Shang Palace, Paris

We left the office around 11.45 to travel the 7 km to the Shang Palace. It took over 45 minutes to get there, as the traffic was thick and made worst by the pouring rain.

Parking places are hard to find in this area so we used the hotel's valet service which turned out to be free if you are a diner. 

J & N (two of my colleagues) arrived before us, and were still taking in the opulent surroundings and enjoying an apéritif.

I had booked a private room and it was quite something.  The photo above is of the lighting above our table.

The photo is not good, but this is of our salon area in our room.  Only J & N got to sit here as they arrived earlier than us.

Our director asked if we minded if he ordered all of the food and of course we weren't going to say no.  From this point onwards, I only took a couple of photos as we were all too busy eating and talking, but especially  eating.  One of the dishes we shared was a Vegetarian Pagoda (above), this was very refreshing and delicate.
We all had soup, I chose Bouddha Jumping Over the Wall.  I was curious to try this one, mainly because of it's title.  It was excellent, but I'm not sure it was worth 55 Euros!! (I was not aware of the price until today, Sunday)

We shared Roasted Peking duck with Pancakes in two services, this was good, but weird to have one service with the meat with lettuce leaves and the other with just the skin and pancakes...I would have liked just some meat still to be attached to the skin and this was expensive too, 200 euros for based on five people eating it.
The Shang Palace Rice cooked in a Lotus Leaf was ok, but at this point we were all becoming rather full* and I much preferred the Fried rice Chef style that even when full I managed a couple more chop sticks full. 

We were service great tea throughout the whole meal and myself and M (anther colleague) enjoyed a few glasses of some excellent Meursault.  Culinary wise, I just love the Fried rice Chef style and the Barbecued Meat Combination (with meat and skin this time) and a special mention has to be made for the "plum sauce" . The wine was excellent, would have enjoyed another...and this was the first time I drank tea with a meal and I just loved it.

Some of the dishes  were a little fade, including the Deep Fried Cod and the Crispy Bean curd Rolls and the seasoned celery with dried shrimps and fired garlic which lacked garlic and taste.
Our waiter was amazing though, really professional and main some great suggestions that improved the overall experience greatly.

I would go back again, however not with colleagues, but with my family, and we'd go with the set lunch menu.


*Even in a one star restaurant you can ask to take your left-overs home...I wouldn't, and I didn't, but my boss did.

Company Christmas Lunch in Paris Shang Palace

Today I'm eating out with my boss and colleagues at the Shang Palace in Paris.
This restaurant looks great and it has just been awarded a Michelin star this year.
I'm looking forward to the experience.   I'll try and take a couple of photos.

Three restaurants in Brittany...First up Avel Vor

To celebrate Alain's thirty something birthday, we reserved to table at L'Avel Vor in Port Louis.
We had heard mixed reviews about this place, hence us not eating there before now (we've been going to Brittany ever year for twelve years now.
The website probably sold me on trying this place out, so hats off to whoever did the job on it, because you (me at least) feel virtually immersed in the restaurant.
The compliments stop here...well nearly, maybe just one for the dessert.

Upon entering the restaurant we were fairly warmly greeted and shown to our table, which was placed next to a window, which good (there are some badly positioned tables, with little or no intimacy, fairly gloomy and noisy to add), then we mulled over the menu, knowing really that we'd already decided before hand. We chose the menu Terre et Mer at 63 euros and then waited.  
More people arrived, the restaurant was almost to full capacity and there were only two floor staff, and the chef's wife who wasn't very efficient.   Before even ordering (we were ready though) some amuse bouches were served, I thought this odd, but ate up. I racking my brains trying to remember what we actually ate, but nothing springs to mind, so nothing exceptional, just ok.
Still no-one came to take our order, making us feel slightly uncomfortable, we finished by having to ask by form of gestures (this is a one star michelin restaurant, service should be important),    
Eventually, after our order was taken and wine chosen, the first course came quickly, which was Nage de lotte aux aromates et tomates, vinaigre de Xeres (Monfish with herbs, tomatoes and Xeres vinegar).  The fish was good (never had a bad experience when it comes to fish from this region of France), however the plate lacked something, maybe some more seasoning would have been good.
For our next service we had a filet of sole, stuffed with blue lobster  and a duxelle of mushrooms, it looked good, tasted ok, still missing that something special and the course was served a little too cold for my liking.
I knew when it came to the next course, pigeon with pan-fried foie gras and crispy potatoes, that I'd probably have issues with the pigeon, which turned out to be true, so I can't be objective about this one, because I just don't like pigeon, but Alain disliked it too and the way it was prepared.  
I did say earlier there weren't any more compliments to be given a part from the dessert and thanks to that, it saved our evening from being one huge gastronomic disappointment (that sounds harsh, but true).
We ate the most amazing, truly probably one of the best ever desserts served in a restaurant or anywhere else for that matter, that night, a delice  choco passion, sablé à la vanille de Madagascar (chocolate passion delice,  and a Madagascar vanilla sable.
It looked fantastic, tasted devine, just faultless, awesome chocolate, texture, taste, vanilla sable that just melted in my mouth....now just for that I'd go back there, right now, but just for dessert.  And, I'd do almost anything for a sable right now with my cup of tea, but I'll have to do with a chocolate tartine.