The best Western meal I ever had in Shanghai was at the Hard Rock Cafe. I know, bear with me a moment.

It was late Sunday morning and we were looking for a reasonably priced lunch (didn't want to fork over the big bucks at the GHyatt).

We saw the HRC on the map and took a taxi.

The meal was pretty good for HRC, but the environment was excellent. There was this magician/comedian who walked from table to table (I couldn't tell if he was American or European) and he was hilarious.

We were the only westerners in the place and apparently his particular brand of humor wasn't going over so well at the other tables. So he hung around us (we had finished eating, of course) for about 45 minutes. I haven't laughed that hard in years.

I'm headed back to Shanghai in Jan., hope to find him again.