Shanghai food blog | Sugared & Spiced

2011/10/252015/08/31

[Shanghai] Fu 1015 福 1015

Fu 1015 福 1015

Add: 1015 Yuyuan Lu 愚园路1015号
Tel: 5237 9778
Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-10pm
Price: minimum spend 800 RMB/person
Visited: Oct 2011

If you’ve read my previous entry on Fu 1039, you know that the Fu restaurants have established a solid reputation for serving refined Shanghainese dishes in nostalgic old villas. The newest and priciest addition to the series, Fu 1015, promises to be more extravagant in all aspects. So is it really that different from its siblings? Let’s find out.

To fulfill the minimum spend of 800 RMB/person, Fu 1015 pre-arranges menus for all guests. Ours started with an Old Shanghai Smoked Fish 老上海熏魚 (58 RMB). Served hot, crispy on the outside and succulent on the inside, flavors all there. Well done.

Shredded Vegetables with Plum Sauce 梅醬十九上素 (58 RMB) was a tower of fried taro sticks and an assortment of shredded vegetables – turnips, red bell pepper, mango, cucumber, and the likes. A refreshing plate especially when drizzled with the accompanying plum sauce.

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2011/10/232015/08/31

[Shanghai] Xindalu 新大陸 at Hyatt on the Bund

restaurant

Xindalu China Kitchen 新大陸

Add: Hyatt on the Bund, 1/F, 199 Huangpu Lu 黄浦路199号, 外滩茂悦大酒店1楼
Tel: 6393 1234 ext 6318
Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30-10:30pm
Website: www.shanghai.bund.hyatt.com
Price: [brunch] 188 RMB/person +15% [dinner] 350+ RMB/person
Visited: Oct 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

So…what is this pyramid on my plate?

Dongpo Pork 金牌扣肉 (188 RMB) from Xindalu China Kitchen at Hyatt on the Bund. What it is: one thin slice of fatty, fatty pork belly wrapped around in the shape of a pyramid, towering over dried vegetables and mushrooms braised in pork sauce. What to do with it: sandwich a piece of pork with accompaniments in between a soft, fluffy pumpkin bun. The fat melts beautifully, a luxurious sensation in the mouth.

While you are here, also try the drunken duck liver in Shaoxing wine 紹興鵝肝 (128 RMB), a delicious alternative to the typical Western way of cooking foie gras.

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2011/10/192015/08/31

[Shanghai] Hairy Crab Feast at Wei Jing Ge 蔚景閣大閘蟹宴

restaurant

Wei Jing Ge 蔚景閣 at the Waldorf Astoria Add: Waldorf Astoria Club Level 5, 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 上海外滩华尔道夫酒店5楼中山东一路2号 Tel: 6322 9988 Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-11pm Website: www.waldorfastoriashanghai.com Price: [hairy crab set menu] 688 RMB/person + 15% Visited: Oct 2011 Please note that this is an arranged tasting. Ladies and gentlemen, ’tis the season for hairy crabs!…Continue Reading “[Shanghai] Hairy Crab Feast at Wei Jing Ge 蔚景閣大閘蟹宴” →

2011/09/252015/10/10

[Shanghai] Afternoon Tea at Flair, Ritz-Carlton

shanghai

Flair Rooftop Restaurant & Bar

Add: Ritz-Carlton Pudong, 58/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao / 世纪大道8号上海浦东丽思卡尔顿酒店58楼
Hours: [afternoon tea] Sat & Sun 2-5pm
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ShanghaiPudong/Default.htm
Price: 228 RMB + 15%/set
Visited: Sep 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

Every five-star hotel has its own version of the traditional English High Tea, and Flair Rooftop Restaurant & Bar at the Ritz-Carlton Pudong is doing something quite uniquely Asian. Prawn dumplings and California roll? Yes ma’am, they’ve got them. Let’s take a look at what else is on the plate.

There are two types of tea sets at Flair, a “Flair Hi Tea Set” and a “Roof-top Hi Tea Set”, both priced at 228 RMB + 15%. Depending on which set you order, you can either get….

Spring rolls with tamarind sauce (Roof-Top Tea Set) or vegetable samosas (Flair Tea Set).

Teriyaki chicken roll (Roof-Top Tea Set) or smoked salmon Californian roll (Flair Tea set).

A quartet of mango soup with pomelo, ginger creme brulee, coconut meringue tartlet, and green tea cheese cake for the Rooftop Tea Set.

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2011/09/182015/08/31

[Shanghai] Jin Xuan 金軒 at The Ritz-Carlton

restaurant

Jin Xuan 金軒

Add: The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, 8 Century Avenue 浦东陆家嘴世纪大道8号上海国金中心
Tel: 2020 1717
Hours: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30-10pm
Website: www.ritzcarlton.com/shanghaipudong
Price: [lunch] 168~300 RMB/person [dinner] 480~880 RMP/person
Visited: Sep 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

The highlight of my weekend was a delightful dim sum lunch at Jin Xuan, the Chinese fine dining restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton Pudong. Its interior, designed by Steve Leung, is characterized by high vaulted ceilings and tones of gold, wine red, and purple – grand, yet comfortable and intimate. And the food? Delicious.

Lunch began with a small cup of complimentary “appetizer” tea, followed by soup of the day (45 RMB). The appetizer tea, a slightly sour blend of goji berry and hawthorn fruit, was a hit for me and did its job in working up my appetite.

Jin Xuan’s crystal shrimp dumplings 鮮筍鮮蝦餃 (45 RMB) were – as you can see from the picture below – quite perfectly done. Delicate, translucent wheat starch skin snuggly hugging whole plump shrimps, these dumplings were a delight for both the eyes and the tastebuds.

