Savoring the best for last (2)

Even so, the general enthusiasm from the public kept the stall owners and their assistants happy and busy. When they sold out, they had to repeatedly convince people still waiting that there was no more food.

"We have been very successful in Taiwan, but still, we see a much bigger market on the mainland," says Cai Ying-jie from Taiwan, who operates three stands at the park.

He says his family started the night food business more than 40 years ago, and gained much insight about the business.

Zhang Cheng-xian, explaining what motivated his excursion to Shanghai, says he hopes he can introduce the island's advanced farm technology to the mainland.

"Our best-seller is watermelon milk. It will refresh you on such a hot summer night," says Zhang, who sells juice at his stand.

Controversy Along with the great interest comes sharp criticism, and negative comments surfaced as quickly as diners finished up the food.

Some pointed to organizers' inability to handle the huge crowds, while others claimed they found out ingredients were sourced locally instead of being airlifted from Taiwan as they were told.

There were also accusations that the food was actually cooked by helpers hired from Shanghai.

In response, Huang Hao-wei, a spokesman for the Shilin association, says they are expanding the dining area in the park and adding more stands to meet the huge demand and reduce waiting time.

"Some stalls in Taiwan who had refused to come are now showing great interest after hearing about the fervor of Shanghai residents," he says.

The organizers have also asked stall owners to be better prepared and to increase their supply at least four times that of the opening day.

As for the airfreighting of the ingredients, Huang says it was never said that they would be flown over from Taiwan, an impossible task in view of the strict laws and high import costs.

What make the food genuine are the cooking skills and seasonings, which the stall owners had brought over. It is also common practice for food festival organizers to hire local workers as the main labor force.

Shanghai is living up to its strict gourmet standards, but we are certainly happy to see new additions to the food scene.

IF YOU GO

Jinjiang Action Park 201 Hongmei Road, Minhang district

Traffic: Take Metro Line 1 and get off at Jinjiang Park Station. Stick to public transport as finding a paring lot can be a nightmare.

Opening hours: 5pm – 10pm daily until Aug 31

Admission: 20 yuan (Exchangeable for food and drink of the same value)