T'ang Court in Shanghai

On a 40-degree Celsius summer day I made my way to the Langham Hotel in Xintiandi in Shanghai. I didn’t come to stay at the hotel, nor to see the architecture designed by the New York-based firm KPF. The only reason I was there was to try T’ang Court, the only three Michelin-star Chinese restaurant in Mainland China.

T’ang Court was awarded the highest distinction in the inaugural edition of the Michelin Guide Shanghai in 2016. This year the three-star rating was reconfirmed. In 2016 the Director of the Michelin Guide Michael Ellis said of T'ang Court, "In the cozy atmosphere of this restaurant where only six tables are set, the talented and creative chef Justin Tan offers cuisine in which traditional Cantonese dishes rub shoulders with some very modern dishes. Some specialties really amazed the palates of our inspectors."

Shanghai is a city of over 24 million people with a long tradition of Jiangsu-Zhejiang (Jiang-Zhe) cuisine. However, for Michelin the best restaurant in Shanghai doesn't serve the local but Cantonese cuisine. It is as if a Chinese restaurant guide shows up in Paris and decides the best restaurant is an Italian restaurant that serves Roman food; the distance from Shanghai to Canton is roughly the same distance from Paris to Rome. Moreover T'ang Court isn't a unique restaurant and instead has the same name as its sister restaurant (also Michelin three-star) in the Langham Hotel in Hong Kong. Perhaps there isn't a Shanghainese restaurant in the city that deserves three Michelin stars, but is T'ang Court worth a special journey?

T'ang Court is on the fifth floor of the hotel. The elevator opens to a small but nicely decorated reception overlooking an outdoor terrace. The receptionist led us through a long curved corridor passing the private dining rooms on either side; my friends and I didn’t reserve a private dining room. At the end of the corridor is the main dining room which, as the Director of the Michelin Guide pointed out, only has six tables and a total capacity of 20 guests. The small number of tables belies the true size and nature of T'ang Court. The main part of the restaurant is actually the private rooms which seat a total of 90 guests.

I wished I had booked a private room. The small communal dining room felt like a leftover space. While the ceiling is high the size of the room is not large. The space felt like a large living room of a large apartment. On one side of the room is a floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking an outdoor terrace. On the other side is a wood panel wall with niches and awkwardly installed recessed speakers near the top of the wall. The tables are placed either next to the wall or the exterior glass with circulation in between.

Our table was comfortable but would have been better if it was a bit larger. The tablewares are elegant. The decorative rim of the charger plate seems to echo the pattern of the drapery along the window. The tables are set with wine glasses, which feel more western than Chinese. Instead of wine, I ordered a tea which was served in a small individual pot with a small cup. I quite appreciated the small cup as the tea can be sipped hot; very few Chinese restaurants give much thought to tea service.

My friend is a Hong Kong resident, and a connoisseur of Cantonese cuisine, hence he did the ordering. Like any self-respecting Chinese diner, he forwent the tasting menu, instead discussed the menu with our waiter to see what are the best dishes to order. We started with two amuse-bouches, which appeared simple. The taste is clean and you get the direct flavors of the ingredients. The characteristics of these snacks foreshadow the main dishes.

Our first dish was a wok-fried Wagyu beef with spring onions. I was a bit surprised the beef was served first. Nevertheless, both the quality of the beef and the execution were very good.

The sea cucumber was cooked nicely with just the right texture and was delicious. There's an austerity and simplicity with the presentation that is quite refreshing.

Next course was a soup with grouper and vegetables. Again, quality ingredients, well- made, and refined flavors.

Our last savory course was a crispy salted chicken.The skin was crispy and the meat was flavorful; just a delight.

For dessert, we ordered the signature swan-shape custard pastries, which were well made and delectable. However, the swan neck was unnecessary, as it didn't add much to taste of the pastry. I am not sure why the pastry was kitschy which was in direct contrast to the savory dishes.

Is T’ang Court a Michelin three-star restaurant? The short answer is yes. If the Michelin Guide awards a restaurant three stars then it is; the stars belong to Michelin. But is T’ang Court, as Michelin’s definition of three-star restaurant, worth a special journey? I would say no. For a visitor to Shanghai, especially a first timer, it would be more interesting and rewarding to dine at a Jiang-Zhe restaurant. Shanghai is the largest city in this region known as the fish and rice country. Besides the abundance of produce, seafood and the freshwater ingredients, this region is home to many of the famous Chinese products: Jinhua ham, Shaoxing wine, and Zhenjiang vinegar. Dining at T’ang Court doesn’t connect a visitor to the local land and flavors. T’ang Court is a very good restaurant — the service is pleasant and the food is well executed. I enjoyed my lunch. However, T’ang is not a destination restaurant, certainly not worth a plane ride.