Something tells me this place is here to stay however. And the best part of it? This establishment is right down on NW 4th where so many other Chinese restaurants have come and gone. Fortunately, you’re in for a real treat if you choose this new spot for lunch or dinner.

However, a new kind of Shanghai is gracing Portland these days… Shanghai Chinese Restaurant. When I hear the word Shanghai, well, being a native Portlander it makes me think of our infamous Shanghai Tunnels where hapless folks were spirited away at the turn of the century. Well I needed to hear no more to explore! Off to lunch I went and am happy to report back that not only is the chicken quality good, there are also a number of other, interesting items that up the authenticity and will surely drive demand. And the most recent addition to this list? An authentic, Shanghai-inspired restaurant that has opened up right smack in the heart of old Chinatown. Now there are several good-to-great establishments where one can find not only the basics, but many hard-to-find dishes that would otherwise require expensive airfare and 20+ hours of flight. Skip to the future and Portland’s Chinese food scene has blossomed considerably. I know we stopped going down there as a family in search of our favorite Kung Pao. Then, in the late 80s, many or most of these establishments went down in quality or closed for good. Granted, most of these restaurants were of the Chinese-American variety, “but the chicken quality was good” (as my mom still says as a gauge).

Back in the day, as in the 1970s and 80s, Portland’s Chinatown district was home to many, tasty, Chinese restaurants. A lifetime fan of good Chinese food, I saw the rise, fall, and rise again of quality Chinese food in Portland.

Pearl dim sum portland