LIVING LIKE A LOCAL WITH CAMDEN HAUGE.

When Camden Hauge was offered the chance to transfer from ad agency Saatchi & Saatchi London to another global office, she decided on Shanghai.

What began as a three month stint blossomed into a new life for Hauge. Seven years and a career change later, the self-proclaimed “restauranteuse” has pushed the city’s food scene firmly forward as the founder of a string of restaurants, events agency Social Supply Shanghai and dining experience Shanghai Supper Club.

Clearly not one for sleep, Hauge recently opened a new restaurant in the south of Shanghai’s lively Jing’An District. Kin Urban Thai Kitchen serves up northern Thai cuisine with a menu crammed with pork, vegetables and fried treats.

Next on the list is a second iteration of Hauge’s much-lauded brunch spot Egg, which will be taking residence at MINI LIVING Shanghai in Jing’An. “The whole Egg team and I are looking forward to opening our second spot in such a cool site – a converted paint factory – amongst well-chosen, local design-focused brands,” she says.

With MINI LIVING’s “Stay Open” ethos firmly in mind, the second Egg will open up another side of dining culture for Hauge. “It’s a larger venue for us and will be our first time opening into the evening so we’re excited to experiment with a new nighttime menu and have access to more delicious natural wine!”

Exclusively for MINI LIVING, we asked Camden to share her five favourite food spots in the city. You’re welcome.

Breakfast street food stalls at the corner of Xiangyang Bei Lu x Changle Lu

These are some of the last of the city’s proper street stalls and they’re conveniently close to my restaurant Egg. I grab a coffee after I’ve eaten and walk down to Xiangyang Park to watch the old couples dancing in the mornings. Come hungry and carb-friendly – there’s a lot to eat! Choose from pork-stuffed guotie, pan-fried dumplings; cifan, rice balls stuffed with anything you can imagine; douhua, a tofu soup sprinkled with dried shrimp, pickled veggies, and chives; the ubiquitous baozi, or steamed pork buns with a variety of fillings; and the ultimate snack – jianbing, a savory crepe filled with egg, bean paste, chilis, coriander and a crispy wonton.

山东水饺 Dumpling shop on Yanqing Lu near Fumin Lu

This tiny, dingy, very local dumpling shop specialises es in Shandong-style boiled dumplings to be eaten dredged in a DIY mixture of crushed garlic (mortars and pestles are on the table for your fresh-crushing pleasure), vinegar and chilis. Go for the pork and shepherd’s purse filling.

RAC on 332 Anfu Lu

My favourite place to grab a glass of wine and hang on those rare free afternoons or evenings. Great design, great food and a great selection of natural wine. The owner Simon Briens is a dear friend who I admire for bringing passion and sincerity to Shanghai’s burgeoning natural wine scene. Just avoid the midday rush when they are besieged by the young and beautiful who stage long, elaborate photoshoots for their weixin blogs.

Canton Disco at 5F, The Shanghai EDITION

Just seriously fun, playful pan-Chinese food (despite the ‘Canton’ label) – the chef is the sweetest young Polish guy who is also, bizarrely, one of the best people I’ve seen work a wok. Have a drink on their rooftop terrace for a killer view of the classic Bund-side Shanghai skyline before you stuff yourself with prawn toast okinomiyaki, roast goose (served with peanut butter-French toast to soak up the drippings) and Jacopo Bruni’s faultless desserts.

“The Noodle Place” at Changle Lu near Fumin Lu

This is the spot, my spot, for late-night food. I used to live upstairs so I might have been biased, but I used to eat here almost every night after service when I opened my second restaurant, Bird. It’s known for the hand-pulled noodles, but I just think it’s the best combination of all of the classic hits done well. Grab a cold dish or two from the cabinet – I go for the bashed cucumber
with garlic – and order a noodle soup with pickled vegetables, a fried pork
cutlet to be doused in vinegar, and my ultimate comfort dish, scrambled eggs
with tomatoes.