Believe it or not: these plain-looking fish can cost more than 3,000 yuan for 500 grams. The bigmouth anchovy (长江刀鱼) is a traditional spring food in Shanghai and nearby cities. Known for its tender white meat and rich flavor, the fish is considered by the Chinese to be one of the Four Delicacies of the Yangtze River (长江四鲜). Spring is the best time of the year to enjoy it, since this is when the fish swims upstream from the ocean to lay its eggs. Though once common in the Yangtze estuary, the bigmouth anchovy has fallen victim to overfishing in past decades; prompting a hefty price surge, effectively wiping the fish off of dinner tables in ordinary households. Though its population has been gradually picking up in recent years thanks to efforts in conservation and farming, the price of the fish still remains high. For those who are eager to get a taste of this delicacy but can't afford the extravagant price, the Laobanzhai restaurant on Fuzhou Road offers an equally savory compromise: anchovy gravy noodles. To make the gravy, the cook first carefully removes the fish meat from the bones, fries it lightly, and slowly stews it with rice wine, pickled vegetables, pork bones and chicken soup. This process eventually results in a thick gravy that concentrates the unique flavor of the anchovy. The noodles are handmade in order to prevent them from absorbing too much gravy. The dish itself does not contain any actual fish meat, but its signature gravy has blessed it with the essence of the anchovy. Due to the seasonal nature of anchovy supplies, the anchovy gravy noodles are only served from late February to mid-April. If you happen to miss anchovy-noodle season, you can also try some of Laobanzhai’s other signature dishes. Some of their most famous dishes include croaker noodles and crystal pork ham noodles. Anchovy Gravy Noodles 刀鱼汁面 Croaker Noodles 雪菜黄鱼面 Crystal Pork Ham Noodles 水晶肴肉面

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Laobanzhai 老半斋 Phone: 6322-2809 Address: 600 Fuzhou Rd, Huangpu District (黄浦区福州路600号) Chinese Service Only

This article was written by Richard Lewei Huang. Send an email to [email protected] to get in touch. Photo Credit: Vanessa on Flickr