Shanghai Bistro In Hudson – Best Of Both Worlds

You love sushi, Chinese food, and anything spicy. Your friend prefers traditional Asian dishes with no surprises. How can you satisfy everyone?

Shanghai Bistro, located just south of the Carmichael Road exit in Hudson is a best of both worlds dining solution. Owner Henry Chan and his family have developed decades of Asian recipes that practically read the minds of their customers.

Pick a day of the week, and there is something special going on at the Shanghai Bistro. The fun part is experiencing an Asian food tradition that has been years in the making.

She Now Knows Chinese
When Shanghai Bistro’s General Manager Brittany Johnson graduated from the University Wisconsin at Eau Claire in 2006, she wasn’t sure where her career path would lead. Johnson admits that a decade ago she knew very little about Chinese food. While a student at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Johnson started working at the original Shanghai Bistro in Eau Claire. Since that first job, she’s helped Shanghai Bistro owner, Henry Chan, open restaurants in the Twin Cities and Hudson.

“Henry had worked at his parents’ restaurant as a teenager, and then he started an aftermarket car parts business that really took off. While traveling the country for this business, Henry discovered sushi during a trip to Las Vegas. Henry felt sushi would be a winner for his family’s restaurant after he sold the motor parts business,” says Johnson.

The Eau Claire Shanghai Bistro thrived to the point that in 2008, Chan added a new restaurant in Woodbury. In 2010, a third Shanghai Bistro opened in a former Hudson-based Country Kitchen that Chan completely renovated.

“I’ve worked at all of Henry’s restaurants, so I’ve learned a lot about Chinese, Japanese, and fusion food over the past 10 years. Our food is so good that we’ve become a destination restaurant for people from the Twin Cities and Western Wisconsin,” Johnson said.

Custom Order To Your Liking
One way that the Shanghai Bistro’s reputation has grown is by customizing dishes based on the unique taste of each customer. Lunch, Happy Hour, and dinner crowds love the abundance of choices and spices. Whether you desire an appetizer, noodles, pan-Asian, or sushi, a favorite entrée is definitely in the palette of the beholder.

There are 10 seats at the Shanghai Sushi Bar, if you’re eager to experience what all the awards are about. On Wednesday nights, the restaurant is always packed for All You Can Eat Sushi. The Extreme Philly is perhaps the most popular sushi request. Prepared Tempura-style, the Extreme Philly is served with cream cheese, salmon, and avocado, along with three different types of sauces. Sushi is definitely a Shanghai hit, with friends telling friends who’ve told friends.

It’s A Matter Of Taste
“For those seeking a more traditional Chinese dish, the Sesame Chicken is a fan favorite. Our Korean short ribs, as well as the Chicken lettuce wraps, are sensational,” Johnson said.

If you love spicy, then you can’t go wrong with Kung Pao. This item is one of several on the Shanghai menu that offers a gluten-free option.

If you’d like to take the Shanghai Bistro for a test drive, one great way is to stop by during Monday through Friday Happy Hour from 3-5 or 9-10. There are many delicious Happy Hour items to choose from. Consider the Spider Roll made with Tempura-fried soft shell crab, radish sprouts, and topped with spicy mayo, Unagi sauce, and bonito flakes. If that’s not enough, you’ll love the cream cheese wontons and Japanese pot stickers. Once the weather turns warm, relax Sundays noon – 4:00 with two-for-one beer or Happy Hour cocktails on Shanghai’s spacious outdoor patio.

Shanghai Bistro also offers a host of lunch specials if you have a Hudson or Stillwater daytime excursion circled on your calendar. Ask about their Bento box lunch featuring salad, rice, Edamame, and a main entrée like Chicken Teriyaki. Or swing in after a round of golf at one of the 12 Western Wisconsin courses that are under a 10-minute drive from Shanghai Bistro.

If Romance and Chinese seem like a good match, then consider Thursday night Date Night at the Shanghai Bistro. “We have a special menu designed for two with a Stir Fry option for $25 per couple or a Sushi option for $30 per couple,” Johnson said

Like And Then Love Shanghai Bistro
If you’d like to get a head start on your first visit to the Shanghai Bistro, keep in mind that if you “Like” them on Facebook, you’ll get 20% off your meal on Monday evenings.

If you want a best of both worlds Chinese/Japanese dining experience, take the short drive to Shanghai Bistro at 2420 Gateway Court in Hudson.