SHÈ Looks Set To Become A Firm Favourite In The ifc

The newly opened SHÈ is serving up contemporary Chinese cuisine and inventive cocktails, with more than just a touch of glam!

District: Central, Hong Kong
Cuisine: Contemporary Chinese
How much: Dim sum from $46 to $98, small bites from $78 to $238, BBQ from $178 to $698, mains from $158 to $268, noodles and rice from $128 to $498, desserts from $46 to $268
Must Order: Stuffed Truffle Balls with Minced Meat and Mushrooms, Yin Yang Style Salted Egg Yolk and Horseradish Prawns, Honey Glazed BBQ Kurobuta Char Siu
The Best for: The chic setting makes it equally ideal for special group gatherings or date nights
Sassy Tip: Make sure you order one of SHÈ’s delicious signature cocktails to go with your food. Trust us, you won’t regret it! We also reckon the dim sum lunch menu as an ideal way to refuel during (or after) any shopping trip.

This new Gaia Group offering is situated within Lane Crawford in the ifc mall and serves up traditional Chinese dishes with a modern (and health-conscious) twist. SHÈ‘s decor is suitably chic to reflect its upmarket setting, with Victoria Harbour providing the stunning backdrop through the restaurant’s floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s also a large outdoor terrace for alfresco eating and drinking. Ingredients are sourced from local suppliers, with dishes served sharing style.

We were lucky enough to get to try some of the SHÈ’s signature items, and they didn’t disappoint. First up was the much-photographed Rose Gold Har Gau ($52). The dumpling wrappers have been turned pink by beetroot juice, and finished with some subtle gold decor. Equally impressive looking were the Stuffed Truffle Balls with Minced Meat and Mushrooms ($56), which was one of our favourite dishes of the night. They were served on decorative silver spoons, which added a touch of class to the dim sum sampling. But it was the texture (the crispy outer layer gives way to a soft, chewy filling) and flavour that really made these little bites stand out.

The Spicy Beef Shank ($138) also had us reaching for more. The slices of meat certainly delivered a good dose of heat, so the cooling slivers of cucumber were a welcome accompaniment. Another dish that really stood out was the Yin Yang Style Salted Egg Yolk and Horseradish Prawns ($268). The clue really is in the name as half the dish was made up of beautifully crispy salted egg yolk prawns, while the other half was deliciously fresh prawns dipped in just the right amount of creamy horseradish mayo. Just like Yin and Yang, the two styles really did perfectly balance one another.

Mention must be made of the restaurant’s Double-Boiled Fish Maw Nourishing Soup ($298). The broth is a labour of love which has been simmered for 12 hours and has no added preservatives. It contains lots of nutrients and is meant to be great for your skin, but we must admit that although we did try the broth, we didn’t try the fish itself as it wasn’t to our personal taste. We much preferred the Honey Glazed BBQ Kurobuta Char Siu ($198) which is marinated overnight in a hoi sin and barbeque sauce. The meat was really tender and the sweetness of the sauce lingered on the palate. The Purple Lava Buns ($52) made from Japanese purple sweet potato rounded off the meal nicely. The centre is molten so make sure you let it cool a little before tucking into these tasty, fried morsels.

Now onto the Shanghai-inspired cocktails, which are a must-try in our opinion! We really struggled to choose a favourite between the Night Jasmine ($118) which looks oh so pretty with a fresh chrysanthemum on top, or the Geisha Punch ($118) which is served bubbling with a healthy dose of dry ice for dramatic effect. The former is a mix of vermouth, yuzu juice and jasmine syrup, while the latter contains gin, elderflower liqueur, maraschino liqueur and organic apple juice. Both are lovely and refreshing, earning a big thumbs up from us!

Our verdict: We really did love the elegant setting at SHÈ and the large menu has plenty to suit all tastes. And we can’t wait to have cocktails on that outdoor terrace when the weather warms up!

SHÈ, Portion A of Shop 3025 – 3026 & 3031 – 3066, Level 3, IFC Mall, 8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong, 2110 0153, [email protected], www.sherestaurant.com.hk