Ohsumi, Cuppage Plaza, Singapore

These guys specialize in kurobota pork shabu shabu, and here is the
spread!
If the number of Japanese patrons are a measure of a restaurant's
authenticity, this place must be really good. The restaurant located
on the third floor of Cuppage Plaza was full of Salarymen ready to
have a good time on a Friday night.

Brunch under the new Pavillon

I thought it was time to head back to xintiandi after a three year hiatus. The last time I was there, we dined at T8, which had always been my favorite restaurant in Shanghai, but even T8 was starting to bore me a little, especially since their Australian executive chef had move on to better things. In this city where taste and trends change by the season, I expected a lot of new and exciting culinary venues to experience as I headed to Xintiandi.

So, it was a pleasant surprise to find out that Costes Paris, the ultra-hip lounge from Paris had opened its first venture outside France, and in the heart of Xintiandi no less. Pavillon, taking its name from the three-storey high pavilion specially built for this venue, looks very chic in its velvet and chinoiserie elements. Today, I arrived a little early for Sunday brunch, the lounge was empty save for a couple sitting by the window. I picked a spot directly under the pavilion, in the middle of the dining section. Like most trendy eateries in Shanghai these days, brunch is a popular weekend pastime with friends and family, and most restaurants have prix fixe brunch menus to cater to the diners. For 298RMB, I had a choice of starter, main and dessert, with juice or coffee or tea, and a bread basket. 

I ordered orange juice, which turned out to be the bottled variety, and not fresh. I had expected more. The breadbasket was actually two plates of bread, including wheat slices, buns and croissants. My appetizer of Avocado/Tuna arrived shortly. For an appetizer the portion was rather big, the diced raw tuna covering the top of the avocado mousse terrine. I was not too impressed with this dish, it felt amateurish, like a combination of two base ingredients hastily put together, lightly salted, and not much else.

The main course of Morel Mushroom with Penne was highly anticipated, but again, this dish was underwhelming. The penne was a little under cooked, of the pre-packed box variety, and the cream sauce was normal at best. The morel mushrooms were fresh and nice though.

For dessert, I ordered the Hotel Costes special - chocolate cake with strawberry sorbet. After eating Jean Georges' chocolate cake last night, I knew Pavillon would have a tough task on hand to impress me. The chocolate cake was not as smooth, and the molten chocolate center was not velvety rich, but rather lumpy.

All in all, Pavillon was mediocre at best, and service was equally disappointing. The restaurant was empty and yet service was slow, non existent at times while the wait staff were chatting in the service area. Perhaps Pavillon would fare much better sticking to the lounge business.

Pavillon by Costes Paris is located at Xintiandi, House 17, Lane 181 Taicang Lu, Shanghai.

Tel: +86-5306-9988

My old friend Jean Georges

It was a cold and rainy evening in early March, winter was still in the air in Shanghai. I put on my iPod earphones to keep my ears warm and headed out to the Bund at near freezing temperatures. Ten minutes of brisk walking later, I was standing in front of Three On The Bund.

The last time I had dined here was at least three years ago, also on a rainy night like this, sitting by the window of the cozy bar at Jean Georges, watching the lightning show brighten up the stormy Shanghai skyline. And the time before that was during my dad's birthday dinner celebration back in 2006.

Even though Jean Georges has changed much over the last few years, the restaurant has still retained a refined and cosy atmosphere that was rife with French sophistication. But gone were the beautiful ladies working the bar section in cheong sams, who, only a few years back, set the standard for sullty sex appeal on the Bund strip. Alas, there were only three waiters serving the room tonight, and only 3 tables taken up. Must be a slow Saturday night for this venerable institution of French culinary excellence.  The fine dining room appeared to be buzzing with activity, but I was here for some quiet reminiscing and nostalgia, so I picked the same table I had sat in three years ago and ordered a cocktail.

