- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine
- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 10 pm
Sun 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
58 reviews for Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine
Review Highlights
-
"So glad I found a place in upstate for soup dumplings." In 25 reviews -
"...that are unique, fantastic dim sum, and entrees that fill a..." In 10 reviews -
"To start we had the crab and pork stuffed dumpling soup and..." In 6 reviews
Loading...
58 reviews in English
-
Review from Sparky T.
Latham, NY
3/24/2012
I am really torn between 4 and 5 stars for Ala Shanghai. (I'd give 4.5 if Yelp allowed it). I am going with 5 stars primarily due to the unique offering found here and not available at other places in Albany.
We have eaten here twice since it opened, most recently tonight.
Went with the soup dumplings - as I now know how to eat them safely. They are very good and a unique offering in the Albany area. Tried the salted duck - a cold apetizer that tasted a lot like cold turkey dark meat with salt. Tasty and a good amount of duck is included for a very reasonable $7.
Also went with prawns with honey walnut whic h included 7 very large, lightly fried shimp in a honey walnut and mayo sauce. The shimp were large but at $14 it was a bit pricey per volume.
The best thing about Ala Shanghai is that they offer many menu options that are not available at other Chinese restaurants in this area. I have to assume they are authentic to Shanghai as I have never been there my self. While there are some of the 'old standard' americanized chinese dishes on the menu there are many unique options to select - almost too many. A good problem to have. -
Review from christopher n.
Schenectady, NY
2/3/2012
Recently I noted a few of my Yelp peoples have been reviewing this place like crazy and I had never been. This week I had my "staycation" and the wife and I decided to check it out.
First thing I noticed is that (on a Thursday) this place was packed. Next thing I noticed is that there were a good deal of Asian-Americans eating here. Both good signs.
The inside is simple enough with typical Chinese decorations, lanterns etc. The larger round tables have lazy susan's which I have come to know is traditional Chinese style from watching that Andrew Zimmern guy who eats anything and also sometimes travels to China.
Most of the reviews I've read stated that this is one of the only places in the area that offer real Dim Sum and I was excited and then slightly irritated that it was only my wife and I as I really wanted to try just about everything on this section of the menu. In the end we ordered pork fried dumplings and scallion pancakes. The dumplings were pretty good, but after watching some other orders come out I wish we had gotten some of the steamed ones instead. The pancakes were tremendous for $3 - nice and crispy outside and warm gooey center.
The entree menu is equally as daunting. There were so many dishes on here I either hadn't heard of and wanted to try, or were classic "take-out" sounding dishes done correctly.
For entrees we got the General Tso's prawns and Wuzi-style spare-ribs. Both of these came with our choice of brown or white rice. The spare-ribs while tender were not super-flavorful. I think the issue here was they stacked them "lincoln log" style on the plate, which while having aesthetic appeal, caused all of the great sauce to fall to the plate. The prawns were amazing. Crispy outside with a wonderful sauce.
The wait staff here is not what I'd call "attentive" and throughout our meal I saw several tables motioning to the waiters to come over - though it seemed like that's just how it works here. Again - this may be some kind of Chinese custom? I'm just a stupid American so I don't know. Though I have no huge complaints about the service - our food came out relatively promptly and we received the check fast also.
All-in-all I really enjoyed our meal here and will definitely be going back soon to try out some new things.
A few of the reviews on here mention that when you're trying to find this place it sneaks up on you - this is very, very true. Once you cross the traffic light heading east, it's the very very first parking lot on the right. -
Review from John N.
Rensselaer, NY
Updated - 1/30/2012
We went Sunday after church and were just disappointed by the experience - just two of us.
We were quickly seated and our server answered our questions. We ordered and then began the wait.
And wait.
We got the first part of our order, spring rolls - they were fantastic. So hot that we couldn't eat them right away.
Then we continued to wait.
And wait.
The table next to us came and went in the time we ordered and before we received our entrees.
The table across from us ordered a multitude of dishes in the time we ordered and left just as we were receiving our entrees.
There were a couple of large groups but I don't understand why our food took longer than others. We certainly did not order anything complicated - a soup and a rainbow chicken.
The soup was good - had the smallest shrimp in it that I have ever seen.
The rainbow chicken was a pretty dish, but had no taste at all.
I am confused - on the one hand the food gets rave reviews, service is good, but why didn't we receive the same prompt service as other diners?
Not sure if we will return - I guess that sums it up.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
12/5/2010
I've been wanting to come here since reading about the soup dumplings in the Times Union - why did… Read more »
Comment from Lanny L. of Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine 1/31/2012
Sorry for the long waiting at that day! It was because there… More » -
-
Review from Peter W.
