Pelham’s
NEW YORK CUISINE
WALDORF ASTORIA
Shanghai on the Bund

Dear Cherry,

There are a number of recently opened luxury hotels on the Bund side of the Huangpu river, all of which intrigue me, so I have decided to do a series of articles called “Beauties-on-the-Bund”.  The most exciting and long awaited of all these hotels for me is WALDORF ASTORIA Shanghai on the Bund, and therefore, I will begin my series immersed in the grandeur that is WALDORF ASTORIA.  The name alone congers images of ultimate grace and elegance in a classic hotel.  Though I have dreamed of staying in the historic WALDORF ASTORIA in New York, I have not yet experienced its “peerless service and indulgent comfort”.  It remains…a dream.  From their website “As one of the first ‘grand hotels’, The WALDORF ASTORIA is synonymous with the elegance and grandeur of the best of New York City.  For over a century, The WALDORF ASTORIA was possibly the world’s most celebrated and renowned hotel.  It is the original luxury hotel, and still the standard by which others are measured.  WALDORF ASTORIA is Hilton Worldwide’s luxury brand of landmark hotels.  Each hotel and resort offers the exquisite accommodations and signature accoutrements that define refinement and sophistication.”  And now, providing elegance and grandeur in China, is WALDORF ASTORIA Shanghai on the Bund.  “Combining the history and culture of the celebrated Shanghai Bund with a taste for 21st century sophistication, WALDORF ASTORIA Shanghai on the Bund offers a heritage ambiance, legendary service, and timeless amenities to make your stay truly memorable and distinct.”  For more information see http://www.waldorfastoriashanghai.com/english/home. 

The building housing WALDORF ASTORIA Shanghai on the Bund originally opened in 1911 as The Shanghai Club, and most famous was the bar, which at 33 meters was the longest in the world.  The bar has survived and will greet you in The Long Bar on the left after you enter the sumptuous lobby of this marvel of classic architecture.  I arrived early and full of anticipation for what I would experience and as I stepped out of the taxi and walked under the distinctive black awning at the entrance to the hotel, I was greeted by General Manager, Dirk De Cuyper and most of his senior staff, all of whom were assembled to greet a guest far more distinguished than I, and as I walked through this illustrious assemblage of hotel management I joked that I had never received such a prestigious welcome, then laughed, and climbed the century old steps and entered the classically elegant lobby.  I took a deep breath and absorbed the luxury, then took a quick walk around the interior to see the layout of the hotel and to get a feel for the environment.  Enjoying what I saw, I proceeded to The Long Bar where I was greeted by Bar Manager, Christoffer Backman who made a Martini for me, perfectly dry and cold, the way I like it, and we were joined by Director of Food & Beverage, Thomas Gebler.  We discussed my plans for the evening and had a few laughs.  Great guys!  I was having so much fun that I allowed Bartenders, Anson Tong and Kevin Xie to make another Martini for me and a tall glass of soda water with lots of ice, a couple of dashes of bitters, and a slice of lemon.  I enjoyed the rest of my drinks while listening to a young man play lounge classics on the piano.  This set my mood for what I hoped would be a fabulous dining experience.  At Pelham’s New York Cuisine, Restaurant Manager & Sommelier, Max Chong and Hostess, Candy Hu greeted me.  Max brought me to my table in the center of the room with a clear view of everything including the glass wall to the kitchen.  Waiter, Albert Wang poured a glass of sparkling water for me and I discussed with Max what Champagne I should have to start.  He surprised me with one of my “James Bond” favorites, Bollinger Special Cuvee.  What a wonderful beginning!  General Manager, Dirk De Cuyper who was also dining in Pelham’s, came over to see if everything was in accordance with my plans and I told him how excited I was to be writing my first WALDORF ASTORIA review.  I settled in with my glass of Bollinger, the wine list, the menu, and the soft voice of a lady jazz singer lulling me into peaceful contentment.  This is the way to prepare for a delightful evening of fine dining.

