There are definitely things I miss about Shanghai. The subway has air conditioning, for example. My daily walk through the historic French Concession, complete with its narrow, tree-lined streets and small xiaolongbao vendors was much more pleasant than my loud, polluted jaunt through Beijing's CBD.
But one piece of Shanghai that I miss dearly is finally coming up north - Element Fresh.
Element Fresh is a western-style eatery targeting health-conscious people. It was a regular lunchtime stop for me, despite its sometimes exorbitant prices (the chicken teriyaki salad with the famous miso dressing was pushing 60 kuai, if I remember correctly) . They made excellent salads, sandwiches, and fruit smoothies which was a perfect healthy alternative to the fast food dotting much of the country.
Hopefully they open at least one location along Chaowai, near my office!