Englewood, NJ
5/16/2012
Just about the best authentic Chinese food I've had outside Asia. My first visit here was at the behest of some native Chinese friends who had been and raved about it. Both my Chinese friends live in New York City, and both assured me that it was hard to find a restaurant as good as Ala Shanghai in NYC's Chinatown.
We let the Chinese in our party do the ordering. Jellyfish appetizer was nice, though not especially memorable. But then the meatballs and whole steamed fish and Chinese broccoli came out. It was all fantastic. Excellent quality produce and fish, wonderfully prepared and all in some delicious, fantastic sauce.
For me there's a level of deliciousness that is rarely achieved, where no matter how many bites you have of a dish, you can't help remarking every bite how delicious it is. That was this place for me. Even the simplest vegetable dish had me raving. Loved it. We had good service when we were there, and the bill was very reasonable. I am about to go there again, and will probably be there again Friday. The best meal I have had in the Albany area, period. -
Review from Angel E.
Latham, NY
5/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
Don't judge a book by its cover! The outside was a bit sketchy but we were pleasantly surprised when we walked in. Everything we ordered was tasty. Good food. Great prices.
-
Review from Miércoles F.
Albany, NY
5/9/2012
Best Chinese food in the capital region by a good margin. I've been to Plum Blossom, Emperor's--all of them, and this is leaps and bounds better. The spicy jumbo shrimp dish is one of the best dishes I've had around here, and the fried pork dumplings are awesome. Definitely worth a look, but don't go on a Friday night, it'll be a fucking service disaster.
-
Review from Gavin L.
Troy, NY
5/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best in capital district! I love it so much that I come here once a week.
-
Review from lisa c.
Mt Vernon, NY
5/10/2012
This place is always great! Authentic Chinese food, friendly hosts, quick service and huge portions. You can't go wrong here.
-
Review from Saikat R.
Schenectady, NY
3/25/2012
Ala Sanghai finally led me to my first yelp review. We recently moved from the Chicago area to the NY capital region and was frankly a little "worried" with the range of restaurant choices. However turned to Yelp for rescue and following the suggestions ended up at Ala Sanghai one day. Boy were we pleasantly surprised!! The food, service and price are all great. We liked the food so much - we told them that they will likely see us pretty often and by now ( we moved here in Nov 2011) they know us quite well. I sincerely hope they do well and be here foe a looong time. One quick note - if you like shrimp, try c9 - that will be one good use of your $20.
-
Review from Roger K.
Clifton Park, NY
Updated - 12/8/2011
How you going to keep them down on the farm after they've seen Paris?
Now that I've experienced soup dumplings at Joe's Shanghai in NYC, I have something to compare Ala Shanghai's with. I still enjoy them here, (Crab & Pork $7) but I'm not about to travel 160 miles just to have a larger and slightly more flavorful dumpling. But I feel obligated to remove a half star now.
Tonight we also ordered Sea Scallops w/ Baby Bok-choy ($20) - sautéed in ginger sauce; and Crispy Fish Filet ($14) - fried flounder filet with spicy & sweet sauce.
The coating on the scallops was a little salty and the several that I had still had a grain of sand/grit. The Baby Bok-choy was delicious if not difficult to pick up with chopsticks.
The flounder was plentiful but mostly coating. There was no opportunity to actually taste fish. The sauce was not overly sweet and only the mildest amount of spice could be detected.
Based upon the two entrees I think I'll remove another half star.
Service was polite as usual and efficient, except for the delay in bringing out the flounder. However, the delay was recognized by management and an apology and explanation was offered without our having to comment.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
2/22/2011
I've been here several times since they opened, including for a Chinese New Year celebration. Every… Read more »
-
-
Review from Daniel B.
Albany, NY
10/18/2011 7 Check-ins Here
How can it be I haven't written a review of Ala Shanghai? Man, I've been delinquent in my Yelping.
China is a big freaking place. And much like America, the different regions of China all have specialized cuisines. If I think of the wide range of food styles domestically, it would be madness to get New Mexican blue-corn green-chili chicken enchiladas at the same place as a New England lobster roll.
But this is the state of affairs of most Chinese restaurants in America. Forget about the dumbing down of the food for U.S. tastes. In general there is a lack of focus on the regional cuisines of China.
Never would I have expected to have a regional Chinese restaurant in the Albany area. Most of our Chinese restaurants offer either sushi or chicken teriyaki. And Ala Shanghai goes one step further, they change their menu seasonally.
In the spring and summer, they had luffa (the plant that makes the sponge is actually not only edible, but delicious). Their fall and winter menu has just been published, and I'm looking forward to getting in there to try it.
