Mobile grill stall told to stay put

Diners tuck into grilled food in a tented area, while food is prepared in a trailer at the Nu De Wing kebab and grill stall's latest home on Dagu Road on Sunday. — Gao Jianping

A high-end mobile kebab and grill stall has been deemed illegal ... because it moved from its original location.

City urban management officials say the Nu De Wing skewer eatery has fallen foul of regulations as its license only covers one location.

However, the owners insist that their grill is licensed to pop up around the city and that officials have not moved them on.

The upmarket street food outlet, which grills Australian lobster and scallops alongside chicken wings and lamb, first set up shop near the Shanghai Concert Hall.

Huangpu District urban management officials said staff told Nu De Wing this was in breach of its license.

Then it moved to Longmen Road and Jinling Road.

An official, surnamed He, told Shanghai Daily that the business was now illegal as the location was different to the one it had registered.

"Their business license says they have a fixed address, which is in the Xiaodongmen area in Huangpu District," He said.

"Only doing business at that location is legal for them."

When Shanghai Daily visited Nu De Wing at its latest home on Dagu Road on Sunday, the owners said they were legal.

"Nu De Wing is completely licensed," Adam Lau, one of its co-founders, said.

"We make it clear on our business license that the stall is mobile," said fellow co-founder Pan Xiang. "That's why urban management officials have had nothing to do with us."

Yesterday, Lau said they would not be open then as it was their day off.

Five young men, including a restaurant rating website founder, set up Nu De Wing.

On their WeChat account they urge customers to vote where they should set up shop next.

The stall has proved popular with peckish nightbirds, though when Shanghai Daily visited at the weekend there were around 20 customers in three hours.

Among them was expat Paul Young who said he liked Beijing's skewered delicacies.

"Shanghai used to lack real kebab stalls but I think this one is not bad," said Young.

"If they had erguotou — Chinese vodka — it would be perfect," he said. "Fortunately, I brought my own."