of meat.
Later on, I noticed it’s not just friends from the Middle East and Europe who love it; folks from Japan and South Korea are big fans too. Now that's pretty interesting.
▲ Two Japanese guests listening to Fourth Uncle sing
I've already written about the restaurant's master chef, Fourth Uncle. Hailing all the way from Yining to Shanghai, Fourth Uncle brought along his original creation: "Xinjiang Bread-Baked Lamb Leg" (Xinjiang mianbao kaoyangtui). That bread-baked lamb leg is truly a secret specialty crafted by Fourth Uncle.
▲ A Japanese guest starts snapping photos the second they walk in
Japan is surrounded by the sea, so logically they'd be way more into seafood, right? How come they're so crazy about meat too? Later on, I found out this building has a lot of history and is super famous—it's called "Hongbinlou".
Hongbinlou's flagship location is in Beijing, and it's a time-honored century-old Chinese brand. The original old Hongbinlou was founded in 1853 in Tianjin, making it a renowned halal restaurant. In 1955, at the invitation of Premier Zhou Enlai, it moved to Beijing, where it won fame across the capital for its unique dishes and was hailed by food critics, Muslims, and all walks of life as "Beijing's No. 1 Halal Restaurant."
The history of the Jing'an Temple Hongbinlou in Shanghai dates all the way back to the 1990s, making it over 30 years old now. Originally launched as a halal eatery in the northern part of the Jing'an Temple commercial district, Hongbinlou wasn't just known for its unique halal eats—it gradually became a major commercial and cultural landmark in the Jing'an Temple area.
Hongbinlou exclusively serves halal cuisine, and Huoxiale specializes in Silk Road halal eats. Every time I hit up the shop, Fourth Uncle greets me: "You want a bowl of banmian (hand-pulled noodles with sauce), or a bowl of shouzhua fan (Xinjiang hand-grabbed rice)?"
Every time, I eat to my heart's content. The pilaf is genuinely delicious, and the banmian has great chew. But my meat-eating capacity is pretty limited; I have a small appetite and get stuffed after just a bit of meat. A meal like that means I can totally skip dinner. Ever since I was a kid, I've always had a soft spot for fish.
Lately though, I haven't been visiting the shop much, but Peach—one of the team members—sent me a bunch of food pics. Oh *wow*, my jaw completely dropped! Fish, shrimp, and even beef short ribs—is the halal food scene expanding this much?
Just looking at these beef short ribs, the presentation is totally on point, and the bite should be amazing too.
Even though I haven't tasted it yet, the boss's attitude is definitely legit. Doing business in Shanghai, having the political awareness to blend local flavors and whip up "Haipai Halal" (Shanghai-style halal cuisine)—the people of Shanghai are totally gonna show some love and support, right? Gotta try it out and see how it differs from traditional Shanghai benbang-style beef short ribs.
This octopus is huge! When I was a kid, I used to eat those red-colored braised big octopus snacks, but I've never tried a steamed version like this.
I am totally sold on this steamed sea bass. This dish is a massive bestseller back home at local restaurants in Chuansha, and I'm super curious to see how a halal master chef puts their spin on it.
They even have abalone—that instantly bumps up the status of any dinner party. Wonder how many ways they can prep it, and if I can ask for it mild (non-spicy)?
This veggie looks pretty *lingguang* (neat), but what on earth is it? I couldn't figure it out. Did any of my sharp-eyed friends spot it? Drop a comment below!
My little kiddo and grandma have asked me multiple times to take them there for a bite. You can't rush food, right? Look at how much the menu has expanded now. If you want Xinjiang food, you get Xinjiang food; if you want Haipai halal fish and shrimp, you've got those too. Lots of choices mean a much happier meal, right?
We Shanghainese have a saying: "A person gotta be *lingting* (sharp and clear-headed), and doing things takes even more clarity." Huoxiale’s boss is pretty *lingting*—he jumped right on blending local flavors to launch Haipai halal cuisine. So, time for us to go taste the *midao* (flavor)—let's roll!
Exploring Hongbinlou in Shanghai: A Century-Old Halal Legend Meets Haipai Seafood
Abstract:
Step into Hongbinlou, a century-old halal institution right next to Jing'an Temple, to check out its famous halal seafood and traditional stir-fries. We're putting their signature seafood dishes to the test—where strict halal principles seamlessly blend with the fresh, delicate flavors of Jiangnan aquatic delicacies, showing off this veteran spot's timeless culinary chops.
Curiosity Meets Everything
Discovering unique spots across the city
Anyone who knows me well knows I run a special column called "Stories of Hot Summer Fun" (Huoxiale), and as an out-of-town editor, I've popped by quite a few times.