The prix fixe menu looked attractive at 250RMB, so I settled for that and selected my courses. Service seemed a bit slow that night, but I was in no hurry to leave. The waiter kept offering me their warm raisin bread, which was delightful. My first course finally arrived after a long wait - Wild Mushroom Soup, Parmesan, Chili and Thyme. The mushroom broth was full flavored, very tasty and the thyme was a nice herby contrast to the parmesan, and the chili slices added a bit of kick to the clear soup. Next up, I had the Slowly Cooked Salmon, Red Cabbage, Parsnips and Horseradish. Salmon always tasted wonderful when they're competently cooked - juicy, flaky and with a rich unique buttery flavor. The red cabbage was sweet and tart, while the parsnips was a little crunchy and contrasted well with the other ingredients, and created a very well balanced taste. For dessert, I picked the JG chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. This was their signature dessert that have been winning rave reviews over the past few years. I was heartened to find out that this was still the best chocolate cake in this part of Shanghai. A lot of restaurants try their hand at creating this dessert, but few can get the serving temperature perfect, and the chocolate cake texture to a consistency close to pudding, yet still remaining a cake.

While Jean Georges still serves up classy, delectable French cuisine, the restaurant is starting to show its age in the worn out armchairs, frayed curtains and as well as some of the fixtures around the room. The dimly lit bar still retains a Parisian air of sophistication and dignity, but perhaps it's time to kick off a complete makeover to compete with the new kids on the block like Mr& Mrs Bund. Nonetheless, Jean Georges never disappoints when it comes to excellent French cuisine.

Jean Georges is located at Three On The Bund, 4/F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Shanghai.

Tel: +86-6321-7733

I had dinner with Wang Lee Hom

Recently, a friend of mine told me to check out one of the newest boutique hotel in town, called The PuLi Hotel and Spa. With the pace of change these days in Shanghai, it's really hard to keep up with the latest and greatest places to dine. And so, on this cold rainy night after returning from the office, I decided tonight was the night I needed a new place to try for dinner. So I hailed a cab from the Peninsula and made my way to The PuLi Hotel in Jing'An. 

I was impressed by the modern facade of granite and metal as the cab pulled up the stone driveway flanked by bamboo, stopping at the circular driveway of granite and wood. The walkway at the main entrance was sleek and modern, with iron curtains acting as walls, leading visitors into the square foyer with high ceilings, then into the long expanse of the main lobby, reception and bar areas.

The hotel's interior design was a stark contrast to the garish modern, opulent and over-the-top themes that seem commonplace in Shanghai these days in most of the five star hotels on both sides of the Bund. The PuLi's design was a blend of modern western architecture styles infused with a lot of meticulously planned Chinese influences, from the choice of floor tiles, to the design of the doors and carpets. Simply put, I loved this hotel and would move here in a heartbeat if I hadn't checked into the Peninsula already.

Anyway, I made my way to the Jing'An restaurant on the second floor. It was close to 10 o'clock when I arrived, and the restaurant was very empty except for a few occupied tables scattered around the room. The stunning view of Jing'An Park outside the restaurant caught my eye, and so I picked a table by the window and ordered a drink while I waited for my friend to arrive.

The waiter soon informed us that we had to place our last orders for the night, so I ordered my dinner, which consisted of cauliflower soup flavored with a dash of olive oil, roasted duck breast with a beetroot sorbet and mushroom ravioli. For dessert, I made my friend share the sampler with me, which consisted of the restaurant's five signature desserts. For the amuse bouche, I was served a sliver of cured salmon beautifully garnished with herbs and flower. 

Each dish was meticulously prepared and presented, and the interpretation was modern and light, and flavors shone through. I especially loved the cauliflower soup, it was the smoothest, and most flavorful cauliflower soup I had ever tasted.

Actually, this entry is not so much about the food as my encounter with Wang Lee Hom, the singer/actor. I was only told by my friend that Wang Lee Hom had the table just behind me, that very night in the Jing'An restaurant. He had retreated back to his room with his friends shortly after my friend arrived, but my friend had neglected to tell me this little fact until we got up to leave. Ah well, that was my brush with celebrity-dom. It seems that The PuLi hotel is the choice of many Hong Kong celebrities these days, so a dinner at Jing'An would also be an opportunity for some stargazing. Maybe I'll have better luck next time. But I'm definitely coming back for the food.

