Tucked away in a remodeled lane house in Jing’an is Salt-Less (淡盐), a creative vegetarian restaurant in Shanghai serving up some pretty inventive plant-based dishes. It’s so good that it even makes die-hard meat lovers like me pause.
The Space
Opened in September last year, the restaurant feels like stepping into a retro Shanghai tearoom. It has a relaxed, almost salon-like atmosphere. The main dining room is on the second floor, and ground floor has a small seating area for afternoon tea. Venue is dog-friendly.
Helming the kitchen is Chef Amanda Li, a triple-certified nutritionist with Michelin experience and a stamp of approval from Jason Oakley (Sub Standard) from when they both used to work at Coquille.
The Food
The menu is split into Chinese, Western, and fusion dishes — no identity crisis here, just appeasing all palates and clever cooking that delivers. All dishes are also clearly labeled for dietary needs.
First up, the Confit Fava Beans, a spring special that took me by surprise. Slow-cooked in olive oil with dried chilies, the beans are sweet, tender, and pack an addictive kick of spice. Served with roasted red pepper purée and morels, it’s so good that you’d want to spoon the oil — which is completely doable since it’s high quality extra virgin olive oil. That, or ask for some bread.
Another surprise was the “Chicken” Burger, which reads a bit boring on the menu but turned out to be anything but bland. It’s juicy and flavorful, the fried “chicken” steak topped with spicy kimchi mayo and lightly pickled tangy vegetables. The truffle-parmesan fries on the side are an added bonus.
The “Chicken” Mushroom Rice combines a similar “chicken” steak with pan-fried Yunnan morels, porcini, Sichuan pepper, mixed mushrooms, and crispy quinoa, dressed black truffle and a homemade sauce. It’s very comforting and satisfying.
Meanwhile, the “Eel”, made from crispy fried shiitake mushrooms, nails the sweet-savory sauce of the Shanghainese classic. It’s also a much healthier version.
Pasta lovers shouldn’t miss the White Furu Spaghetti, where fermented tofu stands in for cream. The furu is mild and not overly pungent. A confit egg yolk and grated parmesan cheese completes the dish, resulting in a rich, creamy and delicious bowl of spaghetti. I’d totally come back for this.
Next, the “Crab” Noodles, a clever mix of egg yolk, carrot, and mushrooms that comes surprisingly close to the real deal. It is served with angel hair pasta and ginger vinegar on the side.
And if you’re craving spice, there’s the La Zi Ji. Tofu stands in for chicken and delivers all the heat of the original plus crunch from the peanuts and chilies.
For something comforting, the Pumpkin Lion’s Mane Mushroom Soup is a velvety ode to Cantonese tradition, with a whisper of herbal notes due to the inclusion of traditional Chinese herbs.
To Celebrate
They also do a Wellington. I had to try it, especially after learning Chef Amanda honed her skills at Coquille, home of Shanghai’s famous beef version. This is an impressive centerpiece. The golden puff pastry is excellent, housing layers of earthy mushroom duxelle, salted egg yolk, spinach, mozzarella and feta cheese, pumpkin and portobello mushroom, and organic cauliflower.
If anything was lacking it was the red wine and fig sauce, which was far too sweet for me. I would have preferred something more savory. It’s served table side, and is suitable as a celebratory dish for 2-3 people to share. Requires 30 minutes prep time.
Desserts
For dessert, the Banana Parfait layers sesame custard, miso, and caramelized banana into something decadent yet light. Meanwhile the Lemon Caramel Blue Cheese Basque presents a tangy-sweet cheesecake with just a hint of funk, that is, if you’re lucky enough to hit a blue cheese pocket. Desserts are all listed as “low GI” (low glycemic index).
In Summary
Salt-Less is one of those rare vegetarian restaurants in Shanghai that doesn’t feel like a compromise. The flavors are bold, the techniques are smart, and the dishes — whether Chinese, Western, or somewhere in between — actually satisfy. It’s a shame more people aren’t talking about Salt-Less, because this place deserves some love.
Salt-Less 淡盐
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