Jade on 36

!>http://www.shangri-la.com/projects/uploadedImages/Hotels/Shanghai/Pudong_Shangri-La/en/Restaurants_&_Bars/pic_slpu_rest_jade.jpg! Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai Jade on 36. Oh my goodness, thanks to Gary and Yucca, we’ve been astonished by the quality and excitment of dining in Shanghai.

Jade is in the brand new tower of the Shangri-La (itself one of the top hotels in Shanghai and it competes with the Grand Hyatt for being the best on the Pudong side).

In this case, there is an amazing thing that you can do. Go at about 5PM or near sunset and head for the bar. They have some terrific drinks and the door is worth the price of admission. It is a gigantic steel and iron thing that looks like it comes out of a James Bond movie. Then you can see an incredible view of the Bund. The only problem is that Tower 1 does get in the way (the lights are too bright), but you’ll get the idea.

At about 7PM, you can belly over to the main restaurant. You can book a private room with a terrific view of the new Pudong buildings or in the main area you can see the “Bund”:http://www.orientalarchitecture.com/shanghai/SHABUND.htm the historic part of Shanghai now turned into a Tokyo light landscape.

The food is just amazingly inventive and interesting. For instance, we had pate that was seared with Apple caramel with a Champagne foam. Amazing flavors. Their most famous dish are “french fries” which are really incredibly light potatoes and a tomato sorbet. Yes, it really works. Reminds me of the inventiveness and the determination to take risks is what eating should be all about. It is so much like “The Herbfarm”:http://theherbfarm.com

So if you are in Shanghai, check it out. It is probably the best dining experience I’ve ever had. It is not for folks who want steak and potatoes, but for folks willing to try something new and different.