Cheng Long Hang 成隆行蟹王府 @ Shanghai, China

Even though it was not crab season during our visit, we still could not resist looking for crab dishes.  One can tell from the name of the restaurant that it specialises in crabs.

Old fashioned Chinese deco, even have live Chinese music.

Since crabs are not in season, we didn’t bother to order whole crabs and instead aim for other interesting crab dishes.

Crab Meat & Roe Jelly – flavour was not strong

Chilled Crab Roe Cake – it was pretty but the flavour didn’t really come out

Crab Roe & Meat – we moved on to the real stuff…tasty!  the black pearls on the side were actually vinegar to be eaten with the crab

Soft Crab Roe with Vermicelli Sheet (蟹膏银皮) – simply divine! the male crab roe was rich, chewy and full of flavor!

Xiao Long Bao with Crab Roe – very juicy! And the skin was so thin! Somehow I wanted to have scallops that night – generous portion, cooked well.
Glutinous Rice Dumplings in Osmanthus & Fermented Rice Wine – perfect ending of the night.

This restaurant has a few branches.  Reservations is recommended.

I would definitely come again when I crave for crab roe dishes next time.

Fu 1088 @ Shanghai, China

I learned about the series of Fu restaurants from Asia’s Best Restaurant list.  The restaurant situates in a gorgeous colonial mansion in the former French Concession.  There is a minimum charge of RMB300 per head.

Cold Drunken Chicken – meat was tender but not quite enough wine flavor for my tasteChilled Razor Clams – clams were fresh and meat was crunchy  Cold Smoked EggStir Fried River Shrimps – this is a classic Shanghainese dish but sad to say the shrimps were rather bland Crab roe with toast – this was not bad but I was looking for stronger flavor, maybe crabs weren’t in season

Stir Fried Eel in Hot Stone Pot – this was good, hearty portion.
Glutinous Rice Balls with Osmanthus and Fermented Rice – again, another classic dish but wine and fermented rice were too mild

We had very high expectations on this meal and we were looking for the authentic taste of Shanghainese food.  However, overall even though the cooking were executed well, we felt that the flavor have been toned down too much.

Mr & Mrs Bund @ Shanghai, China

A very chic and spacious restaurant.  A mix of classic and creative French dishes.

Complimentary fish mousse with toasts – very tasty Frog legs garlic parsley Beef tartare  Boston lobster in citrus jar – steamed in the jar with citrus, lemongrass and vanilla

Steamed to perfection – tender, juicy and flavorful  Dauphinois Serrano Truffle Brie – potato gratin, Serrano ham, truffle & brie cheese Tripes “Sauce Piquante” – slow braised beef tripes, a traditional French dish

Hearty portion of tripes – my favourite of cow innards… usually I get to have tripes at dim sum restaurants only, can’t resist when I saw it on the menu. 🙂

The highlight of the night was this incredible lemon – “Lemon & Lemon Tart”

The inside of the lemon was filled with lemon sorbet, lemon curd and vanilla chantilly.  The lemon was candied and not bitter at all. 

They have a very comprehensive food and drink menu, looking forward to our next visit to try more!

M on the Bund @ Shanghai, China

It had been more than 12 years since we last dined here. It was a hazy night but the view of the Bund was still magnificent. The restaurant’s warm and nostalgic ambience makes it a great place to unwind and have a relaxing dinner after a busy day.

King crab fritters Clear seafood broth with scallops, shrimps, kingfish, clams Crispy suckling pig Braised veal cheek & tongue – best dish of the night, both the cheek and tongue were very tender.  Salted caramel praline souffle with peanut crunch ice-cream – a bit sweet to my taste.

Cliché @ Adelaide, Australia

The restaurant is just about 10-mins walk from the serviced apartment we stayed at in North Adelaide. Cool deco, excellent food, great place for groups.

Lobster & prawn filled crepes Beef tartare Pan seared scallops – cooked perfectly Pork ribs Slow braised beef cheek

We add an early dinner and managed to catch the first round of New Year’s Eve firework!