Shanghai Inn Springfield, Missouri

Restaurant Review:



One could say that of all the Chinese Fast Food places in Springfield, Missouri, "Shanghai Inn" is hardly the fanciest. And yet, while they sit in a portion of North Glenstone surrounded by tire shops and junk stores in a rather nondescript building, they consistently dish out what I believe is some of the best Chinese Food in all of Springfield.

Springfield is famous for it's "Springfield Style Cashew Chicken," which is imitated throughout the state, but rarely duplicated. I discovered this shortly after moving to the Kansas City area and have been underwhelmed by the efforts of restaurant owners here for many years now.

My advice to those of you who spot "Springfield Style Cashew Chicken" on any menu... If you aren't in Springfield, it isn't Springfield Style, so skip it! Upon ordering, you may discover a Bar-B-Que style chicken, a garlic laden dish of chicken, drowning in a gelatinous white blob of goo that supposed to pass for gravy, or worse yet, a plate full of sauce and vegetables with nary a piece of chicken in sight.

I'm not sure what it is about the people at Shanghai Inn, but somehow they always get it right. In the 20 plus years I've been eating there, I've yet to get a bad order of anything...even when I was going through my "Moo Goo Gai Pan" phase. (Yet another dish that varies from establishment to establishment.

I think part of what they get right, (and the reason that my Wife of nearly 20 years, and I even stopped there right after our wedding to grab a bite to eat) is due to Flossie, the manager. Flossie, who ALWAYS says "HI" and asks how we're doing, sets the tone for each visit. By the time you get done visiting with her, you're in a good mood anyway so the food is almost an afterthought.

However, once you bite into the tender, white meat chicken, and eat the flavorful (but not overly so) rice and egg rolls, you'll be totally sold on Shanghai Inn. Now, I've eaten at a lot of fancier (i.e. "More Expensive") Chinese places, but again, none have captured the flavor of the food served at Shanghai.

We've actually felt like trips to Springfield were nearly ruined if we got there after they've closed for the day! I first got "addicted" to Shanghai when I was the manager of "ALL STAR VIDEO" on Kearney Street on the North Side of Springfield. The owner, Liz and I would eat out a few times a week, which usually meant once at Subway and twice at Shanghai. I would always volunteer for "Shanghai Trips" because they were close, and because it was always so nice to see Flossie and talk with her for a minute.

So, I've been eating there nearly every trip to Springfield that I've taken since moving away, and if it's worth it for me to drive the three hours just to eat there...(well, okay, sometimes we go down to visit relatives too...) Then it's certainly worth your time to go eat there!

-David