The Wine List begins with WINE BY THE GLASS starting with 3 Champagne offerings, a Brut, a Rose, and Dom Perignon, not often available by the glass.  This is followed by WHITE with 6 choices from 6 countries.  There is 1 Rose from France, and then 6 RED from 5 countries.  SWEET wines are offered from Italy and Austria.  Next is CHAMPAGNE & SPARKLING WINES beginning with BLANC with 18 NON-VINTAGE options, then 5 VINTAGE, and 10 CUVEE PRESTIGE.  ROSE & SPARKLING has 8 NON-VINTAGE Rose Champagne and 2 VINTAGE.  SPARKLING BLANC offers 6 from 3 countries, followed by 1 SPARKLING ROSE.  Next is WHITE WINE with 72 choices from 8 countries.  3 ROSE are offered from France.  RED WINE has 190 choices from 12 countries.  SWEET WINE has 9 choices from 5 countries.  Finally OTHER FORMATS has 6 HALF BOTTLE & 10 MAGNUM options from around the world.

The Menu was prepared by Chef de Cuisine, Brian Chan.  Appetizers include:  House Smoked Duck Breast with Baby Lettuces, Black Pepper Goat Cheese Cromesqui, Peaches, and “Bellini” Espuma; Dungeness Crab Cake with Mango, Radish, Scallion, Kefir Lime & Coconut “Broth”; “Fin de Claire” Oysters with Rose Champagne Mignonette; Pan Seared Foie Gras, with “Grown-Up” Cherries, Toasted Chocolate Brioche, and Pinot Noir “Fog”; Carpaccio of Main Lobster with Sweet Soy Glaze, Lightly Pickled Cucumber, Citrus, and Sprouts; Spiced Andalusian Gazpacho with “Smoked” Prawns, Compressed Watermelon, and Mint; Lobster “Caesar” with Chilled Maine Lobster, Prosciutto, Avocado, and Tomato Confit; Cured Norwegian Salmon & Yellowtail “Tartare” with Avocado, Pine Nuts, Chives, and Orange Cilantro Dressing; Duck Quenelle Consommé with Charred Enoki Mushroom “Bouquet” and Spring Onion.  Mains include:  Seared Turbot with Ragout of Fava Beans, Pork Belly, and Pancetta Cabernet Vinaigrette; “Five Spiced” Double Cut Rack of Australian Lamb with Ginger Carrot Puree, Snow Peas, and Natural Jus; Tortelloni of Slow Braised Black Pork Shoulder with Wild Mushrooms, Yunnan Ham Boullion, and Spring Onion Pistou; “Oakleigh Ranch Tajima” Australian Wagyu Sirloin with Bacon Glazed “Crushed” Baby Potatoes, Blue Cheese, Balsamic Onions, and Thyme; Black Angus Australian Rib Eye of Beef with Horseradish Potato Puree and Asparagus; Lime & Chili Marinated Jumbo Prawns with Crisp Corn, Avocado, Cilantro, and Smoked Tomato Coulis; Butter Basted Maine Lobster with House Made Pappardelle, Spinach, Caramelized Fennel, and Parmesan; Roasted Filet of Sea Bass with Artichokes “a la Basquaise”, Piment D’espelette, and Basil; Roasted Breast of Spring Chicken with Lemon Risotto, Summer Squash, and Porcini.  The Dessert Menu includes:  “Bailey’s & Coffee”, Velvet Chocolate Sphere, Coffee Chocolate Cremeux, and Warm Bailey’s Sauce; “Vacherin” Meringue, Vanilla Bourbon Mousseline Cream, Blueberries & Dehydrated Raspberries, White Chocolate; “S’More”, Chocolate, Passion Fruit Marshmallow, and Graham Cracker Ice Cream; Citrus Salad & Darjeeling Infusion, Frozen Cherry Yogurt Parfait; Chilled Raspberry “Soufflé”, Mascarpone, and Tahitian Vanilla Anglaise; Selection of Ice Cream & Sorbet.
 
