STREETS bear the memory of a city. Every road - short or long, wide or narrow - has its own story to tell. The bustling and prosperous Minhang District in the city's southwest boasts a cluster of unique streets, each with its own distinctive character. Sometimes we walk past them so quickly that we hardly notice their charms. So let's slow down our pace and inhale the sights and sounds of some of the district's best by-ways.

Hongmei Leisure Street

Hongmei is a delight for food lovers and a popular gathering place for expatriates searching for international cuisine and a sense of relaxation.

Located near the intersection of Minhang and Changning districts, this road has been nicknamed "Foreigners Street 101." It's hard to sometimes imagine that the whole area was just farmland not that many years ago.

The 500-meter-long street features a mix of delicacies from around the world, including Korean, Indian, Iranian, French, German, Dutch, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese. The architecture of buildings along the street is decidedly Western-style.

In addition to restaurants of every sort, Hongmei Road is dotted with bars and bakeries. On a chilly winter's night, the outdoor tables are empty and the street may have a forlorn look, but step inside any restaurant and the scene dramatically changes.

There's warmth, laughter, tantalizing aromas and loads of expats, with glasses raised, toasting to good times.

Mexico Lindo is one of the more popular eateries on the street. Its fajitas, burritos, enchiladas and other dishes are spicy and filled with the aroma of cumin, coriander and chillies. The first floor houses a bar, and the second floor serves as a restaurant.

For something more traditionally Spanish, there's CasaPepe, where tapas and a signature duck breast are popular dishes. The restaurant, a two-story villa, has a bamboo grove outside. Patrons are welcomed by the rhythmic fire of flamenco music upon entering the restaurant.

Jiangchuan Road

The air of Jiangchuan Road is filled with the fragrance of camphor and the passion of romance. This is a favorite meeting place for lovers, young and sometimes old, to stroll hand-in-hand underneath rows of lush camphor trees.

There are no doubt numerous streets dubbed "Love Road" in Shanghai, but to heartthrobs of Minhang, Jiangchuan possesses a special magic.

Many believe that walking from one end of the street to the other will ensure eternal love.

The street dates back to 1959 and no doubt bears silent testimony to tens of thousands of footsteps by people whispering sweet nothings.

Apart from sentimental importance, the street has also been called "an oxygen bar of the city" because of its extensive tree foliage.

Locals tell the story of the road's early days, when the street was first planted with fast-growing popular trees.

"The street was soon invaded by an insect pest because that variety of tree is vulnerable to bug infestation," said Luo Gongqi, an 85-year-old resident who lived on Jiangchuan since 1960. "It became a headache for local residents."

Worse for those who hoped for green street scenery all year around, "the trees lost their leaves every autumn and went bare," Luo said.

A subsequent visit by the late Chinese President Liu Shaoqi changed all that.

He listened to the residents' complaints and suggested that non-deciduous camphor trees be planted along the roadway.

Over 380 camphor trees were then transported from Jinggangshan Mountain, the "cradle of the Chinese revolution," and planted along the street.

Big trucks were used for the transport in an arduous three-day trip.

"Like many residents living on the street, I don't want to move simply because I have gotten used to the refreshing fragrance of the trees when I open the window every morning," Luo said.

Qibao Old Street

The famed Qibao Old Street is one of the gems of Minhang, renowned for its beautiful water scenery and abundance of delicacies.

The street dates back to the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). There's an old saying: "The Bund reflects 100 years of Shanghai's history, while Qibao looks back 1,000 years."

The mottled cobblestone walkway of Qibao Old Street winds its way into a deep secluded area of residences, breathing the intrigues and vicissitudes of ancient times.

Qibao literally means "seven treasures." Legend has it that there were seven treasures in the area: a gold lotus scripture written by an imperial concubine during the 10th century, a magic tree dating back a thousand years, a bronze bell, an iron Buddha, a golden cockerel, jade chopsticks and a jade axe.

The street was built near the confluence of two rivers and flourished as a trade center for centuries.

Today, you have to maneuver your way through the crowds of hungry people who come here to enjoy some of the best food Minhang has to offer. Among the local specialties are deep-fried tofu, plain sliced lamb, crab apple cake, tangyuan (rice ball or sweet dumpling) and smelly bean curd.

Once the appetite is sated, it's time to stroll and enjoy all the special amenities here.

Interspersed among the food stalls are a number of small museums whose quiet interiors are in stark contrast to the hustle and bustle outside.

The Textile Mill at 41 North Street pays tribute to Huang Daopo, a legendary woman who made remarkable contributions to innovative weaving and spinning techniques.

Huang was born around 1245 AD in Wunijin Town of Songjiang Prefecture, which is today known as Dongwan Village near Qibao. The people of Qibao have long been celebrated for their weaving and spinning crafts. At the museum, visitors can see how cotton fabrics are turned into clothing.

Stepping into Laohangdang (Old Trades and Crafts), located at 9 East Street, visitors will marvel at the variety of arts that mark the history of this area. The 500-square-meter museum unfolds a vivid and meticulous panorama of Qibao in more ancient times, with wax figures recreating daily life. Here, you can come face to face with the blacksmiths, carpenters, fortunetellers, tailors and weavers in Qibao, such an important center of commerce in the past.

Zhou's Miniature Carving House, at 64 Fuqiang Road, hosts a vast collection of ornate, small sculptures carved with immense precision.

The stone sculptures replicate settings from the classic Chinese novel "A Dream of the Red Mansions." A collection of stone-sculptured teapots is also on display.

Longming Leisure Street

If you fancy something more traditionally Chinese, Longming Leisure Street in the Gumei area is the place to go for a meal.

The street, also called Shishangfang, features an array of restaurants offering cuisines from across China. That makes this area very popular with migrant residents longing for the taste of home.

The 300-meter-long road offers authentic Taiwanese, Cantonese, Sichuan and even minority cuisines, among others.

Longming Street has its own particular character, blending traditional and trendiness. Its restaurants are distinctive without being pretentious.

Located off Gudai Road, Shishangfang takes its name from 10 classical black, white and gray buildings in Jiangnan, a region south of the Yangtze River. Shi means the number 10 in Chinese, and shishang means "fashion."

The buildings along the street used to look a bit dowdy, but then local authorities decided to give the area a facelift.

Japanese architects were brought in to redesign the exteriors. The buildings are now decorated in classy wood, glass and iron plates decors, and fountains, pathways and greenery were added to give an intimate, cozy look.

The Cantonese Family Restaurant, the Lahu Restaurant, and Easy Kitchen are some of the most popular eateries on the street.

The Cantonese Family Restaurant, as indicated by its name, offers authentic food from Guangdong Province in the south. Its soups and rice dishes are always highly rated.

Stepping into the Lahu Restaurant is like setting foot into the intriguing world of the Lahu people, an ethnic group of Yunnan Province in China's southwest.

Handmade wares and the colorful costumes of the Lahu people lend an authentic air to the restaurant. Ingredients for dishes, including the delectable mushrooms of Yunnan, are imported for the kitchen.

Easy Kitchen specializes in the cuisines of the inland province of Jiangxi.

In addition to its restaurants, Longming Street features a number of lovely small shops selling clothing, home decor, games and toys.