Much better than expected!

Service: 8/10
I don’t expect much hospitality when I dine at Chinese establishments but the waitress was surprisingly decently polite and helpful. She brought us water and closed the window when she noticed us getting a little chilly.
The other worker didn’t really respond to our requests as efficiently as it took quite long for them to respond to our requests.
The food was served within minutes of ordering and was constantly being dished out.

Food: 9/10
We ordered a wide range of dishes and the portions were generous, and overall wasn’t too greasy.
The steamed dumplings were filled with delicious soup, the filling was super soft but still held its place, the skin was thin and chewy.
The fried whole blue cod with sweet sour sauce wasn’t very crispy because it soaked up the sauce.
The braised pork with dried tofu was super tender and the fat soaked up the sweet soy sauce flavour.
The fried beef with fried bread was soft and tender, which contrasted the crispy fried bread.
The salty duck yolks with prawn balls were light and crispy, the yolk flavour wasn’t too strong.
The sautéed lamb slice with cumin was aromatic and had a hint of sweetness. The bread was steamed nicely, soft and airy.
The fried eggplant with sweet chilli sauce didn’t have substantial flavour.
The fried noodles were perfectly chewy and had a light soy sauce flavour.
The pumpkin pie wasn’t crispy on the outside but the inside was chewy with a sweet red bean filling.
The wine dumplings were warm and jelly-like, the balls were chewy and sweet.

Ambiance: 8/10
The restaurant is located on the second floor which provides a magnificent sunset view from the big windows, which is a great atmosphere for dinner.
It can get quite cramped when the restaurant is full as it is quite small, but luckily today, there weren’t that many people.
There is quiet music playing which encourages a calming environment.
It is quite clean and tidy inside with typical Chinese dining cloths and old fashioned curtains.

This is definitely one of the more authentic shanghainese restaurants in Auckland providing good quality dishes and a stunning dining view.

Craved for Shanghai cuisine for a while. Finally had lunch in an eatery specialized in Shanghai food, not as authentic and well excuted as the dishes I can get back in Shanghai but it will do for now.
Ordered sweet spicy fish slice, shaomai, seasoned vege fried with soybean and shredded tofu sheets, and pork with bamboo shoots soup, all these only for $65 for us three so quite worthwhile in quality and quantity.
The sweet spicy fish, which should more accurately be translated as sweet smoky fish is not spicy. Hope people will not put off by the name. Technic supposedly involves marinating fish pieces in sugar, soy sauce and all the other seasoning, then deep fried and or smoked. Fish tastes full of sweetness and saltiness, tender but crispy outside. Highly recommend this traditional dish to most people as long as you do not mind to debone a bit.
Shaomai is a bit let down this time. It barely has any pork mince and diced mushroom stuffed inside. And sticky rice is bit dry for lack of pork oil.
Pork with bamboo shoots soup is one of the signature dish in Shanghai and closeby regions, with ingredients including fresh and salted pork belly and ribs, tofu knots, winter bamboo shoots, which would be placed in casserole then simmered for hours until all the ingredients release their natural aroma in the soup which tasts delicious. Then you would toss a sprinkle of spring onion before serve. However this dish from Shanghai Lou omits fresh pork, bamboo shoots is tasteless supposedly did not simmer long enough, and without spring onion as final touch and the out of porpotion size of soup, have to mark one point down in presentation. I know I am too critical on this one only because I am local with higher expectation.
Overall, still recommend this place on shore if you would like to give Shanghai cuisine a go.