This airport’s food is so good you might forget you have a flight to catch

The airport: Shanghai Pudong International Airport

The flight

China Eastern Airways flight MU561 from Shanghai to Sydney, departing at 8.55pm.

The arrival

A sea of red brake lights clogs the exit to the airport on approach, but the traffic jam moves fairly quickly after my driver frantically flashes his headlights at the car in front. Security is tight, with passengers undergoing an individual bomb-detection swipe immediately after passing through the airport doors. We’re then directed to stand inside a roped-off section before a small group gathers and they allow us to proceed to check-in.

The look

Designed by French architect Paul Andreu – the same man responsible for Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport (which draws the ire of airport critics around the world) and Dubai International Airport’s Terminal 3 concourse – Shanghai’s busiest airport has an airy feel with a wave-like design and soaring blue ceilings. But the light fittings overhead feel intrusive. Long white rods drop from the roof, giving the impression the inspiration was Pinhead from cult horror movie Hellraiser. Once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

Check-in

It’s a full flight and the queue is long, but moves quickly. There’s no concept of personal space in China, and the man behind me is doing his best to demonstrate that: any closer and he’d be breathing down my neck (the terror continues).

Security

There’s only about 10 other passengers when I pass through security and immigration. Bins for passengers to dispose of lighters and “tools” have been placed next to the security belts. Immigration is impressively set up to cater to people of all nationalities, with the two men in front of me receiving pre-recorded audio instructions in Italian and Japanese, respectively. Don’t get caught out by China’s strict new power-bank laws, which saw me permanently part with my expensive Snap Wireless Power Pack Universal on arrival in Shanghai. The new policy requires power banks to clearly show the “CCC” stamp, which indicates they have been made and manufactured in China. If my eyes rolled any more, I’d be a pokie machine.

Food + drink

You just know it’s going to be good. I’m departing from Terminal 1, where I spot draft beer, hamburgers and Japanese ramen. But ultimately, it’s the casual Chinese spot opposite Starbucks that wins me over.

As well as Shanghai’s famous soup dumplings, xiao long bao, they have a selection of noodles and smaller dishes, such as spring rolls and honey-glazed chicken wings. The braised beef with rice noodles is swimming in a fatty broth with a soft-boiled egg, and is a contender for my best airport meal of all time.

Retail therapy

I’m not compelled to buy anything, but I learn a valuable lesson for next time. There are the usual high-end cosmetics brands in duty free, including a mini offering of ultra-luxe fragrance brand Le Labo, where I bought a trio of travel perfumes at the Fairmont Peace Hotel store in The Bund earlier that day. Had I waited, I could have purchased them tax-free.

Passing time

There’s not a lot in the way of shops to waste time in, but it’s not a bad place to hang out, especially with your nose in an inexpensive bowl of soup and a glass of red wine.

The verdict

It’s a pleasant experience, and the airport doesn’t feel over-crowded or designed to push your buttons. Sit down for a bowl of noodles here, and you may forget you even have a flight to board.

Our rating out of five