The stretch of Garvey between Atlantic and Garfield witnessed 3 restaurant closing/openings in September. FC was the first to pop up, replacing the extremely tired Lucky Dragon which had the interesting concept basing many of its dishes on sour pickled chilis.

Instead of Sichuan, FC clearly is rockin’ Shanghainese cooking. Half the menu sports noodle & dough based dishes and the 2/3 rocks: 上海船菜 . While I don’t really know what Shanghai Boat Cuisine is, I know 太湖船菜 “Tai Lake Boat Cuisine” has always touted “pure tastes”, mostly from the said fresh lake, and is famous for the 3 “whites”: white herring, white caridinia shrimp and white “cai” fish. I am assuming the restaurant wants to convey the dishes are from current Pudong (Old Shanghai) area, and are sportin’ “pure tastes”, but integrate many flavors of the foreigners (ie, Cantonese and Sichuanese) since sea fairing people had much contact with the other provinces. Either way, let’s be honest, you’ll all go to FC cuz of $2.99 Xiao Long Bow and $.99 scallion noodles. That’s right! Cheap carbs. Who said the cost of flour is rising again? P. Mozza? Apparently all the Monterey Park joints didn’t get that memo. But they DID hear about the rising cost of rice & we were almost boinked with accessorial rice bill.

Current specials as follows:
* 1 entree of chilled wine chicken when a table orders more than $30
* 1 live fish with order of over $50
* Buy Four Get 1 free lunch specials Monday Thru Friday

It will take a couple of more meals here to truly discover the treasures, but with a Shanghainese host/owner and a true Shanghainese chef, I hope FC Shanghai is able to supplant the now-deduct Northern Dumpling House.

FC Shanghai
321 W Garvey Ave #A
Monterey Park, CA 91754
(626) 573-5060
Opening date: September 1, 2008

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