Somewhere in Shanghai

They won't even tell you where it is if you are a first-timer. It's "somewhere in Shanghai" and they gather you in a group after you make your booking and ferry you to the venue. That's just one of the elements of surprise that sells Ultraviolet, the long-gestated new restaurant by French chef Paul Pairet, formerly of Mr & Mrs Bund. Expect a 22-course banquet for just 10 guests each night, but don't expect a menu, and don't expect the multi-sensory experience to come cheap. It starts at 2,000 yuan ($314) and creeps up with extras. And, there is now a waiting list that is six-weeks' long. But when you get served lobsters and accompanying visual and sound effects, you know it's not just the cost of the crustacean alone. Even with lethally competitive Shanghai dining scene, Ultraviolet is still more than holding its own.

Somewhere in Shanghai, to find out more, log on to www.uvbypp.cc .

- Pauline D. Loh