Is there a difference in Shanghai restaurants?

YES!  Is my answer!!

Although the Shanghainese restaurants serve quite the same menu, the quality is different.  I would say the test is in the Xiao Long Bao.

I am comparing two restaurants, one in Ashfield and the second in Chatswood.

This restaurant in Ashfield, China Shanghai Night, which claimed to be the first Shanghainese restaurant in Ashfield.

This restaurant was busy during one of the long weekends.  My friends and I had to share a table.  As we entered, on one corner there were a few family members feverishly making dumplings.  This brought in a few flies...

We ordered a couple of dumplings and noodles.  It was a disappointment.  The noodles did not have much ingredients in it.  Although the dumplings looked good, the Xiao Long Bao did not have the usual soup in it and the meat was not very tasty at all.

My friends were disappointed... maybe we picked a bad day...