Bella (Yue'er)
Cuisine: Northeastern & Shanghai Home Cooking
Location: Xuhui District
Price: ¥340 per person
Group size: 1–2 guests
About Bella (Yue'er)
I grew up in Northeast China, a region known for big flavors and even bigger personalities. I studied English at university, so conversation in English has never been a problem. In college we had American exchange students on campus, and I took them around — the market, ordering food, explaining what guanxi actually means. That was my first taste of being a cultural bridge and I loved it. Later I worked as a translator at a China–Africa economic and trade organization, sitting between Chinese businesses and delegates from across Africa. That taught me something I still carry: real cross-cultural communication isn't word-for-word translation, it's understanding where someone is coming from and finding the right way to meet them there. After a master's degree at City University of Hong Kong I moved to Shanghai, worked in operations and social media at a biotech company, and eventually went full-time on what I actually love — teaching Chinese metaphysics. My students come to me for clarity, not magic. I get excited going to work every single day. I also love travelling, meeting new people, and good food. And I have a cat, who will peek at you when you arrive, decide you're fine, and go back to sleep.
Menu
I'm Bella — Yue'er (月儿) in Chinese. I'm a Northeastern girl who now calls Shanghai home, living in a small lane-house apartment in Xuhui with my cat. It's not a fancy place, but the food is real and the conversation is better. I cook the way a friend cooks when they invite you over. My signature is coconut chicken, slow-simmered in fresh coconut water into a light, sweet broth. There's always something from my hometown on the table too — Coca-Cola chicken wings, dark and sticky, are the dish people ask me for again and again. To me, home dining isn't "you eat what I cook." It's that we share a meal. You're not a guest so much as a friend who stopped by. I'll want to know where you're from, what your comfort food is back home, and what has surprised you most about China — and I genuinely want to know. I also teach Chinese metaphysics for a living — Ba Zi, Zi Wei Dou Shu, Feng Shui and Tarot. If you're curious, we can get into it over dessert. If you're not, we can just as happily talk travel, food and life. Your call. Bella’s sample menu: • Coconut chicken — the signature, slow-simmered in fresh coconut water • Coca-Cola chicken wings — dark, sticky, and the dish friends always request • Spicy shredded pork — the taste of a Northeastern childhood • Garlic seasonal greens — Shanghai bok choy, water spinach, whatever's best at the market • Rice, or Northeast-style congee • Homemade lemon-honey water or Chinese tea Dietary restrictions, allergies, vegetarian, or no spice — just say so in advance and the menu adapts.