Grand Shanghai Restaurant

Just few days ago, I organised the Staff Annual Dinner and the theme was "Shanghai Nite". And now, to celebrate CT coming back from US and as well as my parent's wedding anniversary, we went to "Grand Shanghai" Restaurant at Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel. Its quite interesting to be immersed into the Shanghai theme within a week as I get to hear the same familiar tunes.



Caleb was wearing a long sleeve shirt bought by CT when he was in US. Caleb seldom wears long sleeve as he is usually perspiring. But I thought at least the weather is cooler today and he will be in the restaurant, so why not wear it now?



There was live music and singing which I was a little afraid of when my mum first told me. I was thinking more in line with loud, club-type karaoke music which would put me and my baby off. But thankfully, it wasnt so. It was light and entertaining with a piano and a cello.



I know one very ardent supporter who was listening intently during the performances by the singer and musicians. That is, Caleb. He was practially moving his head so that he can see the stage as at times daddy blocked him.



We ordered a unique dish- crispy eel which frankly speaking, tasted like "fried ikan bilis" and nothing like the taste of eel. However, while researching on this restaurant,I chanced upon this site where a person wrote about the dish in a very descriptive manner.. "The best of them all was the appetizer plate of wuxi crispy eel that stood out with crispy lightness, hardly a trace of oil from deep frying, and a perfect drizzle of the sauce, bearing in its restrained sweetness a nuanced play of the dark vinegar from Eastern China, complex with fruitty baritone flavours. This is an eternal personal favourite from the Shanghainese repeitoire, and I've yet to taste a better rendition..." By the way, one plate of this crispy eel costs $14! Its addictive but I find the sweet sauce too overpowering that I cant taste the real eel.



We had the xiao long bao, and guo tie as well and yes, its nice, light and elegant.

I love their soup which has a very tasty broth and light to the stomach as there are veggies and one dumpling inside.



We also ordered peking duck, "lion" meatball in a claypot, loofah veggie with dried scallops gravy, noodles and dessert which was to die for. Its red bean and banana inside a puff topped with powdered icing sugar.

All in all, this place really does capture the graceful decadence of colonial Shanghai beautifully and with its elegant dishes and classic ambience, you have to be prepared to fork out quite a bit for your meal.

Here's a video of Caleb enjoying the music.