Hengshan hideaway

    Updated: 2013-03-31 08:22

    By Pauline D. Loh(China Daily)

      Print Mail Large Medium  Small

     Hengshan hideaway

    A tiny bowl of braised beef and radishes came with a delicate lotus-leaf shaped steamed bun. Photos by Pauline D. Loh / China Daily

     Hengshan hideaway

    The dessert platter starts with almond tea, an almond tart, almond jelly and finally, ends with candied almonds.

    Hengshan hideaway

    Deep in the old French Concession, a thoroughly modern facade looks onto a street full of Rodeo Drive type boutiques. Pauline D. Loh plumbs the hidden delights.

    The magnolias are magnificent. In the bright sunshine of the Shanghai spring, the soft pink and white blooms dazzled the eyes as they commanded pride of place within the central atrium garden of the new Twelve at Hengshan hotel.

    My cabdriver had been surprised there was such a posh hotel along that familiar road.

    No wonder, since the hotel only opened late last year. I am sure, however, it is going to be a firm favorite among the elite Shanghai visitors who lean toward a more aesthetic choice in accommodation.

    It is a Starwood hotel under its Luxury Collection, which is a sure guarantee of quality, but it is also a high-end business boutique hotel that is only six stories high and awash with junior and grand suites.

    It stands to reason then that its Chinese restaurant should be up to entertaining the best palates in town.

    The decor is very pleasing, and well decorated without being intimidating as with many upmarket restaurants.

    The menu is largely Cantonese, designed by Singaporean-Chinese chef Chung Kuy Fai, who'd cut his culinary teeth in America, and later in China, with an illuminating stint at Jereme Leung's famous Whampoa Club on the Bund.

    However, it being Shanghai, you can still see many benbang (local Shanghainese) characteristics, such as the classic braised wheat gluten kaofu appetizer and a use of the miniature vegetables so beloved by local gourmets.

    We had first pea shoots of the season blanched in rich golden chicken stock and topped with quivering squares of fried beancurd garnished with a seaweed hat and deep-fried shredded scallops. The flavors were intricately layered and textured.

    We had a tasting menu, and the chef, delighted that I was a countryman, went all out to accommodate my quirks.

    I wanted the sweet braised wheat gluten, and so it came in the starter tasting platter, together with richly caramelized Wuxi-style pork ribs, a piece of the Jiangsu sweet smoked fish, and a beautiful mouthful of salad leaves bound by a cucumber ring and drizzled with a smoky sesame dressing.

    A tiny bowl of braised beef and radishes came with a delicate lotus-leaf shaped steamed bun, and I really enjoyed that. The beef is the best Wagyu, and fell apart in the mouth while still retaining all its flavor in spite of the long cooking. The bun helped soak up all the juices, an inspired if unusual pairing that got my attention and appreciation.

    The staple was fried rice served in a bamboo container. It did not look like anything special until you actually ate a spoonful. Then the savory smoked meats made their presence felt.

    I will not say desserts are a particular weakness, but this one seduced me. It was a platter of almond tea, an almond tart, almond jelly and finally, just candied almonds.

    Almond tea is a Cantonese classic sweet soup that clears the lung during the muggy seasons like spring and autumn. The chef's version was rich without overpowering and was elegantly aromatic. The almond tart is very like the Macanese egg tarts, but the filling is a light egg white custard flavored with almonds.

    The almond jelly, served with a few seeded longans, brought me right back to childhood to my first wedding dinner. It is an extremely popular meal-ender in Cantonese banquets for all occasions.

    And finally, as we ended the meal with freshly brewed Chinese oolong tea, the candied almonds were the final jewel to the crown.

    Contact the writer at paulined@chinadaily.com.cn.

    (China Daily 03/31/2013 page14)

    亚洲AV无码一区二区三区系列| 88国产精品无码一区二区三区| 日韩av无码久久精品免费| 中文字幕在线资源| 国产自无码视频在线观看| 性无码免费一区二区三区在线 | 黑人无码精品又粗又大又长| 最近2018中文字幕免费视频| 熟妇人妻VA精品中文字幕| 亚洲国产a∨无码中文777| 精品久久久久久久久中文字幕| 久久久无码精品亚洲日韩按摩| 少妇无码太爽了在线播放| av区无码字幕中文色| 亚洲熟妇无码八V在线播放 | 少妇性饥渴无码A区免费| 亚洲欧美日韩中文字幕一区二区| 久久伊人亚洲AV无码网站| 国产V亚洲V天堂A无码| 日韩精品无码中文字幕一区二区| 亚洲情XO亚洲色XO无码| 无码H黄肉动漫在线观看网站| 久久精品中文闷骚内射| 日韩AV无码中文无码不卡电影| 无码精品人妻一区二区三区影院| 国产乱子伦精品无码码专区| 久久久久亚洲Av无码专| 久久青青草原亚洲av无码app | 无码AV天堂一区二区三区| 午夜无码中文字幕在线播放| 亚洲AV中文无码乱人伦| √天堂中文官网8在线| 亚洲中文字幕无码不卡电影| 中文精品无码中文字幕无码专区 | 中文字幕你懂得| 久久有码中文字幕| 一区 二区 三区 中文字幕| 亚洲精品一级无码中文字幕| 最近2019免费中文字幕视频三| 最好看更新中文字幕 | 亚洲中久无码不卡永久在线观看|