Yes, they have other things on the menu. And perhaps not every single thing is a winner. Sure, the skins on the soup dumplings could be thinner. But hands down, this is my favorite Chinese restaurant in Albany. It's a place where I'll take people who come in from out of town, to show them we actually have decent food out here.
Oh, and did I mention it's incredibly reasonable, especially if you go with a group. Don't forget to take a look at their menu online before you go, because there are a few special items that need to be ordered in advance.
Service has always been impeccable, and if you have any questions about how to assemble an authentic Shanghaiese meal, don't be afraid to ask. Lanny, who runs the place, has always been eager to share insights into the regional cooking style - but at the same time he's very respectful and will let you do your own thing, if you like.
This place is a gem in the Albany culinary landscape, and we're very lucky to have it. -
Review from Christine W.
Albany, NY
3/24/2012
This place is a treasure. The food is fresh and very good. Service is efficient. Linen tablecloths and napkins give a classy touch and are sort of cool with the Chinese decor. The place is great value. Tip: portions are big for me so consider sharing entrees.
-
Review from Josh K.
Albany, NY
10/14/2011
Ala Shanghai's online menu with its accompanying pictures had me salivating for some of the typical staples: greasy noodles, fried rice, and some sort of Chinese casserole.
But then there's the real deal:
Spicy Fish Head soup with bamboo shoots and bean noodles - most definitely!
Lions head: Chinese Pork Meatballs - yup!
Eight Jewel Noodle Soup: Give me some!
Whole Flounder dressed with ginger and scallions and wrapped with seaweed- no doubt!
Crispy Peking Duck- But of course!
Spicy Szechuan Beef and broccoli- don't have to ask me twice!
Lots of justified hype has been given to Ala Shanghai, an authentic Chinese restaurant in Latham. It's reputation being the best Chinese food you can find outside of the gastronomical delights of the Chinatowns in San Francisco and New York. Frankly, I am embarrassed actually that I haven't made the trip up Rt. 9 from Albany until tonight.
I have been missing out.
I can't think of a better two word combination in the English language than "Soup Dumplings"; perhaps "Fried Chicken"...but you get my point.
I kept hearing that Ala Shanghai is the only restaurant in the area that does this Shanghai Dim Sum specialty (Xiao Long Bao) properly.
The restaurant is somewhat hidden on Rte. 2E with only a nondescript bright red sign announcing your arrival. Drive past the awesome Korean market, than you have gone a few feet too far.
Walking in, the tables were set up Chinese family style. That is big, round tables with a rotating center for each item to be passed around and shared. We haven't eaten the food yet but the atmosphere was definitely authentic. We got our menu, and now the difficult part began.
Decisions, decisions, decisions. . . We knew we wanted the Pork Soup Dumplings but we also wanted everything else.
For Dim Sum (starters) we of course got an order of the Pork Soup Dumplings and opted for the Scallion Pancakes. A patron and then our waiter recommended the "Home style Casserole" so after we heard the terrible news that they did not have Fish head soup tonight, we ultimately went with that suggestion and also an order of "Shanghai Lo Mein" as our entrees.
Our expectations were now very high, and diving into our Dim Sum, we were unfortunately disappointed.
No scallion in the scallion pancakes!
Little to no soup in the Soup Dumplings!
It was a busy Friday night, and the food came out very fast. So I am sure that under less hectic circumstances, these items would be fantastic. Tonight the pancakes were lackluster. I found myself eating them all up just to taste the awesome soy dipping sauce.
The soup dumplings were delicious as dumplings but they would have been so much better with SOUP inside!
Our moment of disappointment was short lived because as soon as we were finished with the Dim Sum, our main entrees were set before us. First a gigantic, steaming bowl of soup loaded with shrimp, pork belly, ham, and cabbage with vermicelli noodles. Our server delicately filled our individual soup bowls with the perfect amount of broth and ingredients, balancing everything out equally.
Then, a long ovular plate of thick, greasy noodles loaded with shrimp, ground meat, scallions, ginger, and mushrooms was placed before us.
We heard it was BYOB, so we brought along a bottle of a delicious and sweet White wine from Sakonnett Vineyard from our Rhode Island trip. The staff uncorked it, placed it in a ice bucket, and served us- sans corking fee. Now that is service!
Yeah, life is good.
We will be back soon and I really hope to bump this one up to 5 stars.Listed in: Good "Ethnic" eats in the…
-
Review from Otis M.
Saratoga Springs, NY
Updated - 10/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm kind of sorry I rated five stars last time, because it's even better now! We are lucky to have and undeserving of this glorious restaurant in our midst.