The first time was when a friend invited me over for dinner. Afterward, I felt both the food and the vibe were totally *lingguang* (awesome), so I wrote a story about the place—Jing'an District's ultimate halal food market, "Huoxiale". "Shop Stories" is another column of mine where I’ve featured several spots I love, and writing one for Huoxiale just happened by chance.
Every time I go to Huoxiale, I'm always curious because foreign friends keep trickling in to dine. The frequency of bumping into expats actually feels pretty high—there are usually 2 to 3 tables of international guests every time.
▲ Two international friends walking in right as dinner rush hits
I remember Tiger (the boss) telling me that Xinjiang cuisine is actually a fusion of French and Turkish culinary styles. I guess foreigners just love meat; Xinjiang food is mostly about mutton, beef, and chicken—all delicious cuts of meat.
Later on, I noticed it’s not just friends from the Middle East and Europe who love it; folks from Japan and South Korea are big fans too. Now that's pretty interesting.
▲ Two Japanese guests listening to Fourth Uncle sing
I've already written about the restaurant's master chef, Fourth Uncle. Hailing all the way from Yining to Shanghai, Fourth Uncle brought along his original creation: "Xinjiang Bread-Baked Lamb Leg" (Xinjiang mianbao kaoyangtui). That bread-baked lamb leg is truly a secret specialty crafted by Fourth Uncle.
▲ A Japanese guest starts snapping photos the second they walk in
Japan is surrounded by the sea, so logically they'd be way more into seafood, right? How come they're so crazy about meat too? Later on, I found out this building has a lot of history and is super famous—it's called "Hongbinlou".
Hongbinlou's flagship location is in Beijing, and it's a time-honored century-old Chinese brand. The original old Hongbinlou was founded in 1853 in Tianjin, making it a renowned halal restaurant. In 1955, at the invitation of Premier Zhou Enlai, it moved to Beijing, where it won fame across the capital for its unique dishes and was hailed by food critics, Muslims, and all walks of life as "Beijing's No. 1 Halal Restaurant."
The history of the Jing'an Temple Hongbinlou in Shanghai dates all the way back to the 1990s, making it over 30 years old now. Originally launched as a halal eatery in the northern part of the Jing'an Temple commercial district, Hongbinlou wasn't just known for its unique halal eats—it gradually became a major commercial and cultural landmark in the Jing'an Temple area.
Hongbinlou exclusively serves halal cuisine, and Huoxiale specializes in Silk Road halal eats. Every time I hit up the shop, Fourth Uncle greets me: "You want a bowl of banmian (hand-pulled noodles with sauce), or a bowl of shouzhua fan (Xinjiang hand-grabbed rice)?"
Every time, I eat to my heart's content. The pilaf is genuinely delicious, and the banmian has great chew. But my meat-eating capacity is pretty limited; I have a small appetite and get stuffed after just a bit of meat. A meal like that means I can totally skip dinner. Ever since I was a kid, I've always had a soft spot for fish.
Lately though, I haven't been visiting the shop much, but Peach—one of the team members—sent me a bunch of food pics. Oh *wow*, my jaw completely dropped! Fish, shrimp, and even beef short ribs—is the halal food scene expanding this much?
Just looking at these beef short ribs, the presentation is totally on point, and the bite should be amazing too.
Even though I haven't tasted it yet, the boss's attitude is definitely legit. Doing business in Shanghai, having the political awareness to blend local flavors and whip up "Haipai Halal" (Shanghai-style halal cuisine)—the people of Shanghai are totally gonna show some love and support, right? Gotta try it out and see how it differs from traditional Shanghai benbang-style beef short ribs.
This octopus is huge! When I was a kid, I used to eat those red-colored braised big octopus snacks, but I've never tried a steamed version like this.
I am totally sold on this steamed sea bass. This dish is a massive bestseller back home at local restaurants in Chuansha, and I'm super curious to see how a halal master chef puts their spin on it.
They even have abalone—that instantly bumps up the status of any dinner party. Wonder how many ways they can prep it, and if I can ask for it mild (non-spicy)?
This veggie looks pretty *lingguang* (neat), but what on earth is it? I couldn't figure it out. Did any of my sharp-eyed friends spot it? Drop a comment below!
My little kiddo and grandma have asked me multiple times to take them there for a bite. You can't rush food, right? Look at how much the menu has expanded now. If you want Xinjiang food, you get Xinjiang food; if you want Haipai halal fish and shrimp, you've got those too. Lots of choices mean a much happier meal, right?
We Shanghainese have a saying: "A person gotta be *lingting* (sharp and clear-headed), and doing things takes even more clarity." Huoxiale’s boss is pretty *lingting*—he jumped right on blending local flavors to launch Haipai halal cuisine. So, time for us to go taste the *midao* (flavor)—let's roll!