My Dining Experience:  I was happy to see Linda Hemels, an old friend from Beijing who is now Grand Brasserie Manager.  She invited me to try their Sunday Brunch someday.  Chef Brian talked with me about the menu and suggested a tasting menu crossing many flavor profiles so I put down the wine list and asked Max to pair the wines for me.  Albert poured another glass of Bollinger, chilled on ice and very cold.  Max described the wine that would accompany my Amuse Busche.  He poured Laurent Perrier Cuvee Rose, Non-vintage Champagne into a slightly wider glass designed for older vintage Champagne.  All tasting notes are by Max who is a professional Sommelier.  This Rose Champagne has a high proportion of Pinot Noir with cherry and strawberry character on the nose.  It was served not as cold as normally so it would go better with the food.  Some of the character of the wine would be sealed off by the coldness relative to the food, and the bigger glass made it easier to enjoy.  A non-traditional way to serve Champagne it was more full bodied in taste.  I always drink my Champagne very cold so this was an interesting experiment.  I have had the wine before, but now as a food wine in a larger glass it tasted differently than a lovely, but lonely quaff of Champagne, and the nose was fuller.  Brian and Lisa Yu brought my Wagyu Steak Tartare “a la Reuben” with Pastrami Spices, Flash Pickled Cabbage, Russian Dressing, and Toasted Rye topped with a Quale Egg.  A beautiful plate, I tried all the side ingredients first and the rye toast was only 1/16th of an inch thick.  The Pastrami Spice was very good, as was the Russian Dressing.  Then I took some of the tender raw beef alone and then dragged some through the other ingredients and mixed them all together to experience all the flavors as Brian intended.  With a sip of the Rose Champagne the flavors were perfectly matched and the bubbles stimulated the Pastrami Spice burning on my tongue to come alive again, an explosive new experience.  Max explained the 4 kinds of bread, Pretzel with Fine Rock Salt, Soft Cheese, Multigrain Wheat, and Mini Baguette.  Served with it were unsalted butter by President of France, and a blend of sundried tomato and cream cheese.  Starting in the order recommended by Max I tried each kind with the butter first and then with the tomato cream cheese.  I enjoyed the flavors, especially the Multigrain and Pretzel breads.  Max poured a colder glass of the Rose Champagne and what a difference!  It was so refreshing as I thought about the sweltering heat of a Shanghai summer.  I was pleased to see on the table my favorite Cristoffle silverware and heavy silver salt & pepper grinders by Peugeot, all from France.  Max poured a 2005 Domaine Michel Gros – Hautes Cotes De Nuits from Burgundy in France.  A Chardonnay, it had a bright golden color with only 3 months contact with new French oak to keep the fruit character and develop the nutty flavor.  There was hazelnut and slight creamy butter on the nose and at certain temperatures it can be like popcorn.  With slight charcoal smokiness, it was meant to match well with the next dish, Duck Quenelle Consommé of Game Birds with Charred Enoki Mushroom “Bouquet” and Spring Onion.  Matt Zhang brought my next silver setup.  I sipped the wine and it was fabulous, my favorite style of Chardonnay, broad complexity, rich, and coats my tongue like Sichuan oil but without the sting.  Brian brought the consommé and explained the 3 dollops of Duck Confit Mousse shaped by the spoon technique.  Max then poured the soup over the rest of the ingredients.  The mousse was smooth textured with soft duck flavors and the consommé strong and salty, tempered by the Enoki mushrooms.  It was a very nice flavor blend and I have never successfully paired a wine with a consommé, but Max did a great job with the Burgundy.  I asked him to bring me another glass…of butter!  Finishing this, I watched as he poured a 2008 Gewurztraminer by Forrest, “The Valley’s” Wairau in Marlborough, New Zealand.  It was beautifully aromatic, and had a tropical nose, specifically lychee and mango.  On the palate it had an off-dry style and a slightly sweet finish.  Max paired this with the Pan Seared Foie Gras “Grown-Up” Cherries (marinated in Pinot Noir with a touch of sugar), Toasted Chocolate Brioche, and Pinot Noir “Fog”.  The “Fog” was made by mixing some Pinot Noir from the marinade, adding a little Port and Cherry Liqueur, and pouring it over dry ice in a decanter resulting in a white fog coming out the top which Max wafted over the plate and under my nose, and set it on the table to continue fogging the area as a sensory delight.  This was really fun!  Foie Gras, Chocolate, Cherries, and Cherry coulis…how good is that?  