Lesser known to many, LAN Club also has a dining menu at their quintessentially hip restaurant, an opulent outfit designed by Philip Starck. Boasting an oyster bar and stylish interiors, the dining experience comes up tops. Unfortunately, I couldn’t say the same about the food.
Here, Chinese cuisine comes reinvented, presenting surprises like LAN style chilled Hawthorn pastries (RMB68) in jelly form that came on a block of ice. It was meant to whet the appetite, failing miserably. The sweet and sour jelly was a great example of bad diet food. We somewhat enjoyed the boiled mixed seafood & pumpkin soup (RMB78) although it would have been nicer if the soup came thicker. The sautéed king prawns with “Longjing” tea & chili in sweet chili sauce (RMB98) was tasty but nothing to rave about. Next, followed a promising fusion of grilled cod fish with mushroom sauce (RMB68) served with a portion of grains. For beef lovers, the tender stir-fried Australian beef with sliced garlic (RMB238) goes perfectly with a bowl of fluffy white rice.
All in all, the place is impressive, but its interiors definitely overshadow the quality of the food. Still, a great place to take visitors to impress, but not when you simply want dinner without the theatre of it.
