Recently, I have been on a bit of a quest to try a number of the city's star-rated Chinese restaurants. I wanted to achieve two things: to deepen my knowledge of Cantonese cuisine, and to come to some personal understanding of what makes food star worthy. This is how I came to have dinner at Shang Palace, one of the city's two-star restaurants.  

Classic and Modern

To begin we had two Cantonese classics, Century Egg with Pickled Ginger and Crispy Pork Belly. The eggs were a surprise as they were a green I had not seen before. On the left were eggs with a pale green center and almost clear outer, while on the right the eggs were dark green with a yolk that was still runny, both topped with lots of delicious young ginger. The pale eggs were light, while the darker green were like entering the "dark side" with their intense egg flavour and swampy hint of fermentation on the tongue; they definitely needed the ginger. The darker eggs had my dining companion wondering about the supposed myth that an integral part in the unique flavour of preserved eggs is horse pee. I loved them both, and enjoyed the juxtaposition. The pork was also unusual due to the lack of fat, which made it a much lighter dish that normal, the skin was extra crunchy, the pork was tender and flavourful, and the mustard sauce was piquant. A pleasing start.

Next we enjoyed Lobster, Garoupa and Scallop Dumpling in Supreme Soup, one of Chef Ip's signature dishes. Presented in a sheet of Japanese paper on top of a tea-light candle warmer, the soup consisted of a clear broth, a large dumpling made of egg white (inspired) and a piece of carrot in the shape of a fish. We began by trying some of the broth but were finding it a little disappointing. Thankfully the attentive waiter noticed and came over and said we were to break up the dumpling into the broth. What a difference! Small pieces of flavourful seafood, water-chestnut and mushroom burst forth, completely transforming the soup into something truly special. It was so superlative I ended up tipping up the paper so that I could ensure that I enjoyed every last drop. I did not put anything into my mouth until the delicious flavour had dissipated completely. I can see why the chef is proud of this dish and imagine this would have caught the attention of Michelin.  

Expecting More

The next dish, Young Lobster Sautéed with Black Bean Sauce, Deep Fried Head and Tail with Spicy Chilli Salt, was a slight disappointment. This was probable because our expectations were high, this dish is on the restaurant's Michelin set menu and we thought it would be outstanding, it wasn't. While the lobster was sublimely cooked we found it to be over-seasoned and over-flavoured, a shame as the lobster itself was wonderful but was unable to shine through. The inclusion of lots of shell with its crunchy, salty exterior was pleasant, but it quickly became too much.

We were soon back on track to a memorable meal with the arrival of the waiter's recommendation of Sautéed Prawns Sichuan Style. We did wonder if this was a recommendation for a Westerner but we could not care less once it arrived. The silver service with its lifting of lids on presentation means that the first experience of the dish is its aroma and the prawns had a wonderful scent. They were outstanding, cooked to perfection, in fact, some of the most perfectly cooked prawns I have tried. They had firm texture yet also had an enhanced succulency that made us wonder how they had been prepared to achieve such a heavenly result. The sauce itself was spicy but not so hot that it took away from the prawns. 

Élan Vital

Stir Fried Shredded Roasted Duck with Assorted Vegetables was a simple, tasty dish consisting of roast duck, red and yellow peppers, celery and spring onion. The celery in particular paired well with the duck, which had skin that was to-die-for, and the light vegetables were a pleasant counter to the rich meat.

To finish we had Sautéed Assorted Rice with Crab Meat, Egg White, Wolfberries, also one of the chef's signature dishes. The pretty yin-yang presentation was matched by the flavour, and it also looked great when all mixed together, which we instructed to do. For me this dish captured many tastes sensation: the sweetness of the wolfberry countered by the savoury black rice, balanced by the airy egg white and semi-sweet crab. All the ingredients retained their flavour and textural integrity while working as a whole, and the taste changed with every spoonful. A colourful bowl of exquisite fried rice that my friend described as having élan vital.

For dessert we had Double Boiled Fresh Papaya with Sea Coconut and Chilled Mango Pudding with Fresh Mango Juice and Pomelo. The mango pudding was lively, almost jumping with joyous flavours, waking up the taste buds and the body. The papaya dessert was also enjoyable but paled a little next to the vivacious mango.

With several outstanding dishes this was a meal we both highly enjoyed, and with its extensive menu Shang Palace is a place to return to again and again for quality Cantonese fare. 

Ambience, Service, Price

With its gold statues and red column entrance this is a richly decorated restaurant, with the gold and red theme continuing inside. There is a formality to the restaurant with its large tables, silver service and smartly attired clientèle, but at the same time there is a relaxed vibe that makes you feel comfortable. My dining companion found the decor a little too much, as some might. It is also suitably Chinese-restaurant-loud, which actually creates privacy for each table.

The service is efficient, professional and friendly. Staff are happy to make recommendations. 

In addition to the a la carte menu there is a substantial monthly menu to ensure regular diners have as much choice as first-time diners, plus a range of set dinners, including a set for one. All the classic dishes and classic ingredients (shark's fin etc.) are represented as well as a number of modern or chef-interpreted dishes. There are also unusual ingredients to be found such as ostrich and crocodile. Prices for our starters were $58 and $85, the soup was $175, and our mains ranged in price from $135 to $250.