Stopped in today for a light lunch of Eight Jewels Noodle Soup, crab and pork soup dumplings and a couple of vegetarian steamed dumplings requested by my 9 year old. Everything was delicious and service was fabulous with multiple changes of plates and utensils during our modest meal.
Ala Shanghai has really caught on with the local Chinese community... the place was packed at 1 pm on a Saturday with mostly families or groups of friends sharing large tables. This is a very good thing because it supports a large kitchen of skilled chefs and assistants. I feel good knowing they're going to be around for awhile.
One thing i enjoy, others may not, is the somewhat schoolmarmish attitude of some of the waiters who think non-Asians may not understand the food. I was advised to keep my soup spoon because I would need it for the dumpling. And I was politely but emphatically corrected for thinking the next table had Char Siao Bao; not possible because "this is not a Cantonese restaurant, this is a Shanghainese restaurant." I'm happy to be bitch-slapped if it leads to a better eating experience, as it did in this case when we established that the thing that looked like a bao was a delicious steamed dumpling with chopped greens and mushroom inside.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
-
2/10/2011
I fared a lot better on my return visit to Ala Shanghai. Here's how a family of four can enjoy an… Read more »
Comment from Lanny L. of Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine 10/25/2010
I think you may order the Shanghai Pan Fried Noodle not the… More » -
-
Review from Ian P.
Troy, NY
11/22/2011
Went to this place with a couple for friends to satisfy our dim sum craving. We ordered a couple of different things to share.
- Steamed Pork Soup Dumplings
- Pan Fried Pork Dumplings
- Steamed Sticky Rice Shu Mai
- Crispy Fried Wontons
After we had finished our small dishes we were still hungry, so we ordered the peking duck. Everything was prepared for us on sweet steamed bread. Our waiter cut the duck for us and created a platter of duck sandwiches with hoisin sauce.
Everything was great, but a few comments. The skin on the fried pork dumplings was a bit thick, and it seemed like there was soup in them.
Even though we only ordered half a duck, I would have liked it if they left the rest of the duck with us after making our sandwiches for any meat our waiter might have missed.
Overall great food, definitely want to go again when I'm craving some XLB. -
Review from Ken W.
Clifton Park, NY
9/1/2011 7 Check-ins Here
Went to Ala Shanghai for an early dinner during the summer. The food was pretty good overall (arrived in a timely manner, yummy for the most part, and reasonably priced).
This brief section is dedicated to XLB (aka soup dumplings) since they have a cult-like following. They're decent, not great but certainly good enough for a fix. They XLBs are a bit smaller with less soup than "the best place for soup dumplings in _____" but they're one of the better (if not few) places in the area serving authentic Chinese food.
On a personal note- the pork belly was delicious, flavorful and tender as you'd expect.
Between the 4 of us we sampled almost the entire dessert menu and enjoyed it all. The red bean curd is pretty good (admittedly it takes some work to mess it up.. that said, I've done it).
Service was pretty good and attentive, prices are very reasonable for what you get. Definitely recommend Ala Shanghai if you're looking for more authentic Chinese food in the Albany area. For those less adventurous, there's always the standard beef and broccoli on the menu and I'm sure that's tasty as well! -
Review from Matt K.
7/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is not your average Chinese restaurant. I am visiting town on business and found this through the wonderful Yelp reviews. I had the beef szechuan style, which was made with a tender beef shank. The sauce was plenty spicy and the baby bok choy were beautifully green with a nice sweetness.
Tea was complimentary and service was just as good as others have said. I hope some day I have an opportunity to try some of the featured items that require advance notice for preparation. They really look special. -
Review from r c.
Troy, NY
1/6/2012
This place is THE BEST CHINESE I have ever had!
I have always told myself, "man I wish i could try what real Chinese food is, and not this sesame chicken crap..", well this MUST to be it.
I was just there with 6 people and every. single. thing. was amazing!!!
The crab and pork soup dumplings were incredible, the fish hot and sour soup..mmm, spicy wontons WOW, spicy prawns, crispy fish, pork belly, orange beef, scallops and baby bok choy.. OMG and that wasn't even everything...
And the bill came I swear they must have left something off, I am so sick of paying 90 dollars for 2 plates of food I could make at home myself and a glass of 9 dollar wine. When you leave this place, if you didn't get your money's worth then I really don't know what you else you could possibly need. -
Review from Matt G.
8/9/2011
Wow, what a great out of town find. This place is kind of stuck back away from everything and is not a very large restaurant, but for what they lack in flash, they make up for in food and selection. Had the fried pork buns appetizer and the spicy beef entree. Wow, 6 HUGE pork buns and then a GINORMOUS bowl of beef and plenty of brown rice. More than I could eat and the price was very reasonable. Only downside was that the spicy was maybe a little more than I needed.