More competition for Jean Georges

It was during one of those cold rainy evenings in Shanghai, and I had a craving for something French. I was trying to decide between Jean Georges or Hamilton House, both along the Bund, when a friend suggested Sir Elly's at the new Peninsula hotel, which coincidentally, was also located along the Bund near Huangpu Road. I called up the restaurant and they confirmed that a table by the window was available, so I walked over.

Hotels in the Peninsula group all seem to have the same grand, opulent ambience and interiors, and this location in Shanghai is no different. As an old stately Shanghainese style mansion, it stays true to its old world charm. Sir Elly's is the modern European fine dining restaurant on the 13th floor of the hotel, accessible by the antique art deco styled elevator located in the shopping arcade section of the hotel. The entrance is both dark and inviting, with deep reds and plush black armchairs, a stunning view of the Bund and discreet understated elegance.

 I took a seat in the lounge as they prepared my table, and was then led into a fine dining room with high ceilings, a Chihuly inspired chandelier and well-appointed tables and chairs befitting a stately European manor. Lorenz, my European waiter came with the menu and introduced a few of the daily highlights, but the four course tasting menu immediately caught my eye (580RMB++). Perhaps, because I was famished, but probably more so due to the choice of words in the descriptions like "foie gras", "lobster" and "Wagyu", and not necessary in that order.

The amuse bouche was truffled egg custard with maple cream, and came in an egg shell with the top shaved off. The egg white inside was steamed perfectly, light salted and well scented with truffle oil, and combined very well with the slightly sweet maple flavored whipped cream. A perfectly light starter that set my stomach rumbling for more. While waiting for the next course, I sampled the bread basket. My favorite choice was the truffled scones. I also ordered a glass of the Peninsula pinot noir, specially bottled by the Keller Estate in Sonoma country, CA.

The foie gras soup with chives, and duck and fig confit was an absolute delight. The foie gras aroma was very enticing, the soup was not too heavy, and the confit at the bottom of the cup was a nice touch, with shreds of tender duck meat and sprinklings of fig. The extra croutons on the side gave each sip of the soup a light crunchiness.

And when I thought I had just experienced the best course of the tasting menu, along comes the steamed lobster in lobster bisque. A heavenly broth of flavor and chunks of juicy fresh Maine lobster meat layered in a glass bowl with sprigs of herbs.

For my main, I had a choice of sole or Wagyu tenderloin. Guess which one I picked. The dish arrived with a nice cut of beef tenderloin in the middle, with marinated forest mushroom slices on left, and a piece of steamed custard and poached pear on the right. The waiter then poured a small cup of beef broth over the beef. The most enjoyable part of this dish was the contrasting textures of the ingredients and the subtle flavors, not too overpowering and yet perfectly balanced. A soup spoon was provided so I could drink the light yet full flavored beef broth at the end of the course.

As a pre dessert, my strawberry pannacotta arrived in a small shot glass, with a layer of strawberry puree on the top. This was soft, delicate pannacotta, with a tiramisu-like texture and strawberry puree that was not too sweet, but just right. I was very full by the time the coffee souffle and Amaretto ice cream arrived. I could only eat a few scoops of the souffle, but finished the small scoop if ice cream before asking for the check.

This was by far the best French meal I've had in a long time, the dishes were perfectly executed and the service was superb. I even got to know the manager Cindy who came by for a chat as the evening drew to a close. I was definitely impressed by the whole experience, so much so that I called up the hotel the very next day and made a room reservation for the weekend.

Sir Elly's is located in the Peninsula Hotel, Shanghai, at 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, The Bund.

