Restauarnt: Shanghai Mama’s

I can’t believe that I haven’t written about Shanghai Mama’s before. It’s been one of my standby restaurants ever since I moved to town.

Shanghai Mama’s is a casual noodle shop downtown, and they’re open late on Fridays and Saturdays. They’ve been a welcome sight more than once for me after a game or a show when I’m looking for some good food after everything else is closed. But it’s not just because they’re open that I like going there. The food is good, and I always have a good time.

They make their own tofu and noodles and have a great selection of vegan options on the menu. They make their own soymilk and you can order it by the glass! This time, I opted for a Kirin Ichiban, but maybe next time I’ll go soymilk.

They have several starters to choose from, including my favorite, a Shanghai ravioli stuffed with spinach, tofu, and ginger; edamame (marked “healthy” on the menu); and glazed tofu. If you’re sharing with a larger group or want a different kind of entrée, the flatbread with roasted eggplant topping is incredible, or you can go for a large salad. This time, we got the fried mushrooms that were listed as a daily special.

I chose the restaurant and I knew what I wanted before we arrived. Shanghai Mama’s is known for big bowl noodle soups, and the staff even wears shirts with sassy sayings about eating noodles. I choose the Buddha bowl, which includes tofu, seitan, vegetables, and thick noodles in miso broth.

Lots of cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, baby corn, and lots and lots of seitan

There are several veg soup options, including one with a variety of mushrooms (yum!), but if you don’t want soup there are still choices. Alex selected the vegetarian cashew chicken, which is made with seitan, or you can get the seitan orange faux ribs. If you’re going for just vegetables, maybe you’d love the wild mushroom lover.

The portions are generous, the prices are low, and this is just a fun place to eat.