New Shanghai

New Shanghai in Dubai brings the refined cuisine of eastern China to the emirate's diverse halal dining landscape, offering a menu focused on Shanghainese and Jiangsu specialties adapted to comply fully with Islamic dietary law. The restaurant demonstrates how traditional Chinese cooking, often associated with pork and various non-halal ingredients, can be thoughtfully reimagined for Muslim diners without losing the essential character of the cuisine. The chefs, trained in mainland China before joining the Dubai team, have developed versions of classic dishes where pork is replaced with beef, chicken, or seafood, and where alcohol-based seasonings like Shaoxing wine are substituted with halal alternatives. Signature offerings include xiao long bao, the delicate soup dumplings for which Shanghai is famous, filled here with seasoned beef or chicken instead of pork, each pleat carefully folded by hand and the rich broth suspended inside. Mapo tofu retains its spicy Sichuan character with fermented bean paste, chili oil, and Sichuan peppercorns, garnished with halal minced beef rather than traditional pork. Sweet and sour chicken arrives glazed in a crimson sauce with pineapple and bell peppers, kung pao chicken crackles with dried chilies and roasted peanuts, and dim sum selections include steamed chicken feet, beef siu mai, and shrimp har gow. The Peking-style whole duck, served with thin pancakes, spring onions, cucumber, and hoisin sauce, is prepared with halal-slaughtered birds. Rice and noodle dishes feature dan dan noodles, lo mein, fried rice with shrimp, and Yangzhou-style rice with diced ham replaced by chicken. The dining room mixes Shanghai art deco aesthetics with traditional Chinese motifs, including red lanterns, brush painting reproductions, and jade panels. Tea service offers jasmine, oolong, and pu-erh varieties. Muslim families, Chinese expatriates, and Emirati diners enjoying something outside their usual repertoire all find a place here, and the restaurant hosts numerous corporate gatherings and multicultural celebrations. The restaurant has become particularly popular for celebrating Chinese New Year among Muslim Chinese diaspora families who live and work in the UAE, as well as for Emirati and other Muslim clients who have developed a taste for Chinese cuisine through travel and who now seek authentic flavors closer to home throughout the year.