/ Reviews / Spanish
Finca-bout It
by Tom Lee
on Friday, April 15, 2011 12:00 AM
Many restaurateurs have learnt to their chagrin that breaking into the Shanghai market may be easy but sticking around is a far more precarious matter. Despite owning a small empire of establishments back in Spain, Maria Li Bao has found opening a venue in her native land is not as easy as it seems.
Li Bao found success through bringing Asian eateries to the Spanish public. Working along similar lines, La Finca serves Spanish food to Chinese citizens. Situated in XinTianDi, it oozes expense and luxury. The walls are lined with skilful Picasso imitations. Inedit, the signature beer of El Bulli's Ferran Adria, is listed on the drinks menu alongside a hand-picked selection of Spanish wines. There's no denying the style but are people being put off by the grandiosity of it all?
Even those that gripe about the high prices can't call into question the quality of the dishes. As well as top-notch, acorn-fed Iberian Ham (RMB198 for 50 grams), La Finca has plenty of original flair. The Tuna Tar-Tar (RMB148) displays a tower of tuna tossed with wasabi and soy, appearing on a bed of wild rice that has been inflated like popcorn via deep frying. A sizable chunk of fish makes for a sturdy Sea Bass in Green Mussel Sauce (RMB148); lightly cooked peas and asparagus provide a contrasting crunch to the tender flesh, with a clutch of claims encircling the whole.
When the kitchen does flash the showmanship, prepare for fireworks. Created by the Spanish head chef, the yet-to-be-released, twelve-hour sous-vide pear is an admirable variation on the classic poached version, imbued with cinnamon, red wine, cardamom and star anise. Quite the beauty, it is served with caramelized orange segments, two blobs of cream - one infused with Grand Marnier and orange, the other sprinkled with cinnamon - and two sticks constructed from macadamia nuts.
Trying to make La Finca seem more accessible, the downstairs area has an informal - almost random - assortment of furniture, from high stools and counters, to low-slung couches and coffee tables. Upstairs, a more formal aspect presents itself for evening meals, with a little terrace for open-air eating. In the spring weather, however, the ace in the hole is the patio, which looks out onto the green grass of TaiPingQiao Park and the glittering surface of the adjacent lake.
High-end, inventive Spanish restaurant that suffers from a slightly stifling ostentation.