There's a big enough menu so that there's something for every palate and interest from the normal fried rice fan to the fried pork belly fan. -
Review from Joseph C.
Staten Island, NY
10/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
A lot's been said about this place, so I'll keep this short- to the point. Pass on the scallion pancakes. Don't ask for hot oil- it was bland and very salty. The crab/pork soup dumplings were ok, but I've had better (in NYC, of course). The rainbow shredded chicken was decent, but not great- needed a touch of soy sauce, and I was too lazy to ask (should already be on the table, no?) The moo shoo pork was as good as I've had elsewhere.
Overall, I'm sure this place is a standout for the area.
The staff was great. The waiter prepped our moo shoo (normally I do my own) and did a nice job. I may go back and try more on my next trip to the Albany area. -
Review from Y C.
Kinderhook, NY
6/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was not impressed on my first visit.
The Xiao Long Bao a.k.a. "soup dumplings", were not very good. The skin is very thick (about 20 times thicker than it ought to be), the soup inside barely has any flavor, and the meat filling was unremarkable. However, the upside is that now I know one place I can go to satiate my craving for these dumplings.
If you do go for XLB, don't bother with the "crab and pork" soup dumplings. Save the extra $2 and get the pork ones instead. It is the same pork dumpling with a bit of crab flavored topping on top, rather than the crab flavor infused into the soup and filling as other places usually do. This results in little to no crab flavor in the dumpling.
As for other dishes we've had on this visit, the cripsy whole flounder was terrible. I could tell that the fish kept frozen for a very long time, as some of the flesh was dry and translucent. The deep frying with a heavy batter made things worse, as this did not make it "crispy", but instead crusty. For $22, this dish should be avoided. Adding more insult to my palate was the rice, the most basic food, was cooked way too dry, like day old rice.
On the other hand, the "salted veggies with soybeans and flat tofu sheets" was very good! The salty taste of chopped mustard greens with the strips of chewy tofu makes for a very good accompaniment to more greasy dishes.
I also saw "Lion's Head" on the menu. I will be trying this next time, as it is one of my favorites at other restaurants. (If you read this and go, give this is shot and report back!)
The service was outstanding, with very attentive waiters who pay attention to every detail, promptly and quietly.
Still, I am glad to have found this place (thanks Roger K), as it dares to serve authentic shanghai cuisine in this area. My wife and I hope our next visit will be better, as other reviewers seem to suggest.Comment from Lanny L. of Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine 6/4/2011
Thank you for your comment for my restaurant. I hope we can… More » -
Review from Lai-Yee B.
Albany, NY
Updated - 6/21/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Yummy, yum, yummers! I like their minimal but well chosen dim sum. Plus their dinner dishes are awesome too. Really clean tasting for the lighter dishes. Not a lot of oil in those dishes. But spicier dishes usually come with a hearty pour of chili oil.
Love it here - well priced, great service, and awesome flavors and inventive dishes. Not your typical Chinese resto! This has pretty much become the only (real) Chinese restaurant I go to in the area.1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
8/23/2010
Best/Only Shanghaiese restaurant in the area!
Haha, okay so I'm easily pleased. XLB (Xiao Long Bao)… Read more »
-
-
Review from Stephanie S.
Albany, NY
8/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Hands down my favorite and also the best Chinese food in the area. This is not your typical takeout Chinese restaurant. This is authentic and delicious. So many options that you would never find at your typical takeout restaurant.
The restaurant is a little hidden on Troy Schenectady road, and totally unassuming. When you walk in you know you're in a legit restaurant. I have been here a handful of times, and it is usually pretty packed. You might even want reservations on the weekend as I have come and have waited.
The dim sum dishes are really good, I suggest the pork soup dumplings. They are a must, even though I still cannot figure a good way to eat them. I have had many different entree dishes, all which have been good. The only dish I would skip on was a beef dish my dining companion got which was a little too fatty for our tastes. They do have the typical choices such as sesame chicken and kung pow and such, and also tons of dishes that I never even heard of.
They give you tea free of charge which I think is a nice touch.
The service is attentive and friendly. Food comes out fairly quickly.
For the price I think it is fair, as the food is good quality. The portions are not huge, but also not tiny. I think I've noticed that you get more for takeout.
I highly suggest this place for authentic, delicious Chinese food in the Albany area! -
Review from Douglas F.
Cohasset, MA
8/30/2011
Service was great, food is authentic, BYOB encouraged, no corkage fee, other groups brought their own beer.
The soup dumplings and fish soup were fantastic and prices are reasonable.. -
Review from Margy Y.
