Former food haven in Shanghai blossoms once more

"Just look at Park Hotel. People have been queuing up as early as 6 am to buy its famous palmiers even though the pastry shop only opens at 8 am. There are also many more young people visiting these days," said Zhang.

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the latest craze is the restaurant called Tai Sheng Yuan, which was the inspiration for the fictitious Zhi Zhen Yuan restaurant that is depicted in the drama. According to its staff, online sales had burgeoned a whopping 170 percent compared with a week ago. Group purchase orders had also soared by 240 percent.

Visitor numbers to the Fairmont Peace Hotel on the Bund, another landmark depicted in the TV series, has also been rising, as evidenced by the deluge of photos posted by Chinese social media users.

To take advantage of the fanfare surrounding the road, the hotel recently unveiled a new set menu comprising several dishes featured in the TV series. Despite costing 1,460 yuan ($204), the two-person set meals were quickly snapped up within days.