This place was founded in the 1920s as a French-style cafe that was helmed by three local pastry chefs who had a capital of eight gold bars. Kaisiling is also featured in Shanghai's literary maestro Eileen Chang's Lust, Caution novel.
However, it was the takeaway counter that was, and still is, the most popular. Some say that this was primarily because of the poor service, State-run restaurants usually worry little about turning a profit so their staff are usually not concerned about maintaining service standards.
The cafe's French pastry cream horn eclairs and chestnut gateaux are the bestsellers among the Shanghainese and are most often bought as after-dinner treats. Ask any dessert and pastry lover and he or she would likely tell you that the eclairs are dangerously addictive.