Middlebury, VT
1/5/2012
My new favorite Chinese restaurant! We had baby bok choy with crab sauce, which looked unappetizing but was crispy green with a lovely mild sauce. The sesame chicken, our son's standard dinner, was the best he'd ever had. And the whole shrimp in spicy sauce was just the right level of heat, although awkward to eat with chopsticks. (Next time we'll ask the friendly waitstaff for advice.) We will be back!
-
Review from Victor K.
It's been a while since I updated my previous post, but I have to say that I visited this place many times since my first post with my girlfriend. Getting to know the owner, Lanny he definitely knows that customers come first and delivers a great experience each and every time along with his wait staff. Dare I say this is as close to upscale (Five-Star) for a Chinese restaurant in upstate NY. Glasses are always filled and if the waiters aren't too tied up they will promptly replace your silverware and plates between appetizers and the entrees.
Again, one of the only places I know in upstate NY that serves soup dumplings that are piping hot and delicious. If you never tried any of the Reserved Orders, I would suggest you make plans to. The Eight Jewel Duck was delicious and was perfectly presented as the waiter brought the cooked Duck stuffed with the eight jewel rice and carefully cut and preped the dish table side. If you are looking for something more saucy, the Duck w. Scallion is another alternative.
Honestly, just about every dish has their own flare and presentation. I haven't been disappointed yet in trying any of their dishes. And of course, if there's an issue I'm sure if you kindly point it out, the owner will definitely make plans to correct it.
I mean the only fault I can see for this place is that it can get really busy during dinner time, but when you're pulling in that much business for a small place, it's tough to see it as a bad thing. Personally I've only gone during lunch time leading into dinner which is right before the rush. If you come after 8, it does free up and you can be sure you won't have to wait too long for the delicious food.
Out of all the places I've been to, this is a first for me where a restaurant embraces technology and utilizes social networks like Facebook and Yelp to reach out to customers. Definitely A+ rating for this place which is shown by all the glowering reviews from the local newspaper clippings that are posted on the walls.Listed in: Best Places I've Been To For…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
5/17/2010 First to Review
A brand new restaurant that's only been opened for about 3-4 months now. It's definitely in an out… Read more »
-
-
Review from Daiji K.
Albany, NY
My experience was a 4, but be forewarned, my friends looked like it was a 3 or a meh. It really depends on what you get, but ordering a sweet sour chicken, fried rice, and the soup dumplings, you can't go wrong (except it's a little pricey)!
The sweet sour chicken was a five for me, in regular American-Chinese food standards. It's prepared the right way. The sauce is sauteed with the sweet sour sauce and the sauce is delicious (not too starchy like most places). I give this a five because most "Chinese" places, they have the chicken deep fried and you dip into the sauce! That's horriawful. If I wanted mysterious rounded chicken pieces, I'd go to McDees. The price of this is $12, which is a little expensive for its portion. They do make an effort to make it pretty with carrot/radish flowers, but I'd rather fill that space with more meat. The fried rice is $8 and it's a little above average. They give you enough to fill up probably around 5 Chinese rice bowls.
So the only major difference I found with the soup dumpling with NYC is that the dumpling skin is a lot thicker at Ala. There's also less meat and soup in comparison but doesn't really take a way from the taste. All in all, it's really good, but it doesn't have that delicate taste that it should. And since it seems like people are destroying their tongues eating this, here are my instructions on how to eat soup dumplings:
1. Grab your Chinese spoon (the white porcelain-ish one), add some brown sauce soy sauce thing and put that baby on there, trying not to poke a hole.
2. Wait and let it cool
3. You realize that step 2 is not possible so you improvise. Bite the side of it to make a little opening (make sure to keep the juices in the spoon).
4. Blow gently or vigorously (depending on your patience level)
5. Start biting into it slowly. Once you realize it's cool enough, show that thing you're not afraid of it anymore and eat it, like a boss.
So all in all, I'll definitely be going back here for sweet and sour chicken! Avoid the pan fried noodle (my friend said it's too crispy and tastes like a snack), the lo mein (it's not that good, says my friend), and the other dumplings on the menu if you want to avoid having a so-so experience.
p.s. they were playing Kenny-G all night long, so that was a plus for me. I hadn't heard him in a while. I actually like Kenny-G. Grew up listening to him as a child. All you haters, he used to be cool in the 90s okay! Yes he's a little cheesy (impressive thing to do when he's not even singing lyrics) but so's pizza and we don't complain about that do we!Listed in: Top 10 Albany-ish - "Tennessee…
-
Review from Daniel Z.
Troy, NY
12/19/2011
Like it!
-
Review from Anton H.
