Words by Lu Yawen
Having finally clinched one Michelin star this year, Shang Palace offers their greatest hits of classic and contemporary creations in A Treasured Legacy tasting menu for lunch and dinner. It also poses as an unofficial tribute to their late executive chef, Mok Kit-keung, whose dishes are featured in the menus.
From now till the end of November, the tasting menus combine soulful Cantonese cooking with the minimalism of modern plating. In the day, dishes include the obligatory dim sum that comes in three bite-sized portions of a Traditional Barbecued Pork Belly Glazed with Honey Sauce, Shang Palace Steamed Shrimp Dumplings with Beetroot and Steamed Crystal Dumplings with Assorted Mushroom, Bamboo Fungus and Black Truffle.
Dinner, however, affords more creativity as flavours range from French- to Southeast Asian-influenced. The trio of appetisers consists of barbecued pork, deep-fried taro pastry as well as a scoop of foie gras disguised as a cherry (with beetroot-coloured red wine jelly).
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The next two courses of Braised Scallop Dumpling filled with Bird’s Nest, Caviar and Bamboo Fungus in Supreme Broth and Poached Soon Hock Fillet and Green Bean Sheet in Thick Fish Broth are the embodiment of Cantonese cuisine done right.
The former is a playground of textures with lightly cooked scallops, spongey bamboo fungus and the delicate fibers of bird’s nest in a broth made by slow cooking pork and Chinese ham for four hours. While the latter is a rendition of the hawker-favourite, fish soup, with clear noodles made from green beans.
The following course is the Oven-Baked Giant Prawn that brings with it the zesty fragrance of lemongrass as it’s slathered (a bit too heavy-handedly) with a fermented fish sauce and lemongrass paste. Still, the naturally sweet flesh of the Thai crustacean shines through.
And as is tradition with all Chinese feasts, a serving of carbohydrates comes at the end. For dinner, it’s a wok hei-laden fried rice with chicken and duck meat, crowned with a whole abalone on top. Both menus offer the option of a wine pairing.
Make a reservation at dining.sls@shangri-la.com or call 6213 4398.
