Sugared & Spiced

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Pulau Ketam

Add: Xintiandi S. Block, Lane 123, 2-3 Xingye Lu, near Madang Lu 
 新天地, 兴业路123弄2-3号, 近马当路
Tel: 5306 3706
Hours: 11:30am~2pm, 5:30~10:30pm
Price: 400 RMB+/person
Visited on: 2012-07

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

The folks behind Haiku by Hatsune and Kagen Teppanyaki recently opened Pulau Ketam, an upscale Singaporean/Malaysian crab house with a menu that focuses on – you guessed it – crabs. I’m not so familiar with this cuisine and was quite eager to try…but first, a chilled towel and a welcome drink at the door to cool down the summer heat.

We started the meal on a light note with an Organic Mixed Green Salad (138 RMB), a lush heap dressed in sweet orange vinaigrette and punctuated with crunchy candied walnuts. Crisp and refreshing.

Aubergine Tempura with Pork Floss (108 RMB), julienned aubergines fried to a golden crisp, then topped with sweet and savory pork tendon floss.

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Käfer by The Binjiang One

Add: Fucheng Lu, Shi Bu Jie, You Long Garden / 浦东富城路拾步街由隆花园, 近滨江大道
Tel: 5877 7500
Hours: 11:30am-11pm
Price: [brunch] 358 RMB [lunch] 148 RMB [dinner] 400+RMB
Visited on: 2012-06

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

As the name suggests, Käfer by The Binjiang One is a collaboration between two entities, namely the BLN Restaurants & Caterings (most known for their Paulaner restaurants) and Germany dining brand Käfer. It’s located in a corner of Lujiazui that I’ve never ventured to before, and upon entering the airy restaurant, I was surprised to find it abuzz with a mix of local and foreign diners. The brunch deal here, 358 RMB for a free flow of wine and other drinks, an appetizer and dessert buffet, in addition to an all-you-can-eat a la carte menu, has apparently attracted quite a following.

The theme is contemporary European dining, though there are some Asian dishes on the a la carte menu as well as on the buffet table, presumably to cater to different types of guests. Green bean soup for dessert? It’s got to be a request from Chinese patrons.

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Table No. 1

Address: 1-3 Maojiayuan Lu, near Zhongshan Nan Lu / 毛家園路1-3號1樓, 近中山南路
Tel: 6080 2918
Hours: 12:00~2:30pm, 6:00~10:30pm
Website: www.tableno-1.com
Price: [lunch] 178 RMB+15%/person, [dinner]300~500 RMB/person
Visited on: 2012-03

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

I love Table No. 1 in daylight, but it is even more charming after dark. With candles lit on every table, this minimally decorated dining room becomes quite a romantic spot, and whether you are here for a date (choose a window seat) or a friendly gathering (choose a communal table), this place will not disappoint.

Our table looked into the interior courtyard, across which we could see some actions from the kitchen.

There’s also a semi-private room available for those looking for more seclusion.

I started the meal with a Dirty Lychee Martini (80 RMB), muddled lychee fruits shaken with lychee liqueur and Absolut raspberry vodka, while my friend went for TN1. Mojito (80 RMB), muddled mint leaves and lime mixed with Havana Blanco rum and topped with soda. Thumbs up to both.

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Jing’An Restaurant

Address: 2F, The PuLi Hotel and Spa, 1 Changde Lu, near Yan’an Xi Lu / 常德路1號2樓， 近延安西路
Tel: 2216 6988
Hours: 11:30-2:30pm, 7:00-10:30pm
Price: [brunch] 398 RMB + 15%/person
Website: www.jinganrestaurant.com

PuLi Hotel’s Jing’An Restaurant – adorned with dark woods, bamboo screens, lotus flowers, and huge plate-glass windows overlooking Jing’an Park – is one of my favorite places in Shanghai. Brunch here is a lavish affair, with two buffet tables in addition to a la carte orders of main courses and desserts, plus the optional free flow of Moet & Chandon Brut or Moet & Chandon Rose. What else can you ask for?

Jing’An Resaurant

Table setting

Buffet tables

I usually don’t like buffet food because mass production usually leads to subpar quality, but the buffet tables at Jing’An are quite nicely put together. What they entail: a fresh seafood station, charcuterie selection with dressing, roasted meats, freshly baked breads and pastries, imported cheeses, pickled station with pickled eggs, cucumbers onions and marinated mushrooms, fresh salad selection, a variety of homemade condiments, and fresh fruits. Yes, it’s a lot of food.

Smoked salmon, charcuterie

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Inagiku 稻菊

Address: Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre, 2/F, 555 Xizang Zhong Lu, near Fengyang Lu / 西藏中路555号2楼, 近凤阳路
Tel: 2312 9888
Hours: [lunch] 11:30am-2:30pm [dinner] 5:30pm-10:30pm
Website: www.shanghaimarriott.com/dining
Price: [lunch] 130~580 RMB [dinner] 600 RMB+
Visited on:  2012-02-11

Please note that this is an arranged tasting, so my experience is possibly more positive than a regular visit.

The recently opened Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre houses a few high potential restaurants, one of them being Inagiku. The restaurant originally began as a small tempura joint in Hamamachi back in 1866, but as its popularity grew, Inagiku opened its first international branch at the Wardorf Astoria in New York, and it can now be found some very fine hotels like Four Seasons Hong Kong, Shangri-la Manila, and Park Hyatt Beijing. Overseeing the Shanghai branch is veteran Inagiku chef Shinji Morihara, who puts together an extensive offering of premium sushi, teppanyaki, and the famous Inagiku tempura.