Troy, NY
8/16/2011
Just got takeout from these folks for the first time, and I'm elated. I've had the hardest time finding Chinese Cuisine worth eating in the Albany area. My search is finally over!
I ordered the Crispy Spicy Beef, Shanghai Lo Mein, and Fried Pork Dumplings. I know, super 'safe' choices, but I wanted a frame of reference for their cooking style.
Crispy Spicy Beef: Excellent texture, hearty but a touch shallow bbq-ee sauce. Came over of a bed of steamed broccoli. I wonder if this is one of those dishes that is not the best after being in a sealed togo container for 15 minutes. Will get this again eat-in to find out!
Shanghai Lo Mein: Hands down the best Lo Mein noodles I've had in ages. They're the somewhat flat kind (but not rice noodles). The meat in the dish was plentiful and the whole dish was cooked just the perfect amount. I easily eat this every day.
Fried Pork Dumplings: Surprisingly flavorful and juicy inside! Wrapper was a nice thickness and cooked properly. Only negative was that the tiny container of dumpling sauce was left outside the dumpling box, so it got crushed in transit, making a bit of a mess inside the bag. If you get these to go make sure to take this little container out before you walk out the door!
Would I eat here again? Most certainly! Ala is about a 10 minute drive from me, and I could easily see turning this into a once-a-week meal/addiction.Comment from Lanny L. of Ala Shanghai Chinese Cuisine 8/16/2011
Thanks for your review. We would like to invite you guys eat… More » -
Review from Wendy M.
Albany, NY
5/30/2011
I have eaten tons of chinese food since I took chinese in college, but this ranks among the all time best. The food is tremendous, with appetizers that are unique, fantastic dim sum, and entrees that fill a real need for Shanghai cooking in this area.
The service, as others have noted is great. I have eaten in three star Michelin restaurants that have service that isn't as good as this restaurant.
How good is it? My Chinese doctor says it is the only place north of Queens worth eating in.
Usually, my daughter and I are the only non asians in the room. It is that good. -
Review from William P.
Schenectady, NY
12/26/2010
We had Christmas dinner there last night (even though we're not Jews). WOW!
My wife had the pork shoulder. It came with baby bok choy and was spectacular, though a whole shoulder has a LOT of fat that has to be separated.
I had the sauteed eel with chives. I had never eaten eel before, but now I'm a convert. It was exquisite. I'll never have any doubts about eel again.
There was plenty to take home, and we had a great lunch out of it today.
This restaurant has to be one of the greatest things to happen to the Albany area in a long time. -
Review from Joanne H.
Rockaway, NJ
3/30/2011
Peking duck, soup dumplings, and shrimp in brown sauce.....it just keeps getting better and better. Every time I go I just find more to love. The food is fabulous and the service is wonderful. I started eating here soon after they had opened and I was wonderfully surprised. Soup dumplings in Albany??? Love it.
Their noodles are hand-made and both the owner and chef take a lot of pride in the quality of their food. It really shows. -
Review from Brett B.
Latham, NY
11/27/2011
Food and Service was amazing!
-
Review from Kim B.
11/10/2010
I went here with a group of friends last night and ordered a mish mash of family style foods.
They were really attentive with regards to service and their food was amazing. We had so much food but two stand outs was the soup dumplings and the deep fried seaweed flounder. WOW! Amazing! Great food and I will definitely go back here! -
Review from Karly O.
Schenectady, NY
3/9/2011 1 photo
Ala Shanghai is in one word : AMAZING! (with multiple exclamation points)!!!
The food is out of this world (albeit a taaaad greasier than I'd like).
My boyfriend and I went there on the recomendation of a coworker of mine who said, and I quote "It tastes as if a kind chinese grandma is in the back cooking up the food from scratch". Pretty spot on.
The restaraunt was clean and bright. The bathroom was also clean and smelled nice.
The food was probably some of the best chinese food I've ever had! We got the Pork fried dumplings, Beef lo mein, Chicken and broccoli, and Sesame Chicken. All were spectacular.
The beef lo mein was the only one that seemed a tad greasy. But nothing that would be "off putting".
The wait staff was very attentive and very nice. Greeted us upon sitting with complimentary hot tea.
The presentation of the dishes when they came out was SO CUTE! They put little turnip flowers on all the plates. I loved that!
Love this place and have been dying to go back but we haven't had a chance.
Oh, also. In the Albany Entertainment book there is a Buy one entree get the 2nd entree free coupon (for all of us on a budget). -
Review from audrey k.
Queens, NY
8/24/2010
Soup dumplings!! Little meat pockets with warm soup inside.
