/ Reviews / Fusion
Jewel of Jing'An
by Stephanie Sherrill
on Friday, October 16, 2009 12:00 AM
The Puli Hotel is slowly and quietly coming to life after a long wait spent perfecting its luxury service standards before the actual opening. Although located in the pulsing Puxi downtown, once you enter this ‘urban resort hotel' the stress and noise of the city evaporates.
The hotel's signature restaurant, Jing'An, has been open for about a month now, and the signs are good. Jing'An almost seems like two restaurants, as the ambience and menu changes markedly from lunch to dinner - moving seamlessly from elegant casual to formal sophistication. At lunch, the rattan-chic tables, dark woods, tortoise shell spoons and subtly neutral tones are warm, comforting and inviting. For dinner, the mood is more upscale, courtesy of white tablecloths and elegant white crockery.
The cuisine also becomes more sophisticated and exotic after dark. Currently, chef Dane Clouston recommends the dinner delights of Octopus with Skordalia (RMB120), Lamb Saddle and Lamb Filo (RMB240) and Foie Gras and Smoked Chocolate (RMB180).
The lunch menu, meanwhile, offers comfort food favorites with a playful twist. Clouston, formally of the acclaimed Opia restaurant at JIA hotel in Hong Kong, playfully combines textures and temperatures to provide a little of the unexpected with his food. The burger of hand-cut, imported beef, for example, includes a surprising creamy slice of foie gras embedded amongst the stack of meat, roasted tomato and buns. He also takes a non-traditional view of fish and chips, by de-boning the fish and serving it as one big piece without the heavy batter you would expect on an English high street. His chubby French fries made from local potatoes are hand cut and twice cooked, resulting in a super crispy outside and a soft white center.
The 1970s Shrimp Cocktail is stacked with deliciously plump shrimps served with a thin, spicy tomato-based sauce to drizzle along the top. The Beef Tartar is a good example of the chef's talents with textures and temperatures. A rich duck yolk sits on a cold and slightly chewy homemade ravioli, which is placed atop a crispy parmesan chip and soft, flavorful diced beef.
Save room for dessert as Chef Dane continues to excel. With so many tempting options to choose from, the Sampler platter is definitely the best choice. The panna cotta and grilled pineapple with cinnamon, and the mango trifle are simply magnificent.
The Bottom Line: Excellent hotel dining courtesy of one of Shanghai's most talented and understated young chefs.
