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
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