That’s what you hear when you meet them, when they welcome you, glowing with pride in Yi Long Court restaurant of Peninsula Hotel, one of the most exclusive restaurants in Shanghai. And they are not exaggerating. At all! Yi Long Court is a brilliant example of what we call an Art Deco classical luxury; all the deco details,t he table-design or the atmosphere remind us, in a subtle and splendid way, of the elegance of the merchants’ houses in the 1930’s Shanghai. The interior, a spectacular melange of western style and Art Deco elements, with mahogany-colored wooden tables and pieces of furniture in neutral tones, with burgundy shades, impresses anyone who walks into this space through the simplicity of the lines and the exquisite elegance. A very royal air, but free from ostentation.

It’s perfect if you want to have a Dim Sum brunch at the weekend and be spoiled by the famous chef Dicky To. Yi Long Court cuisine is Cantonese - highly appreciated in China - and is one of my favorites, because, besides the savor and special aroma of the dishes, the way of presenting them is different from the one we are used to; moreover you don’t feel as if you have had too much, there is no satiation sensation.

Starting from the fundamental truth, less is more, I tried  shrimp dumplings with bamboo shoots, "Siu Mai" with scallop, cod fish dumplings with celery, chives and black pepper, vegetarian dumplings with yellow fungus, spring rolls filled with red king crab meat and coconut milk or....I’d better stop here, although the list is very long.

Colored tip: if you join a group of 8 persons, you can book the exclusive saloon which is decorated in a very chic style, but with "industrial" touches. You can admire the "live cuisine show" while looking out of some windows. Tailor-made!

The Peninsula Shanghai
Address: The Bund, 32
32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road
Shanghai 200002
The People's Republic of China
Tel: +86 21 2327 2888
Fax: +86 21 2327 2000
E-mail: psh@peninsula.com