Thumbs-up for local cuisine

Chargrilled wild Pacific salmon [Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

"(I) hope it’s Shook!" as he puts it, quoting the name of the Malaysian-originated restaurant that means "thumb-up" in the local language.

Of the appetizers, the signature salmon tartare and beef carpaccio are equally "international". The former, aside from its French roots of the steak tartare, features a light and satisfying taste of Japanese sashimi, while the beef is reminiscent of Thai larb nuar (cold beef salad) with its rich toppings.

Among the desserts are the peanut melting frozen cream bars, which closely resemble Snickers bars both in texture and fl avor. The fl ourless chocolate cake is a more decadent fi nale to the inventive meal.

The label "flourless" absolves us of guilt as we reach for scoop after scoop of the silky, luscious chocolate custard. We are told that the pastry chef has also mixed some guarana fruit into the cake, a South American plant rich in ca eine and featuring a bittersweet taste. The taste of the fruit is subtle, but the cake turns out to be well-balanced and sweet.

Address: 5-6 F, Swatch Art Peace Hotel, 23 Nanjing Road E, Huangpu district

Telephone: 021-2329-8522

Related: Thumbs-up for local cuisine: QUAY