Giovanni's (Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel)

Location

Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel, 5 Zunyi Nan Road. Shanghai //上海虹桥喜来登大酒店 上海遵义南路5号。Tel:+86 21 62758888

During this wet and humid season, there may be few compelling reasons to venture out from the comfort of ones air-conditioned residence. It is also in this season that we find all forms of fungus flourishing around nature’s own laboratory though our attention should divert to the edible kind – wild mushrooms. Other than the highly prized and sought after European black truffle which trades at 1,000€ in a farmer’s market, the culinary art of mushroom inspired cuisine is lesser known but slowly emerging as “mycogastronomy”. Thus, it was somewhat a pleasant tease to discover a degustation of mushroom inspired dishes at the Sheraton Shanghai Hongqiao Hotel? designed by Executive Chef, Daniel Ng and available across their international restaurants.

For our tasting journey, we were offered a selection of mushroom dishes prepared by 3 different chefs, namely, Chinese, Japanese and Italian; each chef creating their own unique variation using freshly picked mushrooms. To sample this international menu, we were kindly hosted by Chef Simonetta Garelli at the fine dining Giovanni’s Italian restaurant, on the Sheraton’s 27th floor.

Though the anticipated spectacular view from the restaurant was marred by an overcast rainy evening, the warm ambience, discreet attention of the Italian maitre-d and waiters made us feel very much at home. Our taste buds were first roused with a nicely chilled Californian vintage chardonnay and fresh “pane” (bread) served with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The appetizer arrived swiftly which was conjured from their Japanese restaurant Hanano’s version of chanterelle prepared with spinach in a light bonito sauce, which is a popular Japanese savory fish-based sauce. My image of a large bowl of mushroom caps was unfounded as I learnt that chanterelle is an orange, meaty and funnel-shaped fungus with a fruity smell and a mild peppery taste. It is one of the best wild mushrooms in the world. Being an appetizer and typically Japanese, this combination was small and light which definitely whet the appetite.

The following offering was another mild but refined dish hailing from their Emerald Garden Chinese restaurant. In this variation, the mushroom participation was the ingredient of a Chinese black truffle infused in a simple but delicate double-boiled chicken consommé. The Chinese black truffle is not to be confused with the prized European version. However, the Chinese black truffle is also meaty and has a lasting aroma. It is sometimes called the Himalayan truffle and most Chinese truffles come from the South West region of China. The warm svelte soup was a satisfying accompaniment but I was ready for something to really bite into next.

While I was expecting some form of skewered grilled mushrooms, I was more than delighted to receive a traditional Italian rendition of pan-fried tenderloin strips. It was quality meat, derived from grain-fed Australian beef, pan-fried and freshly seasoned with aromatic rosemary leaves. Though I gave ample attention to the tenderloin, on the side was the variation of a mushroom tart similar to the French staple Quiche Lorraine but infused instead with mushrooms.

Indeed, I was not shy to return a clean plate back to the kitchen with compliments to Chef Simonetta and exchanging some comments about her Italian heritage and mutual passion for Italian cured meats. She was also eager to present to us her “pièce de résistance”, Gelato Ai Funghi Porcini, yes it is as described Porcini Ice Cream. If there is a way to explain “mycogastronomy”, this dessert would set a fine example. Porcini is very popular in Italian cuisine but never have I ever tasted it in ice cream. This creative concoction worked very well because the nutty creamy texture of porcini blends perfectly with cream and the distinctive aroma of sourdough went well with the stout sweetness of the brandy cherry compote. Our dining companions also raised thumbs up for this simple yet creative dessert.

To round off on this Italian rendition, I completed my mushroom voyage with an espresso and an appreciative feedback to the Sheraton crew for an intriguing introduction to the world of mushrooms. (bestfoodinchina.net)

-- by Brian Sun

Service quality:

excellent

Food quality:

excellent

Environment:

very good

Price per head (RMB):

200-300

Feature dish or menu:

Beef Tenderloin Tagliata with Mushroom Tarte,

Porcini Ice-Cream with Brandy Cherry Compote and Biscotti Crumble

This article is brought to you by Best Food in China (www.bestfoodinchina.net ). Best Food in China is the first and leading English-medium website featuring reviews on food, cuisine and restaurants in China. For more information, please visit www.bestfoodinchina.net.