The osmanthus room

Chef Sam Gao’s sophisticated culinary style has delighted many in both China and Singapore.[Photo provided to Shanghai Star]

At Guihua Lou, it appears in the shape of a bottle gourd, or hulu. Chef Gao only uses the neck flap and fills it with glutinous rice that has been cooked with shredded duck. He finishes with a duck tongue inserted into the top to imitate the gourd’s stem.

It is a masterpiece of artifice, that decorative element of Chinese cuisine that marks the height of banquet offerings.

The little duck gourd was cute eye candy, but I was distracted by the fragrant broth it sat on, and the most enjoyable moment for me was mopping it up with the tender wilted Shanghai green on the plate.

Chef Gao’s stint in Singapore also makes its presence felt in a curried prawn served on a bed of angel hair vermicelli. It did remind me of meals back in my island home, and it would be something I would order if I ever get inflicted with a bout of homesickness.

The osmanthus theme bookends the meal with a chrysanthemum tea jelly drizzled with candied osmanthus. It clears the palate of the richness of meat and we leave the restaurant with scented breaths.

By the way, there is enough Cantonese influence on the menu to create that gourmet comfort zone, and at lunch, you are offered 58 varieties of snacks and pastries in the dimsum selection.

For me, I will go back for the almond sweet soup with that generous dollop of bird’s nest on top. They say it’s good for the complexion, and I am more than willing to believe it. Contact the writer at paulined@chinadaily.com.cn.

IF YOU GO

Guihua Lou

Address: Shangri-La Pudong, East Shanghai, 33 Fu Cheng Lu, Pudong 

Telephone: 021-6882-8888