What it is: The newest project from Kathleen Lau. Lau is something of a Shanghai dining institution. She arrived in Guangzhou from America to "discover her roots" back in the mid-90s. She started out teaching English, but before long found herself in the F&B business when she opened a cafe by the name of Kathleen's. Interesting sidebar: She gave a girl from neighboring Hunan province by the name of one of her first jobs in the hospitality industry. In Shanghai, she is credited with opening the original KABB -- that stands for Kathleen's American Bar and Bistro -- on Maoming Lu and then in , which is now under the umbrella of . But her name is probably more recognizable from her more up-market venture Kathleen's 5.
Helming the kitchen is Kenji Salz. He hails from Hawaii, and his chef career has dispatched him all around Asia and the Middle East -- Indonesia, Egypt, Qatar, Singapore and, most recently Macao. Most of the bullet points on his CV are high-end hotels, and this is reflected in his menu. It's conservative and familiar with a broad, international audience in mind -- lots of Continental cuisine with Asian inspiration. No envelopes are pushed, no paradigms shifted, and that's consistent with what we've seen from Kathleen Lau's first restaurant. Nevertheless, it's all solidly executed. The lamb chops with port wine and prune sauce are perfectly tender. The Norweigian blue mussels are moist and succulent. He throws in a few surprises like his "Canton Classic Salad" of julienned vegetables, shredded abalone, cured ham and jellyfish with citrus and sesame oil. It's a surprisingly tasty combo -- and this is coming from a guy who's got no love for jellyfish. The menu also features a sushi selection comprising fresh cuts of tuna, kingfish, salmon and more. For dessert it's largely familiar classics like strawberry souffle or hot chocolate lava cake.
The bar and cocktail program were conceived by Hong Kong-based consultant Giancarlo Mancino. He's built up a list of clients throughout Asia, the most recognizable of which is . The guy also has his own
Atmosphere: The building has a storied history in its own right. It's the Sassoon Warehouse. Built it 1906, it was a storage facility for the Sassoon family's stocks of opium. But the major draw can be summed up in two words: the view. It's spectacular, with sweeping, unobstructed vistas of both the Luziazui skyline and the Bund. To give you and idea, it's at a vantage point similar to what you see at , only from a lower angle. A vast rooftop terrace will make this a popular spot in warmer months. In the meantime, there is the indoor portion, which was designed by . They're the firm responsible for The Puli. It is noticeably similar with its simple floor plan and minimalist furnishings.
Damage: Starters range from 88rmb for grilled vegetable salad to 320 for a half dozen imported oysters. Sushi rolls have a two-tier price system: 52-78rmb for four pieces and 98-138rmb for eight. There are sashimi platters for 188 and 288 as well. Mains start at 168rmb for pasta and cap off at 558rmb (for lobster, of course). Desserts bring you back full circle to starter prices. Cocktails are in the high 90s range. That's certainly not cheap, but they're all made with premium spirits.
Who's going: So far it's been a lean crowd. The restaurant has been keeping a low-profile, so it's largely been friends of the owner and media types like myself. The floodgates will likely open for your standard variety Bund-faring clientele tailed by cocktail aficionados. The close proximity to the Hyatt and the cruise ship port means lots of out-of-towners as well.
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