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2011/09/162015/09/28

[Shanghai] Sunday Champagne Brunch at Vue, Hyatt on the Bund

restaurant

Vue Restaurant & Bar

Add: Hyatt on the Bund, 30/F, 199 Huangpu Lu, near Wuchang Lu 黄浦路199号, 外滩茂悦大酒店30楼, 近武昌路
Tel: 6393 1234
Hours: 6~11pm
Website: www.shanghai.bund.hyatt.com
Price: [dinner] 450+ RMB + 15%/person [brunch] 588 RMB + 15%
Visited: Sep 2011

Vue at Hyatt on the Bund is now my favorite hotel brunch spot in Shanghai. Yes, the free flow of Perrier Jouët is nice, and the victorious view of Lujiazui is no doubt a plus, but it’s the quality of food that differentiated Vue from its league. Made-to-order lobster bisque with cognac and chive, poached eggs with soft polenta and black truffles, lobster risotto, steak in red wine and bacon sauce, poached peach with champagne peach sorbet…delicious overload.

The restaurant is designed based on the concept of a residence – there’s a living room, dining area, library, and kitchen, all whimsically decorated with related knickknacks. Bright, airy, inviting.

Brunch at Vue (588 RMB + 15%) consists of stations after stations of fancy things. Oysters, king crabs, foie gras, steaks, truffles, lobsters…Here are just a few examples:

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2011/09/152015/10/07

[Shanghai] Cha Mi Living 茶米家

shanghai

Cha Mi Living 茶米家

Add: Fumin Lu 201, near Julu Lu / 富民路201号，近巨鹿路
Tel: 5404 3842
Hours: 11am-9:30pm
Website: www.chamiliving.com
Price: [tea] 40~60 RMB [desserts] 28~48 RMB
Visited: Sep 2011

Cha Mi Living is about good tea, good rice, and good life. I stumbled upon its Fumin Lu branch two weeks ago, and fell in love with this chic little concept store. If you like tea, tea desserts, or teaware, be sure to drop by and take a look.

Plain wood, warm lighting, simple colors.

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2011/09/052015/08/31

[Shanghai] Jimmy’s Kitchen

restaurant

Jimmy’s Kitchen

Add: Jin Jiang Hotel, (Cathay Building), 1/F, 59 Maoming Nan Lu 茂名南路59号1楼, 近长乐路
Tel: 6466 6869
Hours: 12-3pm, 6-11pm
Website: www.jimmys.com
Price: [lunch] 98~158 RMB [dinner] 350 RMB~600 RMB
Visited: Sep 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

For those looking forward to the Shanghai Restaurant Week, here’s a little preview for you at Jimmy’s Kitchen, China’s oldest Western restaurant that has recently been reopened in Jin Jiang Hotel (read more about Jimmy’s history here). Let’s take a peek at what they are serving for the upcoming week of gluttony.

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2011/09/042015/09/24

[Shanghai] Nadaman なだ万

restaurant

Nadaman なだ万

Add: Pudong Shangri-La, 2/F, Tower 2, 33 Fucheng Lu 富城路33号，浦东香格里拉2号楼2楼
Tel: 5888 3768
Hours: [lunch] 12-2:30pm [dinner] 6-10:30pm [brunch] Sat & Sun 11:30am-2:30pm
Website: www.shangri-la.com
Price: [lunch] 100~150 RMB [dinner] 500 RMB+
Visited: Sep 2010

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

I’m usually not so keen on hotel restaurants, but Nadaman over at Shangri-la Pudong is doing something quite unique at the moment. From now until the end of September, Chef Honda Masami will be serving something very dear to his heart – Shippoku ryori (卓袱料理) from his hometown Nagasaki. No idea what Shippoku ryori is? Read on.

For those who care, the sleek interior of Nadaman is designed by Super Potato.

We started the meal with a square of sticky sesame tofu (45 RMB) topped with sea urchin and a dab of freshly-grated wasabi. Simple and clean.

The meal proceeded with a sashimi platter (888 RMB) of sea urchin, sweet shrimp, prime tuna belly, ark shell, and salmon. Fresh, quality ingredients.

Sea urchin (uni), sweet shrimp (ama ebi), prime tuna belly (toro), ark shell (akagai).

Then came a spectacular platter of assorted appetizer (1200 RMB), served Shippoku style. The main characteristic of this Chinese-influenced cuisine is the sharing of one huge dish, family style, over happy chatters, in a harmonious atmosphere. You can read a bit more about this style of cuisine here.

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2011/09/012015/09/29

[Shanghai] Cafe Sambal

restaurant

Cafe Sambal

Add: Jiashan Market, 37A, Lane 550 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Shaoxing Lu / 陕西南路550弄37号, 近绍兴路
Tel: 3368 9529
Hours: 12pm-12am
Website: www.cafesambal.com
Price: 150~200 RMB/person
Visited: Sep 2011

Please note that this is an arranged tasting.

Lofted ceiling, exposed concrete, wooden furnitures, warm lighting. Authentic Malaysian cuisine with a modern touch? I was ready to be inspired.

At Cafe Sambal, always start with a minty Mojito (55 RMB) – highly recommended especially on a day like this when the air is thick as jam.

For a light start, Fresh Mango Rolls (38 RMB) with lemon sauce was an ideal choice.

Chicken Satay (60 RMB) was not instantly recognizable. Filets of grilled chicken, loaded with Malay peanut sauce, were held together vertically by toothpicks rather than the traditional long skewers. The reason behind this alternative presentation? Better cuts of meat (very tender and succulent indeed) that can be devoured elegantly in one bite.

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