Fusion of past and present

Shanghai

The Bund has always been the premier location for high-end restaurants in Shanghai, and many international restaurateurs have taken advantage of this and prospered.

The owners of Shook! Shanghai are no exceptions. Their restaurant enjoys the company of history and the established reputation of a Shanghai icon, the Peace Hotel, now refurbished and re-opened as the Swatch Art Peace Hotel.

The original, a landmark along Nanjing Lu, was built in 1906, where it has overlooked the Huangpu River and Pudong skyline through both turbulent and opulent times.

Shook! is owned by YTL Hotels, an international chain of full service hotels based in Malaysia, and it was through the persuasion of one diner who ate at its Kuala Lumpur restaurant that the idea of coming to Shanghai was mooted.

That diner was the global president of the Swatch Group, and he talked YTL into starting a similar eatery at the Peace Hotel.

Shook! Shanghai mixes Chinese and colonial traditions, using rich textures and sumptuous fabrics to create a style that is distinctively Chinoiserie.

Lining both walls of the entrance hall are wine cellars with some of the best vintages from around the world. Rare Bordeaux such as Chateau Cheval Blanc and the celebratory Chateau d'Yquem are all available and vintages range from 1945 to 2010.

Unlike most restaurants that cordon off the kitchen area, Shook! Shanghai showcases the open kitchen by the side of the main dinning room.

The restaurant features four distinct cuisines with seasonal trends and boasts an adventurous journey of East and West, from Chinese, Japanese, Southeast Asia to modern Western.

Among some truly delightful dishes are snow-white dancing prawn and Cajun-style sea bass. A stir-fried prawn with hot mayonnaise topped with honey-glazed walnuts is served in a crystal cocktail glass while a sea bass lightly dusted with Cajun spices is served with pimento mayo, avocado cucumber salad and a twist of chili.

The chef's favorite main course is juicy slow-cooked grain-fed beef served with a goose-liver crust and truffle sauce.

Set meals are available in price ranges that range from 448 yuan to 795 yuan ($69-122) per person.