Polynesian theme restaurant Trader Vic's has recently dropped anchor for its first outlet on the Chinese mainland on Fengyang Road. The location may strike some as less than ideal, but the quiet street just off busy Nanjing Road offers diners a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the relentless city.

While other eateries have promised the same before, Trader Vic's actually delivers. It is intent on delivering a dining experience that is mired in luxury but without the stuffy trappings of other high-end establishments. This is the Club Med of fine dining.

The Shanghai outlet is the 24th restaurant in the renowned US chain that was established by Victor Jules Bergeron in Oakland, California, in 1934. Originally named Hinky Dinks, the bar took on the outrageous personality of its founder and word quickly spread of the special nature of the joint. It was here that the original mai tai cocktail was invented.

The food was apparently an afterthought as patrons persuaded Bergeron to install a stove in the bar after getting a whiff of his wife's Country French cooking.

Ironically, Hinky Dinks morphed into this Polynesian house of fun to provide an illusion that one had fled to a tropical island; this was for ordinary folk to escape the doldrums of the Depression.

Diners can still expect to be taken to another world, however. The decor in Trader Vic's is nothing short of stunning. Parent company Al Fahim group have spared no expense to develop this 1,200-square-meter, 153-seat restaurant. About 70 percent of the ornaments that adorn the walls and hang from the ceiling are imported from the company's warehouse in San Francisco. These are in turn accumulated from sources in various island nations, giving the venue an opulent and authentic feel.

No Trader Vic's outlet would be complete without its Chinese wood-fired oven, and the Shanghai branch is no different. This is a large cooking apparatus that is given a whole room to itself; it is heated by an external fire source, giving the food a smoky flavor without any carcinogens - an important factor in today's increasingly health conscious market.

The food is said to be in line with other outlets around the world. It certainly stands up to the quality expected of a high-end restaurant in this city.

Visitors to the restaurant or the lively bar, complete with an all-female Cuban band, can start their meal with a platter of cosmo tidbits (140 yuan/US$18). These include tender barbecue spareribs, crispy prawns, crab rangoons (which should appeal to Westerners familiar with non-authentic Chinese cuisine) and sesame pork.

The main courses are varied and come in different price ranges. For 160 yuan, diners can try crispy duck with Chinese pancakes; for 205 yuan a recommended halibut filet in butter sauce should go down a treat; and at 295 yuan, diners with deep pockets and large appetites can enjoy a beef filet with foie gras in truffle sauce.

It should be noted that portions are large, so dishes can be shared.

It will be curious to see how the local market will take to this concept. The food on offer is not exactly Western, and it is not exactly Chinese either.

What Trader Vic's is offering, however, is a quality dining experience. The food matches the prestige of the brand, but more importantly patrons can indulge in a good meal in fun surroundings without the pomp of the stiffer upper establishment locales.

Address: 598 Fengyang Road
Tel: 021-5228-3882