Tel: +86-21-2327-2888

Lost in Heaven

From the description of this restaurant on their website, it sounded like a piece of the fabled city of Shangri-La transplanted into the bustling neighborhood of Shanghai's Bund. Shanghai has seen quite a few innovative dining concepts in the past few years since I've been here, but Lost Heaven has captured the essence of the minority ethnic lifestyle in China very deftly, distilling over 50 tribal customs and styles into a vast three-storey cultural showcase housed in a pre-war mansion along Yan'an Dong Road. As you venture through Lost Heaven's doors, the boutique showcases handicrafts and fine household accessories from local minority groups across China. There's also a chocolate counter which stands oddly by the side. I had no idea the ethnic minorities had a sweet tooth for truffles.

The dining room was located on the second level, up a flight of concrete stairs decorated with flowing dyed cloth and tribal decorations. On the walls are hand painted cloth portraits of gods and mythical figures showcasing more cultural gems. I decided to get a drink at the roof top bar before dinner, so I headed up to the third floor. 

The expansive open air deck of the bar was a refreshing change from the usual stuffy bars in most restaurants. There were long beds at various corners, recliners and a bar facing the main road below. The city skyline was breathtaking. It was hard to imagine this was China, still very communist, yet very modern and capitalist at the same time. 

The waiter informed me that the outdoor bar was closed for the winter, so I headed indoors to the main area. The bar was as big as the average club in Shanghai, with a sizable area in the middle that could be easily converted to a dancefloor. Decoration was opulent Chinese tribal, and very reminiscent of an Indochinese bar in Singapore I had visit several years back. Buddha figurines lined the walls along with candlelights, red lanterns hung from above, and old Chinese antique furniture were used for seating around the lounge area. The creaky wooden floor boards set the tone for the whole old-world charm experience.

I ordered their signature cocktail, called Thai Zeed, a combination of vodka, Malibu rum, pineapple and chilli for kicks. Nicely done, with a hint of lemongrass, and a salted rim. I brought my drink down to the dining hall where my table was waiting. The dining area felt like one of the old Shikoumen houses in Xintiandi, definitely a very tourist and expat friendly dining environment, some might call it modern Chinese chic.

The menu was very extensive, beautifully illustrated with color photographs and English descriptions. Everything looked tempting, and prices were very reasonable in the 60-70RMB range. I ordered the spring rolls in tofu skin and the grilled chicken salad for appetizers. The spring rolls were similar to the vegetarian versions that can be found in most Cantonese restaurants, but nonetheless very well done. The bland sounding chicken salad just blew me away and was by far my favorite dish for the evening. Crispy on the edges, tender on the inside, with a spicy Thai-style soy sauce dressing poured over the meat. The sliced cucumbers resting on the bottom of the dish was a clean contrast to the spiciness. I could have eaten another place as my main course.

For mains, the Burmese chicken curry was very normal, and tasted like regular Thai curry but without the spicy edge. The spicy fried beef, on the other hand, was a Yunnan classic that was bold, full-flavored and tender. This was the kind of dish that would make you order another bowl of rice just to soak up the excellent gravy.

My whole experience at Lost Heaven was definitely positive, maybe even memorable. At times I felt like I was in some exotic, far flung village in the Chinese hinterlands or an elaborate movie set for a period film., being entertained by the locals eager to entertain you in their fantasy world of Shangri-la. More importantly, the food was top notch and far exceeded my expectations for a dining concept restaurant. Lost Heaven gets big thumbs up from me.

Lost Heaven is located at 17 Yan'an Dong Lu, The Bund, near Sichuan Nan Lu.

Tel: 021-6330-0967

I felt like Alice in a Chinese Wonderland

Stepping in to the hip and trendy Mr&Mrs Bund by Paul Pairet made me feel like I was transported to the realm of the Red Queen in Alice In Wonderland, with flashes of the Mad Hatter's decorative whims thrown in. Here you find bright hues of red, black and silver, gigantic armchairs and darkwood sofas, whimsically placed table accessories, candlestick with transparent stems and waiters strutting around in hip casual attire wearing Converse All Stars. 

