At Lei Garden, bone-white panels jut out of the Champagne colored carpet and encircle the tables, with crystal chandeliers dangling overhead. The full effect is a pod-like interior with paper-esque walls. The décor is unique, and the food is just as memorable.

We started our meal with the lao huo tang (RMB65 for a two-person portion), served in a rustic clay pot. The flavors of the ambrosial soup, achieved by four hours of slow-stewing sparrow meat, pork bone and slivered almond down to pure essence, was rich without being salty and milky with marrow. All soups require 12 hours advance notice and change daily.

From their daily menu we also tried tiger prawns done two ways (RMB168), a surprisingly filling dish. On one side of the plate were large shrimp, de-tailed and stir-fried with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. On the other was more shrimp over a bed of tasty, though slightly oily, sweet lily bulbs, mushrooms, pinenuts and yellow chives.

The crispy baby duck (RMB98 each), a signature dish we reserved in advance, arrived head and all. We cringed a little, but bit in anyway. We tried this dish before and liked it, but this time we had our own oil crisis on our hands. The abundant oil compromised the crispiness of the skin, and made us feel overly full, in the bad way.

We soldiered on to try the Guifei lobster porridge (RMB103), a dish that is raved about on dianping.com. It’s a tasty, thin porridge with a lobster bisque and tender, de-shelled shrimp every few bites. As it was served, our waiter tossed in a handful of crunchy rice. The crackling grains add an enjoyable textural foil to the soft porridge.

We finished with a dessert coupling, a bowl of Lei Garden’s famous mango-pomelo soup and a terrific glutinous rice dumpling (RMB32) filled with unctuous sesame sauce and rolled in powered peanuts.

Perfect it’s not, but after dining here a few times, we feel it could be. Lei Garden earned a Michelin star in 2009 in Hong Kong and is already a contender for Shanghai’s top Cantonese.

Our Rating: 4/5

DETAILS

What: Lei Garden

Where: 3/F, ifc Mall, 8 Century Avenue

Tel: 5106-1688

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