Set amid the grey tangles of the 3rd ring road exit ramps by the Beijing Zoo sits an unlikely oasis from the commotion of the city. The Shangri-La Hotel, aptly named, is a refuge of tranquility. The décor is classy and understated, its color scheme of natural browns and beiges washed in dim bronze lighting, urging guests to slow their pace and relish this patch of paradise.
The Shang Palace sits quietly on the second floor, overlooking an immaculately-kept old-fashioned Chinese courtyard through its floor-to-ceiling windows. The dim bronzes are echoed here, the tables in the center hemmed in by pillars of yellow light wrapped in canvas, casting a warm, diffuse glow.
There was music playing, but so low that it seemed as if drifting in from a far-off concert. The ambience thus muted, the food is the star of the show. The gracious staff welcomed us and presented a fixed menu for the evening: an eight-course journey through Cantonese cuisine, which they were more than happy to answer questions about and explain.
Sliced Roasted Duck with Vegetable Salad
The opening volley was a mound of lettuce, tomatoes, and mango topped with a slice of duck and dribbled with a balsamic soy dressing. Seemly simple, there was quite a lot at work in this dish: in the purposeful composition, not only does the acid cut through the richness of the duck, but it provides a light, tart, starter full of acids to get the stomach churning and the appetite wide.
Pan-Fried Tiger Prawn with Soya Sauce
An elegant presentation, the edible body next to the upright head and garnished with shreds of radish, paper-thin chilies, and watercress to mimic the antennae of the prawn. The dense, hearty meat provided the stage for the garlic, ginger and chilies to show off just why they're featured in so many dishes.
Double-Boiled Bird's Nest in Chicken Soup
One of the classic delicacies of Chinese cuisine, the nest of the cave swift is one of the most expensive animal products consumed in the world. Made from the saliva of these birds, the nest, when soaked, becomes gelatinous, not at all like the image of twigs and sticks one may first call to mind. Served in an earthenware teapot and poured into a teacup, the presentation reflected the delicate nature of the soup and its subtle flavors. The moist crunch of the jelly-like nests was permeated with a nutty, caramel broth which became stronger as it steeped, with a deeper nuttiness that hit the palette with a broad, lingering attack.
Pan-Fried Salmon Fish with Abalone Sauce
It seemed the meal had hit a peak in terms of luxuriousness, but the next course suggested otherwise. A Western influence dominated this dish, a classic mound presentation of fish over bok choy on a base of grilled eggplant, all rising out of a layer of sauce covering the plate. The abalone sauce was thick and velvety and softened the golden-brown crust of the salmon into a dense coating, melding an extra layer of flavor onto the fish and sealing in the sharp flavors of the salmon itself.
Asparagus Steamed with Light Supreme Sauce
Perhaps the best presentation of the meal: a pond of sauce with asparagus floating like reeds, and the bottoms of bok choy cut into lilies and dotted with crab roe. But this was not style over substance; the asparagus was perfectly done, yielding but crunchy, and the crab roe shot through the bok choy's mildness to heighten its presence in the dish. The sauce a heavily reduced ham and chicken stock - was a rich gravy with a deep flavor and saltiness that wrapped the vegetables in a warm and heavy mellowness.
Chinese Petit Fours with Fresh Fruit Platter
The last course: a shot glass full of a sweet, milky, tart, tangy coconut and mango mixture, with pulpy pearl sago at the bottom. There was a raw, tropical quality that was a nice reprieve from the parade of heavy flavors and rich sauces. But, lest we forget the level of fine dining we were being treated to, next to the shot glass, nestled inside a bamboo steamer, was a little hand-made pastry in the shape of a bird. Beneath its crunch was a wine-red lotus paste that had a strong flavor of figs.
If pressed for a negative remark, perhaps the whole affair was too indulgent: eight courses of relentless elegance and decadent flavors. However, it was all executed with a confidence that rejects the need for showiness. And, further, Shangri-La was not made to last: it's a paradise of the moment. The best thing to do is to savor every nuance during your brief stay.
ShangPalace
Location: 2F, Shangri-La Hotel, Beijing, No. 29 Zizhuyuan Road
Tel: +861 68412211-2732
This article is brought you by Best Food inChina, the first and leading English website about local Chinese food and restaurants. For more information, please visitwww.bestfoodinchina.net
