La Bauhinia, Shangri-La Paris

Posted on by

Shangri-La is a charismatic hotel brand. Since the Shard acquired the new London branch, many more Brits have become aware of this company’s power and esteem. During my last trip to Paris I was priviledged to visit Shangri-La Paris to dine at the Asian style restaurant in the hotel, La Bauhinia.

Wandering through this opulent palace, my feet squeaking on the polished floor, I felt relieved that at least I had my little Chanel bag on my shoulder, my most luxurious possession that increases my suitability for an establishment like this. La Bauhinia is one of three restaurants at the hotel, the other two are both Michelin-awarded offering Chinese and French cuisine. Located in the heart of the building, its name is inspired by the bauhinia flower and is a reminder of the hotel’s Asian heritage. A luxurious glass ‘cupola’ structure designed by renowned architect Maurice Gras dazzles at night with a grand chandelier illuminating the space.

Both French and Asian dishes are given equal importance on the menu, though I felt more swayed by the Thai dishes. First though, top notch pink champagne and crostini whet our appetites prior to the main meal. To start we shared a delectable plate of Mangalica ham with minced pear and spiced pear chutney. The salty but delicate meat contrasted with the aromatic sweet fruit. It was polished off in minutes.

For main course we decided to sample two classic Thai dishes: Shrimp Pad Thai and Lamb Green Curry. The Pad Thai consisted of sautéed rice noodles, shrimp, egg, bean sprouts, tamarind juice, daikon radish, white cabbage, peanuts, garlic and lime. Everything was perfectly cooked though I found it a little too sweet. Lamb shoulder stewed in a Thai green curry and coconut basmati rice was amazingly spicy and creamy, with tender chunks of meat and the lovely addition of fresh peas and cherry tomatoes that added pleasantly to the look and taste. The knowledgeable waiter brought complementing glasses of wine, we particularly enjoyed the French white Meursault Les Criots.

For dessert we shared the Orange in Many Ways, it was absolutely sensational, too pretty to eat. Orange segments, orange mousse, orange crumble, Grand Marnier ice cream made for a tangy and fruity sundae of deliciousness. It was the ideal palate cleansing sweet treat.

If you can’t afford a night’s stay in the stunning Shangri-La, a special meal at La Bauhinia is a great alternative: delicious food and wonderful surroundings in the heart of Paris.

More information about La Bauhinia here.

Thanks to the Paris Tourist Board, more information here.

parisinfo.com

Shrimpy’s, King’s Cross

Posted on by

Soon we are to say so long to Shrimpy’s, the pop-up diner in King’s Cross which has occupied the filling station for the last 18 months. When the site is redeveloped later this year, the dinky diner will shut up shop which is a shame considering the delectable design and cheerful food.

For the first 6 months of its existence, Londoners went crazy for crab burgers at Shrimpy’s and the queues were unbearable and reservations impossible. A year on and the place is far from full, a much quieter and calmer venue for weekend brunch. The food, some say, is not as good, but I enjoyed my meal here, a stylish mix of Californian and Mexican dishes.

The soft shell crab burger was famous instantly, it even had its own twitter following, but with rumours that it had dropped in quality I decided to sample some of the other dishes available. From the brunch menu, I can recommend the Chilaquiles with chorizo. Although this was presented messily, a pile on a plate, it really was tasty, a spicier and more sophisticated version of nachos. The cheeseburger in a bonnet was good too, quite petite in size but perfectly cooked with a very soft sweet freshly baked brioche bun and a layering of delicious components on the flavoursome beef patty. We couldn’t resist something sweet to share, Ricotta hot cakes with pecan crunch butter seemed like the obvious choice. Perhaps the star of the meal, the pancakes were thick and airy dusted in icing powder with a dollop of caramelised nutty butter melting temptingly on top.

It was the design and décor of Shrimpy’s that I fell in love with. The exterior has a modern silver sharpness, but with a retro charm that is irresistible to passers-by. It is a mysterious and magical old garage that seems deserted from the street, but explore a little and you find a little entrance. Inside the walls have whimsical coloured illustrations by Donald Urquhart and Jonathan Trayte.

More information here: shrimpys.co.uk

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Savoy Theatre

Posted on by

Robert Lindsay’s performance at the Savoy Theatre had me googling him on my phone during the interval to check out his age. What I discovered made me even more impressed by his consummate performance as lovable trickster Lawrence Jameson in David Yazbek’s adaptation of the famous 1988 film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Lindsay is both funny and suave opposite Rufus Hound’s more histrionic portrayal of rival conman Freddy Benson – the pair are in competition duping glamorous tourists on the French Riviera out of their spare cash. Katharine Kingsley as their principal prey charismatically sings and dances circles around the duo.

This stage show is infinitely more sophisticated and satisfying than the very dated film. The songs are catchy enough to be memorable although I’d never heard any of them before. The dance routines are sassy and dizzily complex. The dialogue and libretto are very witty and 21st century. The set design does wonders with the limited space and is very much in tune with the Savoy’s wonderful deco interior.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is a proper musical, combining traditional razzamatazz with a contemporary sensibility and makes for a very entertaining night out.

Continues until 29 November 2014, buy tickets here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Chris Kenny.