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Shanghai Village
Ph: (03) 9663 1878; 112-114 Little Bourke St, Melbourne 3000
chinese, $
Open: 7 days 10.30am-10pm; Licensed, BYO, Corkage $2 person; Cards none
Mietta's Review
This decorative Victorian building's latest incarnation has far simpler aims than its former tenant, the seminal Oriental Gourmet. Gilbert Lau worked here before opening the Flower Drum and the bones of this once elaborate dining room can still be seen in the elaborate carved staircase, mezzanine screens and other decorative objects. Onto this faded grandeur has been superimposed brightly painted walls which enclose a space filled with laminex tables and young Chinese students, leavened by nearby office workers. The result borders on bizarre. However, this low cost eatery serves great food for the money, quickly and with no apparent effort. The service is basic (and forgetful) and self-help is required - tea and other essentials come from an urn stationed against the rear wall and you pay at the counter. In all, more fun than most and with better food. Noodle dishes hover around $10.
Other published opinions
The Age Cheap Eats 2008 "Don't be lulled into a false calm by the classical facade and unassuming signage - inside, this Chinatown diner positively screams"
The Age Cheap Eats 2007 "Keep it under your hat, but Shanghai Village's menu hasn't experienced a price hike since Keating was in power. But it's not only the thrifty that return to scoff dumplings in the woodpanelled loft, or slurp thick, al dente noodles with Chinese cabbage and salty pork in the candy-pink, kitsch dining room."
The Age Cheap Eats 2006 Shanghai Village shares one thing with its namesake city: both are economic miracles. Banquets feeding two people for $30 might be normal in China, but not in Li'l Bourke.
Or perhaps ...
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