I don't know if there is any spill-proof way to eat these tricky things, especially for a clumsy gal like me. So to prevent any delicious soup from going to waste, I also like to order the steamed scallion rolls--they have sort of a sponge-y consistency so that it soaks up all my spilled soup.
Aside from the soup dumplings, I really like the shanghai noodle soup here. The first time I wanted to try it, I asked the waiter "what kind of noodle is shanghai noodle?" and he answered "shanghai noodle". Um ok. So I just went with it, but it was a lo-mein kinda noodle fyi. Broth is delicious! Perfect for a cold rainy day. Bf got the seafood noodle soup. Very fresh seafood, but broth is a bit bland.
So glad I found a place in upstate for soup dumplings! :) -
Review from Mark K.
Latham, NY
9/30/2011
Living nearby, I've driven by many times. Finally made it in and was not disappointed. Crispy beef, mooshu, General Tso's, and veg lomein all great. Will go back again soon. Lost 1 star because waiter clipping fingernails at front desk (not near food but could see and hear - yuck).
-
Review from Jeff S.
Kingston, NY
Updated - 8/10/2011 3 photos
Came here a second time (one week and one day after our first visit).
Peking Duck: Awesome, and unlike most Chinese restaurants, this is not an "order in advance" item. Much better than the crispy duck (which was also good).
Lion's Head: This is a meatball, cooked in a sauce; it is the Chinese equivalent of Swedish meatballs. Another culinary adventure you won't find at most Chinese restaurants.Listed in: Best Eats Anywhere
1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/30/2011
This restaurant brings to the forefront what everyone should know: "Chinese restaurant" makes about… Read more »
-
-
Review from Dario S.
Wilton, NY
Thanks Yelp for a excellent find!
When I first turned into the parking lot the restaurant was tucked away in the dark back lot which gave me mixed feelings of what to expect. Once inside though I felt at ease, it was very clean and quite busy for being late in the evening. The service was quick and great right away we were served tea and water. After looking over the extensive menu we decided upon the steamed pork soup dumpings which had a nice texture but the flavor of the filling was lacking. The Chicken with corn soup was very light and nice, it could of been a little warmer with more corn but were splitting hairs now. Shared entree's were whole shrimp with salt and pepper which were cooked perfectly (I love me some shrimp heads) and double cooked pork which I could not get enough of. It was pork belly with peppers and cabbage and dried tofu in a spicy brown sauce mmmmm mmmm good. I will for sure be back soon to try more of their menu. I think this is my new go to place for great asian fare instead of going all the way to Albany for CCK or Shining rainbow. -
Review from Tim D.
Saratoga Springs, NY
5/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
Ala Shanghai has been on my list of must-visit places in the Capital Region since I first heard about it a couple of months ago (I know - where have I been?). I spent 10 days in China last year, and I have been yearning for the authentic food experience that I had while I was there. So I hear everyone talking about how Ala Shanghai fits the bill, and of course I am highly doubtful. I expect another run-of-the-mill Upstate New York Chinese restaurant. Well golly gee was I wrong! This place has it goin' on, right down to the shared dishes and dim sum.
I chose my birthday as the perfect excuse to make the trek from Saratoga to Latham, and I forced my less adventurous family to join me. I figured their reaction would be the barometer for how "Everyman Capital Region Joe" would enjoy eating here (he's very picky). While they were somewhat suspect of the more foreign items I ordered for the table (pan-fried steamed mini pork buns, shu mai, soup dumplings), they really ended up enjoying themselves. Of course we didn't escape without ordering standard American-Chinese fare (read: anything slathered in sweet, sticky, spicy sauce), but that's OK because it was wicked good. The meal culminated with the very friendly (albeit somewhat slow) servers surprising me with a round of delicious steamed "good luck" buns in honor of my birthday which were dyed an odd shade of fluorescent pink and filled with red bean paste that took on an almost caramel-like consistency. I should have let my mom think it was caramel, her initial assessment, because maybe she would have actually finished hers! Either way, they were simple and delicious. My only disappointment came in the form of the pan-fried mini pork buns which were missing the gooey richness of the Asian sauce that I find so often in Chinatowns across the continent. These are my favorite snacks to eat while exploring any urban landscape, and I was really hoping that they had finally made their way to Albany. Ala Shanghai's version was tasty, but not what I had hoped.
This place really did a good job of making me want to come back and try more from their VERY extensive menu. The menu is huge, people, and it can be somewhat overwhelming, especially to someone who isn't sure what to order. I say dive in and try something new. What's the worst that could happen?
Things I loved:
steamed vegetable buns
pork soup dumplings
General Tso's prawns
steamed "good luck" buns (stuffed with sweet red bean paste)
scallion pancakes
