Abu Dhabi: Shang Palace at the Shangri-La Hotel in Abu Dhabi lives up to its reputation as the best Cantonese restaurant in town.
Located at the Qaryat Al Beri souq (between the bridges), the restaurant serves authentic Cantonese food in a modern setting that matches in elegance the magnificent white domes of the Grand Mosque outside.
The décor is essentially Chinese with multiple lanterns hanging from the roof, but unlike your customary Chinese restaurant, the invasion of red is limited and muted, adding to a sophisticated grandeur to the ambience.
It is all in the packaging. Shang Palace offers a well-packaged experience with meticulous attention to detail. Be it your welcoming drink (aromatic jasmine tea served in a glass bowl with a dragon ball inside) or hydrating us with a pristinely white cologne towel, you cannot miss their penchant for perfection.
The staff is extremely friendly and wears an ‘always at your service’ smile. They are well-informed about the menu and can even give you a tip or two on what to do when in China.
But it deserves mentioning that they never cross the thin line between being intrusive and attentive, and assures you a relaxed dining experience.
The starters were a well-crafted platter of dim sums which was as appealing to the eye as it was to our palates. Steamed Siew Mai with XO chili sauce and steamed shrimp dumpling were definitely a cut above the regular dim sums I have tried. The stir-fried minced duck served on a crispy thin white bird nest had a delightful combination of flavours. That said, my partner and I could not stop raving about the succulent yet crispy prawns soaked in mayonnaise.
Next came the crab meat soup which was equally delicious. The broth was thick but had a translucent quality about it. The well-cooked crab meat was not messy and came in neat pouches that negated the saltiness of the broth.
Pan-fried river prawn was the first to arrive from the extensive selection of main courses. The jumbo-sized prawn was crispy outside yet soft and succulent, and made a good bite with the red spicy and sweet sauce.
The beef with black pepper sauce – the signature dish at Shang Palace – was fingerlicking good as was evident from my partner’s enthusiasm. She loved the caramelised flavour of the well-cooked meat, which was not overpowered by the crushed pepper and roasted garlic. The stir-fried chicken breast and the wok-fried mushroom and seasonal vegetables went well with our vegetable fried rice. The rice was a perfect balance between well-cooked yet not sticky; crispy but not oily.
Pan-fried lotus pancake and rice dumpling with avocado fillings in a ginger sweet soup added a deliciously sweet note to a great evening well-spent with some amazing food.
Details
Dinner for two: Dh400-Dh500
Location: Shang Palace, at Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri
Call: 02-509 8888