I put the Foie Gras on top of the Chocolate Brioche and dredged it through the Cherry Coulis and popped it in my mouth, wonderful!  Brian said he liked Foie Gras and Chocolate, but this was my first time.  Add the slightly sweet Gewurztraminer and you have something to come back for.  This was great!  Albert continued to take good care of me, always doing the right things at the right time.  Max poured a 2009 Domaine Champalou Vouvray Sec from the Loire Valley in France.  This Chenin Blanc was hand picked at a small house with flavor between a Chenin Blanc and a Chardonnay.  It had an aromatic nose but not overwhelming and on the palette it was very refreshing and clean with a mineral finish.  As the temperature warms some sodium will appear on the palate.  Brian and Max came with my Roasted Filet of Sea Bass with Artichokes “a la Basquaise”, Piment D’espelette, and Basil.  This was cooked with dry sherry wine, red and yellow bell peppers, white Spanish onions, tomato, smoked paprika, and Piment D’espelette pepper (one of Brian’s “go to” ingredients).  I could taste this pepper in the sauce and when I mixed it with all the ingredients I could still taste the slight bite of the pepper.  The fish was tasty and had a good semi-firm mouth feel and the sauce was splendid, smooth and spicy, and the artichokes a little sweet.  This was a very nice dish with interesting contrasts of flavors.  Max poured a 2008 Camins del Priorat by Alvaro Palacios of Spain.  This Grenache is from a very unique terrior and climate, grown on a slope with volcanic soil and maximum exposure to sunlight, extremely hot.  The fruit is ripe but comes from poor soil with limited surface water so the roots grow deep to get to adequate water and absorb the character of the soil.  Flavors are ripe berries, dark fruits, and plummy, but not too rich, and there is a nice refreshing acidity on the finish.  This wine was beautiful!  Brian and Max brought the accompanying main course, “Oakleigh Ranch Tajima” Australian Wagyu Sirloin with Bacon Glazed “Crushed” Baby Potatoes, Blue Cheese, Balsamic Onions, Fresh Thyme, and Natural Beef Jus.  Brian prefers to serve the plate clean and add the jus at the table or give the guest the choice to have it on the side, which I chose.  It all looked and smelled good.  The beef was great alone, cooked medium rare with incredible flavor.  I experimented with the other ingredients on the plate, particularly enjoying the flavor explosions from the ¼ inch square strips of charred bacon.  I tried all parts separately, the onions sweet, the Blue Cheese rich, the bacon explosive, the potatoes tender and mild and then dove in and mixed it up and ate the whole experience, and went back and forth with the beautiful Grenache wine, so full, round, and smooth.  I could play with this dish all night as long as Max kept pouring the wine!  Oh, I forgot the jus!  It was a reduced and powerful natural beef sauce that I used sparingly with the excellent sirloin cut.  All ingredients worked alone, with another, with others, or all together.  I could not determine any favorite combination of flavors in this complexly flavored but simple dish, but I ate it all and loved it with the great Spanish wine.  Max poured a 2006 Beerenauslese Riesling by Markus Molitor from the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer in Germany.  Lychee and raisins were on the nose and a fresh, nice sweetness on the palate.  It was not too gluey or rich and had enough acidity to keep the taste buds refreshed.  Brian and Albert brought the “Bailey’s & Coffee”, Velvet Chocolate Sphere, with Coffee Chocolate Crémeux inside, and Warm Bailey’s Sauce (cream and chocolate mixed in vanilla).  2 stripes decorated the plate, chocolate sauce and ground pistachio powder.  It looked good, chocolate decadence at its best with a strong hint of “Bailey’s Irish Cream” flavor.  It was a nice way to finish the dinner.  I saved the dessert wine for afterwards, preferring not to drink it with the delightfully sweet dessert and enjoyed it while recapping the evening with Brian and Max and nibbling on my Petit Fours of Pistachio Lollypop, Passion Fruit Jelly, and Home Made Milk Chocolate.  This was a wonderful dinner!  I highly recommend Pelham’s New York Cuisine for a real New York style dining experience.  I had such a great time that I did not want to leave, so I went to The Long Bar for one last drink.  I had a nice chat with Cashier, Emilia Rong while Anson prepared a vigorously stirred Woodford Reserve Manhattan served in a chilled martini glass with a dash of bitters on top and an original Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.  While listening to jazz and sipping my cool Manhattan, I declared this to be the right way to finish a fantastic evening in Shanghai, or anywhere else on the Planet.

CHEERS!

My Best as Always,

Randy