Comfort food for the soul in winter

There is no snack more popular with the Shanghainese during winter than a humble bag of freshly roasted chestnuts

Xiangxiang Chestnut, a tiny shop selling roasted chestnuts, is situated in the same neighborhood as Angelina, an elegant Parisian tea house that advertises itself as the favorite cafe of the late Coco Chanel, as well as being the most authoritative patisserie for Mont Blanc, a pureed chestnut cake.

Business at Angelina has been brisk since its opening last year, with an endless stream of customers entering and leaving the bright and spacious outlet during weekends. However, Zhang Rongxiang, the owner of Xiangxiang Chestnut, believes that the cafe's popularity could just be "a flash in the pan", while his offerings, on the other hand, have for decades remained as the perennial favorite among locals.