THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
17 Berkeley Street, London W1J 8EA
I've been shanghaied! In the most delightful way. Alan Yau's Park Chinois is an ode to 1930's Shanghai and it is glam-o-rous!
The famed founder of Wagamama and Hakkasan created something altogether different in his Berkeley Street restaurant which opened in 2015. In a throwback to old-school opulence, designer Jacques Garcia's mix of French elegance with Chinese aesthetic and a touch of the forbidden is absolute magic. Red, the color of happiness and good fortune, dominates the main dining room, from velvet drapes, to fringed lamp shades. Below ground, Club Chinois is known for its gilded bar and burlesque entertainment. I feel certain there's an opium den hidden somewhere!
The floor staff is a veritable army of efficiency, from tuxedoed waiters to white-coated servers. Nothing goes amiss and service was smooth as Chinese silk! A jazz quartet played several sets throughout the evening, the vocalist bringing both subtlety and virtuosity to golden oldies.
Prices are not for the faint-hearted. Sharing menus range from £145 - £230 and wines from £79 - £7998! The à la carte menu is potentially more affordable and the new prix fixe weekday lunch menu is great value at £39 for 2 courses or £46 for 3. The cocktail menu is as much fun to read as it is to drink. A Serenity Sour (£19) mixed Roku gin with Aker Aperitif, Mastiha Liqueur, honey and citrus. Serene? I didn't have a care in the world!
Our sharing menu, at the low end, was glorious and far more than we could eat. It began with 2 specialties of the house, the chef's selection of dim sum and Duck de Chine. Why these were served together is a mystery. Each deserved undivided attention. The 4 dumplings were like a who's who of fine ingredients. Har gau with prawn, scampi shumai, sea scallop with pickled cabbage and black truffle. Pure luxury.
The Peking style duck is exquisite. Perfectly lacquered skin, moist, tender meat, hot pancakes, plum sauce and threads of green onion and cucumber. I've never had better.
Chilean sea bass was grilled perfectly, just flaking apart, but overwhelmed by an overly intense plum sauce. Scottish ribeye, seasoned beautifully with black pepper and scads of caramelised shallots was a dish I just couldn't stop eating.
A side of baby bok choy was flawless. Juicy with a bit of crunch and just the right amount of ginger. Yangzhou fried rice came topped with 3 big, succulent prawns. My kind of rice!
A glass of 2020 Bourgogne Irancy, Domaine les Senties (£29) was an elegant Pinot Noir. Full-bodied, dark berries, pepper and rich tannins.
A delicious, jeweled carrot cake was moist and packed with spice. A smudge of carrot puree was all looks and no substance. A glazed pear had both. Perfectly poached, covered in white chocolate cream, finished with an exquisite lacquer and nestled in chocolate soil. A work of art!
I think I was born in the wrong era!
