Shang Palace, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur

Shang Palace – Chinese Cantonese Restaurant

Words: Monica Tindall
Photos: Rich Callahan

I’ve been to Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur probably close to 50 times in the past 18 years. This is my first time, however, dining at Shang Palace. We had a little taste over MCO with some food delivery from the hotel, but this is our official introduction to the restaurant.

The setting is quite charming. There are lots of design elements that let you know immediately that you’re in a Chinese restaurant such as circular tables, lanterns and an abundance of red. It’s not overdone though and with physically-distanced tables and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the garden, the mood is calming.

Shang Palace Menu

I have to say my heart rate doubles when I see not one but two encyclopaedic-style menus – one for a la carte and the other for dim sum. Overwhelmed by choice, I much prefer a one-pager. Fortunately, friendly staff are here to assist and through the process of elimination (hubby doesn’t eat gluten or spice, and Rich doesn’t eat seafood), we narrow down our options.

Appetizers

In all honesty, we take the Braised Pumpkin Soup (RM 48) as the pic in the menu looks so darn enticing. It’s a half squash hollowed out and filled with assorted seafood and enoki mushrooms in a clear broth. Two prawns and two scallops are superbly fresh and have a healthy, clean taste to them.

Barbecue

With Traditional Peking Duck (RM 198) as our main, we don’t need too much more on the table. We’re told the whole duck is often shared between six people, and given we’re only three today, we slow down on the rest of the requests.

Served two ways at Shang Palace KL, the first sees the classic crispy duck skin wrapped in steamed Chinese pancakes with cucumber and spring onions. The whole duck is rolled out on a trolley and the skin is expertly sliced tableside. The wait, and admiration of our slicer’s knife skills, only increase our anticipation. She takes a thin crepe, adds some skin, a stick of cucumber, cutting of spring onion, and drop of sauce, and we have small parcels of yum, individually wrapped and laid in front of us.

As we finish off the crepes, the duck is taken away and the meat made into part number two. The second preparation gives diners a choice of rice, noodles, lettuce and various seasonings. We go with spring onions and ginger. The duck returns, freshly tossed together with our chosen ingredients. For sure there’ll be some takeaway today.

Vegetables

I love lotus root and would like to see it on more menus, not only in Chinese restaurants. Today we have it stir-fried (RM 45) with assorted veggies and macadamia nuts (big fan of those too). A pretty basket of fried-noodles holds the veggies as if eggs in a nest. Balancing our meal with some greens, Asparagus (RM 35) is lightly cooked, remaining crispy and given oomph with fried garlic.

Side note: dishes come in sizes of small, medium and large. The former is generally for two to three pax to share. Medium is for four to six, and the last is for larger groups.

Tea

Cleansing our palates between courses and assisting digestion, we accompany our meal with a pot of Tung Ting Oolong Tea (RM 24). This crop is grown in the Tung Ting mountain in Taiwan and is often recognized as one of the finest semi-fermented teas.

Reasons to visit Shang Palace KL: attractive, traditional setting; warm hospitality; fresh ingredients; delicious Peking duck.

• Golden Circle members receive 20 – 25% off their total food bill and various credit cards entitle diners to up to 50% off their food bill when dining as two! Different banks have different agreements so it’s best to call ahead to see what deal you can score.

Shang Palace, Chinese Cantonese Restaurant
2nd Floor, Shangri-La Hotel Kuala Lumpur
11, Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
+6 03-2074 3904
www.shangri-la.com

Shang Palace KL Opening Hours
Monday to Friday: 11:30 am – 2:30 pm (last order 2 pm)

Sunday & Public Holidays
First Seating: 10:30 am – 12:15 pm
Second Seating: 12:30pm – 2:30 pm
*Last order by 2 pm

Dinner
Sunday to Friday
6 pm – 10 pm
*Last Order by 9:30 pm

Find more Chinese restaurants here and stay up to date with the happenings around Malaysia here and here.