Chinese Corner: Le Sheng

When David Laris made plans to open a Shanghainese restaurant, the audacity of it all was tempered by the announcement that the menu design would be done entirely by chef Fang Chao. The Aussie restaurateur’s influence was limited to aesthetics – basically making the local cuisine look pretty on a plate.

The menu winds its way through Shanghainese cuisine and makes a few detours to the cai of Jiangsu, Anhui and further down the road. We started with the cold dishes that proved the chef has a knack for pickling. Crunchy sweet cucumbers (RMB 28) marinated with star anise and pickled radishes that smacked of chili and garlic (RMB 26) cracked delightfully between our teeth. Tender drunken chicken in Shaoxing wine with goji berries (RMB 38) rounded out the elegant start of the meal, and we were raring to go for the main courses.

Dongpo rou (RMB 38) showcased Laris’ influence. Served per person instead of family style, the plate held a single square of fatty pork with a line of doumiao leading to a fistful of rice. The plate was downsized to cut back on the richness of unctuous meat and allow diners to enjoy more dishes without filling up. Le Sheng’s Wuxi style spareribs (RMB 88) loosely translated the original recipe with its pinenut, tomato and corn relish. The result was a bland pile of ribs that tasted vaguely of sweet and sour paigu. 

Le Sheng offers baijiu infused cocktails to make the firewater go down easier, and that sums up the restaurant’s merits. With its sleek black and gold dining room and foreigner-friendly menu, it’s a great way to ease into the local food scene, especially if Old Jesse is booked.

322 Anfu Lu, near Wukang Lu. Tel: 5406 6011