Although billed as a French restaurant, Mr&Mrs Bund takes classic French fare to the next level with very innovative cooking techniques (almost sous vide style at times), combined with high quality locally grown ingredients sourced from all over China. The menu itself comes in a large leather binder that reads like an extensive supermarket grocery list, with different types of meat sold by the gram, vegetables cooked in many different ways, raw delicacies like oysters, caviar, foie gras, pate and cheese selections on several pages. They even smoke their own salmon for the carpaccio. The restaurant serves meals family style, so everyone at the table gets to partake in sampling all the dishes.

One of the hallmarks of a good restaurant is the quality of the bread, and should always be served warm. The bread basket at Mr&Mrs Bund was generous, and the freshly baked goods came to the table warm, with a choice of tuna mouse or butter. The baguette was the best I've had in a long time.

I ordered duck foie gras with raisin hazelnut crumble for starters while I sipped my French martini. The hazelnut crumble was a very clever idea - crunchy bits of crsuhed hazelhuts with crystallized burnt brown sugar and caramelized raisins. The contrast of cruchiness with smooth foie gras was the perfect juxtaposition of taste and texture.

If you like prawn, you could order the Prawn Steamed in a Citrus Jar, which comes in an airtight glass jar filled with citrus juice, a  single stalk of lemongrass and a giant prawn steamed at 500degF. I was offered a whiff of the scent emanating from the steaming jar, and that was enough to send my tastebuds popping. The waiters are on hand to prepare and serve each dish deftly, as the prawn is lifted from the jar, quartered and placed onto a plate before being garnished. The prawn was very fresh, tender and almost fully cooked at the center. The accompanying soy sauce mixture was an excellent pairing, and truly showcased the talents of the chefs.

The second main course was Seafood In A Bag, which was black cod steamed with Chinese wine sauce. It sounded a little too Chinese, but our waiter assured us that this was one of the most popular signature dishes in the restaurant and we would not be disappointed. The dish arrived in a clear plastic bag, steamed and ready to be opened. Again, our waiter proceeded to prepare the food at our table, firstly, pouring the sauce over a small mound of rice in a bowl, and then placing the generous serving of black cod on top of it. My apprehensions were unfounded as the first mouthful of cod melted in my mouth and was unbelievably flavorful. Together with the Chinese sauce, it  didn't really taste totally Chinese, nor French, but a good balance between the two. I was most impressed with the texture of the fish, and the taste of freshness lingering in my mouth after I had devoured my last bite.

Shortly after my first visit, I returned a few nights later, drawn to the amazing duck foie gras with raisin and hazelnut crumble, and the freshly baked baguette and toast. This time we ordered a vegetarian meal, complete with potato gratin, tomato salad, vegetarian risotto, pasta and homemade Nutella and panacotta ice cream. All the dishes were well prepared, but the seafood dishes from the previous night definitely stood out from the ordinary. I think Mr&Mrs Bund just became my favorite restaurant in Shanghai.

Mr&Mrs Bund is located at 6/F Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, The Bund.
Tel: 021-6323-9898

Tatsuya, Goodwood Park Hotel, Singapore

I always knew that Tatsuya's was a high end place but tonight it was heaving with dealmakers and wealthy businessmen with their mistresses.  I guess I should have known when we passed the Maserati, Ferrari and Hummer parked right in front but I just thought it was going to be a quiet Monday night at the place.  It finally occurred to me that it was in fact Tuesday, the day that the fresh shipment comes in, and boy was it good.  I know from time to time I stray to other Japanese establishments but as you can probably see from this blog, I keep coming back (it doesn't hurt that it is a 5 minute walk from my apartment).  I have decided to cap my visits to once a quarter just to enjoy the seasonal changes in the menu.  We'll see how long I can hold out.....

Pictured below : (Baby Squid in Miso with Soramame, Sashimi Moriawase, Aburi Sushi, Barracuda, Stewed Lotus Root and Sea Eel, Seasonal Bamboo Clam, Strawberry and Melon)