Shang Social Review: Beautiful Chinese Restaurant Serving Lard-Filled Noodles And Pandan Cocktail At Jewel

The space is split into three concepts: DINING for fancy occasions, MRKT for casual meals, and BAR for drinks. making it a one-stop destination for fancy dates, cheap lunches, and drinks. The menu here is just as luxurious, which we expect no less from a restaurant by Shangri-La.

I knew things here were seriously posh when the Deep Fried Whole Boneless Chicken Filled with Fried Glutinous Rice ($78++) was paraded onto our table. It was soon taken away by the waitstaff who carved it up into a few hefty pieces, which were then dressed with gorgeous pearls of fried glutinous rice.

Coupled with fried glutinous rice, the crispy texture juxtaposed so beautifully against the soft and juicy meat. The meat was deeply infused with floral aromas from the glutinous rice stuffing comprising dried shrimp, mushrooms and preserved meat.

I would have liked something crispy and fresh like turnips, to take the edge off the fatty heaviness of the pork. The Deep Fried Glutinous Rice Ball with Eight Treasures ($18++) was quite the artwork.

Dainty cups of glutinous rice were placed on wooden pedestals, with a bowl of stir-fried minced meat in the centre. Tastewise, pairing the minced meat with glutinous rice balls provided an interesting complement of tastes and textures. The chewy yet crusty glutinous rice balls were a great vessel for the soft and saucy eight treasures stir-fry.

Here, I tried the Spicy Mapo Beancurd with Minced Beef ($18++) that was swimming in a crimson pool of chilli oil haphazardly speckled with spring onions. I was initially reluctant to try it, having been told that the Sichuanese method was not mellowed to suit the local palate.

Bamboo Noodles with Dark Sauce & Lard ($6++) was one of the few noteworthy items here. This was great as the simple sauce was able to come through so brilliantly.

Having had our fill of food, my dining companion and I decided on a few drinks at the BAR . We washed our meal down with a delicious glass of Pandan Pandemonium ($20++) – gin that has been infused with pandan, then shaken with lemon juice and egg white.

As we ate, the distant sound of the waterfall serenaded the dining hall, adding to my dining experience. MRKT and BAR were also gorgeous, but if you wanna eat fancy, DINING is the place to go. Though the ambience was beautiful as ever, the same subpar dishes – though improved – were still not to my liking.