The Peninsula is one of the oldest hotel groups in Asia, first launched in Hong Kong in 1866. Opened in 2009, The Peninsula Shanghai won two Michelin stars and one Michelin star respectively in the Michelin Guide Shanghai, the first Michelin Guide in Chinese mainland in 2017, and both continued to win in 2018. As of now, The Peninsula Shanghai is the only hotel in Chinese mainland that has two Michelin-starred restaurants at the same time.
The restaurant is named after Sir Elly Kadoorie, founder of The Peninsula Hotels' parent company, Shanghai World Hotel Limited, grandfather of current Chairman Sir Michael Kadoorie. With the strength of The Peninsula Hotel, Sir Ellie plays a pivotal role in Shanghai's Western restaurants.
Originally from France, Chef de Cuisine at Sir Ellie's Chef Han Zheng has trained and studied at several Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris. Joining forces with Executive Pastry Chef Lou Siang, also from France, to present contemporary French cuisine to gourmets at Sir Ellie. Zheng Han is particularly fond of low-temperature cooking to bring out the freshness and appearance of the fish dishes themselves. The restaurant focuses on light and delicate dishes, subverting the traditional impression of Western food as high calorie and high fat in the eyes of Chinese people, and is deeply recognized by diners who advocate healthy eating.
As one of the "three treasures of the West" (the other two are foie gras and truffle), caviar is an indispensable ingredient in top Western restaurants, and it can also directly demonstrate the strength of a restaurant. The status of a Western restaurant with top-quality caviar will inevitably be honored. On Sir Ellie's menu, there is a separate selection of caviar. It includes five kinds of caviar, sturgeon roe, ositra sturgeon, beluga sturgeon roe, and luscious caviar, all of which are on the upper floor of Western restaurants in Shanghai. The restaurant recommends pairing it with Russian Beluga Gold Label Premium Vodka to better experience the flavor of caviar.
The restaurant's menu is relatively simple and straightforward, and the main meal set can be selected from four-course (968 yuan), five-course (1088 yuan), and six-course (1288 yuan). The bread is divided into three parts: cuttlefish ink sticks, black truffle bread, and hazelnut nut bread. Appetizers include tuna tart with sturgeon roe sauce, sliced Irish lobster, low-temperature carrots, royal king crab and more. A dish of French oysters with lemongrass jelly in the cold appet, the flesh of the oysters is very fresh and plump, with imported green apples and blueberry puree, and the combination of seafood and fruit makes the taste even sweeter. The truffle frog legs in the hot head plate are slightly different from what you imagined, the bottom is not fresh truffles but truffle puree, the meat quality of the frog legs is also soft, and the black garlic sauce is on the heavy side.
The seafood in the main course is relatively high-quality. The slow-cooked cod main dish is at just the right temperature. Slow-cooked at high temperatures, with green beans, golden thread mushrooms and summer flowers, and finished with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked sea salt, the pure taste of fresh cod is restored. It is also recommended to add cinnamon and star anise flavored soy milk to the grilled scallops, and when the scallops are served, they will be covered with a layer of crispy net made of cuttlefish juice for a very chic shape. The restaurant's steak is remarkable, with M6 Australian Wagyu beef tenderloin, which is medium-rare and can be seen with pink inner meat, and drizzled with black pepper steak sauce to enhance freshness, tender and delicious.
The berry-raspberry ice cream in the dessert contains single-source milk chocolate and sea salt chocolate crisps, and the sweet and sour taste is relatively greasy. Sir Ellie's signature pink tiramisu is an eye-catching look made with raspberry jelly, fresh berries, almond liqueur mousse and mascarpone vanilla cream, seasoned with a hint of balsamic sauce and topped with a piece of white chocolate and flowers. Most of the desserts are beautifully shaped, but they are not too laborious to surprise diners.
Compared with most Western restaurants of the same grade, Sir Ellie charges a higher service charge of 16.6%. The service staff will ask the accompanying person for their gender and seat preference when ordering the meal, so as to arrange the corresponding dining experience, and always pay attention to the feedback of the diner on each dish during the meal. Although the overall quality is professional and orderly, it still lacks a bit of genuine enthusiasm, and there is an indescribable sense of alienation from the diners. The environment of the restaurant is top-notch on the Bund, with a three-storey ceiling and a clear restaurant area, with a bar, dining area, and a box area with a view of the river. The restaurant has four elegant private dining rooms, the most spacious and elegant, named after Sir Ellie's wife, Lady Kadoorie. With a wide and comfortable seating pitch, an elegant staircase in the middle, and a high-end tableware decoration, it is one of the restaurants with the best view on the Bund. Compared to other Michelin-starred restaurants in Shanghai, Sir Ellie is like a rigid elder, and the stability of the restaurant is unquestionable, but unfortunately there is a lack of innovation and few breakthroughs.
