[Shanghai] Shangxi 尚席

Shangxi at Four Seasons Pudong 浦東四季酒店 尚席

Add: 2F Four Seasons Pudong, 210 Century Avenue / 世纪大道210号四季酒店2楼, 近浦城路
Tel: 2036 8888
Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10pm
Website: www.fourseasons.com/pudong
Price: 400-600 RMB/person
Visited: Feb 2015

Please note that this is an invited tasting.

Among the few hotels that have opened since I left Shanghai in 2012, Four Seasons Pudong is one that I heard quite frequently about. Compared to its Puxi sibling, Four Seasons Pudong is much smaller in scale, more modern in design, and more exclusive in vibe. I visited on a Saturday to try Shangxi, the hotel’s Chinese restaurant famed for its dim sum lunch, and was charmed by both the elegant ambience and the delicate dishes.

With only 22 seats in its main hall, Shangxi is probably the smallest hotel-owned Chinese restaurant I’ve been to (additional private rooms available). The atmosphere is exceedingly calm, with tables spaced at a comfortable distance from one another. A great place for private tête-à-têtes.

Lunch started with 蝦油菌菇拌小黃瓜, mushroom salad with fungus and cucumbers in shrimp oil (58 RMB). A refreshing dish, very light in flavor.

蜜汁菠蘿叉燒包 baked barbecued pork buns (48 RMB). Instead of regular buns, these are done in the bo lo bao fashion with a sugary crunchy crust on top. Very delicious.

翡翠鮮蝦春捲 deep-fried shrimp rolls with vegetables (32 RMB).

蔥香紫米瓷飯糕 deep-fried glutinous rice served with sweet and sour sauce (36 RMB). 瓷飯糕 (deep-fried glutinous rice) is a traditional Shanghainese breakfast item that’s not so frequently seen on the streets anymore, so it’s nice to see it on the menu here. What’s more, the version at Shangxi includes 紫米 (purple rice), which adds another layer of flavor and is apparently healthier too.

特色鵝肝醬配蔥油餅 pan-fried dough cake with spring onions and foie gras (68 RMB). 蔥油餅 (pan-fried dough cake with spring onions) is a childhood favorite of mine, though the version at Shangxi is quite different. The pan-fried pancake itself is thicker and fluffier than the kind I’m used to, and is served with foie gras on the side. An interesting combination, though I still prefer the good old plain pan-fried pancakes.

黑松露蝦餃皇 steamed shrimp dumpling with black truffle (38 RMB/person).

原隻鮑魚雞粒酥 baked whole abalone puff with diced chicken (38 RMB/person).

浙江雪菜蒸銀鱈魚 steamed cod fish fillet with preserved vegetables (128 RMB). The cod was extremely tender and succulent, its delicate flavor brought alive rather than overshadowed by the condiments. Even the 芥蘭 (Chinese broccoli) on the side was perfectly done.

千層紅燒肉配琥珀桃仁炒爽脆 braised pork in brown sauce with layered crispy tofu sheet and stewed vegetables with green peas and walnuts (78 RMB). While I really enjoyed the mixed vegetables on the side, I wasn’t a big fan of the braised pork with crispy tofu sheet as it was too sweet for my palate.

Dessert was 紅豆雙皮奶配美點雙輝 double boiled milk custard with red beans and petits fours (48 RMB). On cold days like this, it’s absolutely lovely to end a meal on a warm note like this.