At Shanghai Club, ITC Grand Central, Masterchef Yuanzhong Jia is one fantastic chef. Those who appreciate real Chinese food will agree with me once they taste the food made by him. Chinese New Year gives us the perfect excuse to be a part of this special Bloggers’ Table to relish the preview of Chinese New Year (CNY) delicacies made by him. As we already propagate the fact that Shanghai Club in ITC Grand Central, Mumbai, has one of the finest Chinese chefs in Mumbai, my readers already know by now that we are a fan of Shanghai Club and the outstanding oriental dishes churned out in Chef Jia’s kitchen! On the “Year of the Rat,” Shanghai Club has come up with a festive Chinese New Year menu that started from 24^th January and will continue upto 2^nd February, 2020.

The ambience at Shanghai Club acquires a festive look with a touch of red everywhere. The lighting, the floral arrangement, the cutlery and the overall vibe reflect positivity and happiness, which is just how it should be on the occasion of Chinese New Year. Our fine-dining experience here was very satisfying!

Tofu features prominently in the menu. There is equal weightage to vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Fish, which is regarded auspicious in Chinese cuisine, is also a main attraction in the CNY menu. A few dishes have almonds in them: the Cuizha Yumi (Stir-fried Sweet Corn Kernels and Almonds), for instance. The vegetarian dishes are as good as the non-vegetarian ones. Here, we try a comfort soup called Doufu Baicai Tang (Tofu and Pak Choi Soup).

This Cantonese soup is extremely light and flavourful and has a tinge of ginger that escalates the soup further. Even the Sucai Chunjuan (Mix Vegetable Spring Roll) is light and crunchy. What we love among the vegetarian appetizers is the Haoyou Doufu (Tofu Tossed in Chilli Oyster Sauce): soft Tofu with a lip-smacking Asian sauce that will leave you craving for more.

In fact, at Shanghai Club, each and every dish meets our expectations. Be it the Luole Hongzunyu (Crisp Red Snapper Tossed in Hot Basil Sauce), Jiang Bao Jisi (Shredded Chicken with Yellow Bean Paste and Garlic) or Xinjiapo Chao da Xia (Singapore Fried Prawns). The latter is our favourite: prawns cooked perfectly with a tasty sauce to go with it!

In the Main Course, we are surprised to find that cabbage can actually taste delicious! The Quiang Chao Baicai (Sichuan Home-Style Fried Chinese Cabbage) is a pleasure in itself.

We absolutely loved the Zirang Yangrou (Stir-Fried Sliced Lamb in Cumin Chilli Sauce). The bold flavours of cumin and chilli marry well and make this dish a favourite of everyone. At the same time, the Quingzheng Changyu (Steamed Pomfret in Hunan Sauce) is light, yet very comforting. The fish tastes fantastic, smeared in Hunan sauce.

We enjoy the main course with Xingreng Chaofan (Almond Fried Rice) and Kejia Chao Mian (Chinese Stir-Fried Hakka Noodles).

The grand Chinese New Year meal has traditional desserts like Date Pancakes, served with ice cream. The feast is worth the experience. There are enough options in the special CNY menu that is on only till 2^nd February, 2020. Do visit Shanghai Club for a fantastic Chinese New Year feast.