Second Helpings: Pelham’s @ Waldorf Astoria Shanghai On The Bund

What: Fine-dining in one of the Bund’s most famous heritage buildings

Where: Waldorf Astoria, 2 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu. Tel: 6322 9988. Web: www.waldorfastoriashanghai.com

Why: For a new lighter and fresher summer menu to see in the warmer weather

Chef Jean-Philippe Dupas’ new menu reflects a lighter and more enticing range of dishes and draws inspiration from fresh ingredients. His philosophy has been to move away from complex food and create dishes that allow guests to truly understand what is on their plate by using only three main ingredients and extracting the maximum flavour possible from those key ingredients. Although this might sound counterintuitive in a high-end restaurant,

the intense flavours are showcased in an authentic and genuine way, heightening the senses and making for a memorable meal.

 

The lunch and dinner menus now offer a wider range of starters and mains. We sampled the beautifully balanced appetizer of lightly seared smoked salmon served with feta cheese, fresh cucumber yoghurt and a nutrient-dense quinoa salad. The cleanness and pureness of each ingredient came through strongly in the dish and left us wanting more.

 

Guests would miss out by not choosing one of the signature steaks on the menu, and we sampled the tender Australian tenderloin with a delicate truffle jus. To finish our meal on a sweet note, we indulged in the light and summery red berry mille-feuille served with a refreshing avocado and basil curd, and a green tea mousse with red bean paste, yoghurt honey ice cream, raspberry gel and a coconut meringue. A perfectly executed fusion between European and Asian flavours, which, we imagine, also meets the demands of local customers.

 

Of course, no visit to Pelham’s would be complete without taking advantage of the expertly trained wine sommelier’s professional knowledge. We had a personalised wine pairing for each dish, which worked perfectly in terms of taste, balance and environmental aspects of the meal. The restaurant has, quite naturally, a large selection of old and new world wines, available by the glass or the bottle.