Inagiku

Sushi bar

The interior is fresh and contemporary with navy blue and blonde wood. The main dining room, featuring separate sushi and tenppanyaki bar, overlooks the Winter Garden. The space also includes five private dining suites, seating up to 10 guests.

Interior

Corner table

Inagiku serves 19 Business and Premier Lunch Sets (yes, 19!), all starting with a refreshing appetizer and a baby green salad. Simple and clean.

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M1NT Restaurant

Address: 24 Floor 318 Fuzhou Lu near Shandong Lu / 福州路318号24楼, 近山东路
Tel: 6391 2811
Hours: 6:00pm~late
Website: www.m1ntglobal.com
Price: 400+ RMB/person
Visited on: 2012-01-07

Please note that this is an arranged tasting, so my experience is possibly more positive than a regular visit.

We ordered way too much food that evening at M1NT. Chef Grant Brunsden has a talent for writing appealing menus, and when faced with a choice between wild caught Boston lobster tempura with wasabi mayonnaise & ponzu dressing and bamboo roasted Pacific black cod with grilled lime, ordering can take a long time. The solution? Try everything.

M1NT Restaurant

Interior

Just like M1NT the club, M1NT the restaurant is sleek and popping. Tones of red and gold, funky music on high, open theater kitchen, and the Bund view. The menu is modern European with very heavy Asian accents – lots of yuzu, miso, wasabi, shiso, and the likes.

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Jean Georges Cooking Demonstration & Luncheon

Address: 4/F, Three on the Bund, 17 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu
.              广东路17号, 外滩三号4楼, 近中山东一路
Tel: 6321 7733
Website: www.threeonthebund.com
Price: 428 RMB + 10%/person
Visited on: 2011-11-19

…and he’s back! Those of you who have read this post know that Jean-Georges Vongerichten was in Shanghai 7 months ago and demo’ed three dishes to an eager audience. This time, he has returned with his latest cookbook, “Home Cooking with Jean Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes” and showcased yet another 4 of his delicious creations. What I loved most about this particular cooking class – the dishes are actually simple enough to be recreated at home. Gasp. Can you really cook like Jean-Georges Vongerichten?

Jean-Georges Vongerichten cooking demonstration

Home Cooking with Jean-Georges

Mise en place, with each plate clearly labeled “for cod”, “for salad”, “for toast,” etc.

Mise en place

Mise en place

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Goga

Address: 1 Yueyang Lu, near Dongping Lu 岳阳路1号, 近东平路
Tel: 6431 9700
Hours: 6:30~10:30pm
Prices: 300~350 RMB/person (without wine)
Visited on: 2011-11-09

Another casual dinner at the small but delicious Goga, and this time I made sure to reserve a bar seat where I could see the open kitchen in full action. Alas, Brad Turley wasn’t really there that evening, but it’s good to know that his staff is able to manage the place without his presence.

Goga

Grilling

Torching

We started the meal with something we haven’t tasted before – Sizzling Kampachi Sashimi (95 RMB) with fresh yuzu, white soy, and white truffle. This is one of those dishes that arrives at the table smelling so divine that it has me wrapped up in a haze of anticipation and appetite before anything hit even my tongue. A few irresistible slices of kampachi resting a a puddle of white soy and white truffle, so simple, so seductively delicious.

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Maison Pourcel

Address: 8/F, 35 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Changle Lu / 陕西南路35号8楼, 近长乐路
Tel: 6215 8777
Hours: 8:30~11:30am
Website: www.maisonpourcel.com
Price: 388 RMB/person, includes breakfast and a 3-course tasting

Every other week, Christophe LeRouy from Maison Pourcel opens his kitchen for an exclusive session to reveal some cooking secrets. Here are picture highlights from the “See Provence in Your Dish” class I attended back in August, starting with some of the best croissants I’ve had in Shanghai…

Breakfast, included in the price

Today’s menu: foccacia bread, cod fish with anchovy pissaladiere and tomato coulis, and mackerel esbache with tomato jam. Let’s turn up the heat.

Recipes

Ingredients

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Madison

Address: 3/F, 18 Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu / 东平路18号, 近衡山路
Tel: 6437 0136
Hours: [Daily] 6:00pm~10:30pm, [Sat-Sun Brunch] 12:00pm~3:00pm
Price: [Dinner] 300 RMB/person, [Brunch] ~100 RMB/person

My (yet another) gloriously gluttonous weekend culminated at the Madison’s weekly family-style Sunday Supper. The deal: 300 RMB per person for a free flow of hearty dishes, add another 50 RMB for a free flow of drinks. The theme this week? Holiday Turkey! Now who can resist a sumptuous spread of citrus roasted turkey, giblet gravy, orange-ginger cranberry sauce,mashed potatoes with scallions, candied yam with homemade marshmallows, and pumpkin pie with bourbon whipped cream?

Yeah, you better loosen that belt.

Sunday Supper at Madison

These classic holiday dishes need no introductions. On with the pictures.

Pumpkin sourdough bread

Creamy, velvety smooth mashed potatoes with scallions.

Mashed potatoes with scallions

Candied yam crowned with homemade marshmallows.

Candied yam with homemade marshmallows

And of course, roasted turkey. Succulent, with a refreshing citrus fragrance, totally satisfying.

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