[China: Shanghai] Ling Long 玲瓏
Awarded 1 Michelin Star and #27 on Asia’s 50 Best, Ling Long is the hottest table in Shanghai right now and for good reason. Meaning exquisite, delicate and transparent, the name Ling Long represents Chef Jason Liu’s vision of showcasing Chinese gastronomy. While the young and talented chef had honed his culinary skills in Western cuisine, he remained deeply connected to the flavors of traditional Chinese cuisine and in 2019 ultimately launched the first Ling Long in Beijing. Four years later, Ling Long Shanghai opened in Waldorf Astoria Shanghai and quickly become one of the most sought after tables in the city.
The modern Chinese restaurant explores regional Chinese cuisines in creative ways through 3 themes - xian/umami (鮮), localization (本土), and tradition (傳統). Two tasting menus are currently available - Classic and Inspiration. As it was my first time visiting, Chef Jason kindly created a custom menu for me by selecting dishes from both menus. Our meal was delightful from start to finish with highlights such as the signature broth made from preserved chicken leg and clam, the smoked drunken prawn in Shaoxing yellow wine, the braised eel masquerading as pork belly, and the playful Tung Feng fried chicken stuffed with preserved vegetables. The whimsical ending with the nostalgic candy shop was the perfect way to end the evening.
The modern Chinese restaurant explores regional Chinese cuisines in creative ways through 3 themes - xian/umami (鮮), localization (本土), and tradition (傳統). Two tasting menus are currently available - Classic and Inspiration. As it was my first time visiting, Chef Jason kindly created a custom menu for me by selecting dishes from both menus. Our meal was delightful from start to finish with highlights such as the signature broth made from preserved chicken leg and clam, the smoked drunken prawn in Shaoxing yellow wine, the braised eel masquerading as pork belly, and the playful Tung Feng fried chicken stuffed with preserved vegetables. The whimsical ending with the nostalgic candy shop was the perfect way to end the evening.
- showcasing the “Xian” (umami) flavor through 3 amuse bouches: the chilled yellow croacker, the porcini tart with an ingenious ice cream filling, and the flavorful chicken soup with dry aged chicken leg ham & clam.
𝘗𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘚𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 | 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘹𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘠𝘦𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘦 | 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦𝘥
- both impressive in flavor and presentation, this drunken prawn was easily one of my favorite dishes of the night.
𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 | 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘯𝘶𝘵 | 𝘉𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥
- the braised eel with crispy scallion continued to impress with the clever use of a fatty eel to mimick the pork’s golden ratio of fat and lean.
𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘝𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 | 𝘓𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘯 | 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘺-𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘥
- the mouthwatering crispy chicken leg stuffed with preserved vegetables was a playful tribute to the signature dish of Tung Feng Hotel (東風飯店) that once occupied the same space (it was also home to the first KFC in China). The playful presentation with a recreation of the old menu was a nice touch as well!
𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘻𝘩𝘰𝘶 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘱 | 𝘓𝘪𝘵𝘴𝘦𝘢 | 𝘖𝘪𝘭 𝘚𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥
- for finishing touches of the tilefish with sour soup, the staff brought out what looked like a tree bark and started scraping it onto the fish. Turns out the “tree bark” was actually litsea (木姜子) which smelled and tasted like lemongrass - lending a Southeast Asian flavor to the dish.
𝘖𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘚𝘢𝘶𝘤𝘦 | 𝘍𝘶𝘫𝘪𝘢𝘯 𝘖𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 | 𝘙𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘦𝘥
- a showcase of local terroir using Wagyu grown in China and homemade oyster sauce. The oyster sauce was particularly impressive as it was made in the most traditional way with an abundance of oysters.
𝘌𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘛𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 | 𝘝𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴 | 𝘚𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥
- ending the savory part of the meal was the Wuchang Rice simmered and mixed table side in a clay pot. A tribute to Eight Treasures Rice, the peppery sauce reminded me more of the flavors of stir-fried shredded eel (鱔糊) instead.
𝘚𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 | 𝘋𝘢𝘳𝘬 𝘏𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺 | 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦
- the main dessert featured Chinese Honey through two different kinds of honey: sour honey and dark honey from black bees. Accompanying the beautiful dessert was a beehive made from real bee wax with the sound of buzzing bees.
- a whimsical ending where we were presented with a miniature candy shop for our petit fours. Upon inserting a coin, the box started playing music while emitting the smell of a typical candy shop, invoking the nostalgia of our collective childhood.
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