Is there such thing as Chinese fine dining?

I meant to write about this last week but got so caught up with work and my parents’ arrival that I didn’t get a chance. But my first post! And how fitting that it be ‘Shanghainese.’ So last Wednesday, A and I did a fun BCG couples dinner at Whampoa Club at 3 on the Bund. I was intrigued by the restaurant because it held the promise of Chinese ‘fine dining’ and received a very complimentary review in Chubby Hubby.

The menu was pretty expansive and took me a while to get through. I have a very bad case of ‘fomo’ (my friend recently taught me – ‘fear of missed opportunity’), so I poured over the menu for quite a while before ordering for the table. We opted not to do the tasting menu because the choices didn’t look particularly exciting and there were so many other things to try! Eventually, we settled on an array of both traditional and more fusion-like dishes. Cold appetizers included the classic Shanghainese glutten (kao fu), a beautiful tea egg array paired with quail eggs and roe, and a fois gras and date combination over fresh spring vegetables. Hot dishes included the classic sweet and sour fried mandarin fish (gui yu), crisp fried taro balls, lion’s head meatballs in a clear broth (shi zi tou), Cantonese broccoli in soup (shang tang), and almond and cocoa braised spare ribs.

My takeaway though was mixed. The ambiance was fitting, the view of the Bund of course beautiful, and the food good but not particularly special. Arguably it’s difficult to make classic Chinese dishes served family style especially ‘special’; however, I thought the other restaurants like the Four Seasons’ Chinese restaurant did a fantastic job at that (excellent food, presentation, and service).

The exceptions were the more interesting fusion dishes. I found them delightful of the interesting and new combinations of flavors and ingredients. My two favorites (A's top picks as well) were (1) the almond/ cocoa spare ribs – braised perfectly in a sauce that had a hint of chocolate and appropriately fatty without being excessively oily, as ribs tend to be; (2) the fois gras and dates – the dates were stuffed with white mochi (glutinous rice), which made for a nice, slightly chewy texture. And I liked the combination of the classic Chinese dates with the fois gras – it was an interesting tangy and sweet addition to the richness.

All in all, I wouldn’t go again but still think Whampoa Club is still great for the out of town visitor. I would recommend ordering exclusively the fusion dishes though – there are better places for classic Shanghainese. Definitely a great night though – as always, it’s the company that makes the evening special. :)

Whampoa Club
3 on the Bund
3 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Road
Shanghai, 31 200002 China
+86 21 6321 3737
http://www.threeonthebund.com/

Beginnings ... about me and my first blog

Inspired by my best friend's (and now one of my) favorite websites – chubby hubby – I felt inspired to write up a few notes about my Shanghai eating experiences. I don’t claim to be at all knowledgeable but just an excited reader who enjoys reading food blogs. Plus, it’s an easier way to indulge in my obsession with food, capture the loads of pictures I take, and share an integral part of my year-abroad experience with my friends back home and anyone else interested in dining in Asia (or wherever the winds take me. :))

And for any of those wondering, the name 'Delica Recchiuti' refers to two of my favorite shops (both introduced to me by my best friend!) in one of the most beautiful places in the world - the Ferry Building, San Francisco. Delica is an organic Japanese deli with a fantastic wasabi sweet pea/edamame potato salad; Recchiuti refers to the gourmet chocolate confectioners home of my favorite peanut butter puck truffle. The combination of the two truly epitomizes me - the ultimate health nut and chocolate addict. :)