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Before i begin to write on this, i have to admit to my readers that a post on parenting is long due and i promise i will come up with it very soon for the benefit of new parents or soon to be parents! But today’s topic is related to food, which is increasing gaining importance in my life, that too good food. Me and hubby to be very frank were not very regular to the restaurants, but after the birth of our daughter the frequency has increased. It should have been the other way round though, but things sometimes don’t happen according to the normal beliefs!

So yesterday, we booked a table for two at Shanghai club which is at ITC Grand Central, Parel, Mumbai. It took us a long walk to reach the Club after entering the hotels as they have other restaurants too. But when we reached then we were welcomed courteously and our five month old daughter became the cynosure of all eyes. Soon we settled down and to my pleasant surprise the waitress arranged the seats together so that our baby’s rocker can be put there. All three of us became comfortable soon. The noise quotient was very low which was a plus for me as i could at least talk to my hubby. The ambiance was good, high wood ceilings with chandeliers on them which my baby found very attractive.

The food quality was excellent and i would recommend the lemon coriander chicken soup, which incidentally is not listed in their menu but the chef told me about it. It was very fresh and i loved it. The rest of the food which was basically Chinese was also very tasty. My hubby loved it too! We don’t drink so i can’t comment on that!

I had made up my mind sitting there itself that i would write a review of the restaurant on gutfeel so i asked them politely whether they can provide me with some brochure. The waitress told me that there was no brochure but passed my message to Mr. Sandipan Kahali, Food and Beverage Executive. He was very polite and promptly provided me with the photocopy of the first page of the Menu card which was invaluable for this article. I thanked him much.

According to the menu intro, the Shanghai Club presents you the showcase of erstwhile Shanghai’s pot pourri of Chinese regional cuisines. Shanghai is popularly known as Paris of the East. The 20th century raced through Shanghai or “Hu” as it is called like a whirlwind. Though Beijing was the center of political power, it was Shanghai where 19th and 20th century adventures from Europe and Asia converged in search of intruigue, wealth, and power.

Butterfield and Swire, Jardine Matheson, Dent and Russell, David Sasson and sons, Legendary trade names of China all prospered in Shanghai at the turn of 19th century. Thriving on the banks of the river Huangpu - its life stream, the city in the earlier pre 1049 heyday, was the congregation of diverse Chinese cultures and foreign nationals, all of whom left a unmistakable stamp on the modern, vibrant Shanghi of today.

Though i could have got the above info from the internet too, it speaks volumes about their courtsy towards the customers. I would recommend the readers of gutfeel to visit Shanghi Club at least once. It will be within reasonable budget, you would not be made to feel guilty for not taking a dessert and the gentry is good too.