Shanghai's Pyongyang Restaurant

Located in Xujiahui's four-star Jianguo Hotel, the North Korean government-owned and operated Pyongyang Restaurant has a classy decor and is, surprisingly, free of any portraits of Kim II-sung or Kim Jong-Il.

Though some might come just so they can say they experienced some true pariah-state flavor, the food at Pyongyang Restaurant is actually very tasty.

Set meals top out at about RMB 60. Meals of shared dishes, hot pots and barbecues start from RMB 100.

Dishes include kimchi rice, pork bibimbap (a word that’s too much fun to pronounce) and cooked beef rice, as well as the less traditional fried potato sticks and fried cheese balls.

Oh, and big plates of kimchi.

Pyongyang-native waitresses wearing traditional cheongsams transform into performers and blast out Chinese and North Korean patriotic songs every evening from around 7:30 p.m., accompanied by a band on Casio keyboards.

Drink prices are reasonable: RMB 20 for a Tsingtao and RMB10-15 for soft drinks.

The only downside is the restaurant doesn't carry any North Korean beers.

In addition to the Xujiahui branch, Pyongyang restaurant has two other locations in Shanghai:

Pyongyang Restaurant Pudong branch (平壤高丽餐厅), 1/F, Tongmao Hotel, 357 Songlin Lu, near Pudian Lu 松林路357号通茂大酒店1楼, 近浦电路, +86 21 5830 0000, 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m.

Pyongyang Restaurant Changning branch (平壤青柳馆), Booth 6-2, 6/F, 100 Zunyi Lu, near Ziyun Xi Lu 遵义路100号上海城6楼6-2号, 近紫云西路口, +86 21 6237 1076, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.