We sample some of the signature dishes at Shanghai Restaurant, located on Level 1 of JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur, and here’s what we have to say.
Since its re-opening in October 2021, Shanghai Restaurant has been firing up the kitchen with a fantastic array of Shanghainese cooking for its patrons. Unbeknownst to many, the restaurant is located on Level 1 of JW Marriott Kuala Lumpur and has been serving authentic and heritage-inspired Shanghainese creations for over two decades.
At Shanghai Restaurant, diners will not only enjoy a good taste of authentic Shanghainese dishes but an elegant ambience true to its sophisticated vibe. The interior are decked in oriental leitmotifs with swatches of neutral and antique gold. Great for casual lunches or private dinners, one can also call Shanghai Restaurant a ‘hidden gem’ especially for great food, fantastic atmosphere and impeccable service — all away from the hustle and bustle of the city despite its strategically central location.
What we love
Suffice to say, it is a must to start every meal at Shanghai with the good ol’ xiao long bao or written as Steamed Shanghainese Meat Dumpling on the menu. We thoroughly enjoy these plump dumplings that are both meaty and juicy. While we would grade these as XL dumplings, slurping the broth is truly a comforting feeling especially when you’re craving for comfort food. Be sure to ask for extra julienned ginger and vinegar to pair with these delicious morsels.
Other small eats worth mentioning include the Baked Royal Bridge Biscuits. The baked biscuit comes with a filling of pork and chives, encrusted with golden sesames on top. The flavourful and succulent filling complements the delightfully flaky shell, giving each mouthful a satisfying sensation for comfort food seekers.
On to main dishes
There’s a great selection of dishes to choose from, each with its own profound flavour profiles synonymous to Shanghainese cooking. For the uninitiated, Shanghainese cuisine is easily defined as homey and simple with heavy emphasis on the ingredients as well as common cooking methods like simmering, braising and stir-frying. Shanghai dishes are usually red or rich in colour with a glossy sheen simply because soy sauce and all kinds of caramelisation are added to the dishes. In short, there is a balance of sweet, umami, spicy and savoury in Shanghainese cuisine.
And speaking of braising, your visit to Shanghai Restaurant will not be complete without the ordering the Braised Spanish Pork with Chinese Rice Wine. Best to go with steamed white rice, this dish is a stunning introduction to the restaurant’s signature cooking through and through. The melt-in-the-mouth texture and the tender meat, together with the extra savoury sauce, offers a mouthful of satisfaction.
We also get to sample the Sautéed Freshwater Shrimps that may look unassuming but its flavours come in full throttle. It is a simple stir-fry, but each shrimp is fresh with a nice crunch, enveloped with layers of peppery and umami notes. Another stellar is the Stir-fried Sliced Tenderloin with Rice Power and Spices, a perfect choice for beef lovers.
A must-have
One of our favourites in the repertoire is the Stir-fried Flat Glass Noodles with Dried Scallops, Crab Meat and Golden Mushrooms. Much like the perfect plate of char koay teow or the ubiquitous fried carrot cake, the more the wok hei, the better the dish is. And this dish doesn’t disappoint when it comes to delivering a punch of wok hei — in fact with plenty to spare. The texture is beautiful with an explosion of flavours in every bite.
A symphony of textures entails thanks to the mix of ingredients but allow us to draw your attention to the noodles. It is not like the usual hor fun (flat rice noodles). The texture is a cross between konjac noodles and Vietnamese rice paper — it is slight chewy with excellent mouthfeel.
Verdict
A visit to Shanghai Restaurant never fails to disappoint. It is truly an experience dining in the exquisitely curated venue that comes with excellent service and affable staffs. What we love very much is the sense of privacy that looms the restaurant thanks to its seating arrangements. The private rooms are also well put together with gorgeous antique paintings of peonies and oriental elements.
When it comes to food, we are still craving for the xiao long bao — one is never enough. There’s a lot to celebrate here, and it is thanks to a breadth of skills and expertise that diners get to truly experience Shanghainese cooking at its best. A hidden gem? Yes, indeed.
And don’t forget to end the meal on a sweet note with the Black Sesame Dumplings with Ginger Syrup — best enjoy when it’s piping hot.
All images: Shanghai Restaurant
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Written by
Martin Teo
Editor-in-Chief
Martin has a soft spot for art and architecture, fashion and food history. When embracing his spirit-ual side, he finds himself switching between a Negroni and an Old Fashioned, especially after a long week. His day is never complete without time at the gym and three cups of coffee — flat white with oat milk, no less.
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