Friday and Saturdays 12pm - 3pm at Shang Palace, Shangri-La Hotel

Tucked away in Shangri-La, Shang Palace felt worlds away with its decadent reds, Chinese lions and smiling Buddha statues. Until we spied the glistening blue waters and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in the distance, that is! All served to the table, Chef Woon has put together a special weekend brunch menu that allows you to get a taste of the amazing food at SP.

The brunch started with a round of soup and a big selection of the Chefs favourite dim sum: unbelievably crunchy vegetable spring rolls with a sweet honey dipping sauce, melt-in-your-mouth steamed Har Gow prawn dumplings but the radish cake surprised us the most – unusual but especially scrummy.

The mains included a wok course, served with the chef’s special noodles and egg fried rice. The smell alone was enough to induce a feeding frenzy: the chicken with 5-spice and szechwan chillis and the crunchy prawns were thoroughly enjoyed. The absolute triumph of the meal, though, was the Peking Duck. Carved at your table and organised expertly into soft pancakes by our waiter Jelyn (she was a marvel by the way, she did this exceedingly fast, and each pancake was perfect… I was in awe!). We devoured them just as quickly and luckily, I beat my partner to the last pancake. 

Amidst exclaims of “Oh I couldn’t eat another thing” and “I’m so full”, our minds were quickly changed with the arrival of the Nutella Bao Buns, flaky egg tarts and the unique mango “soup". There’s always room for dessert 

I love this place – the Peking brunch gave us the opportunity to try a number of dishes that we wouldn’t ordinarily order and we loved it! Chef Woon’s attention to detail and his personal presence in the restaurant was noticed and appreciated. We are already planning another visit when my father, a Chinese food aficionado, comes to visit. 

AED 188 inclusive of Ice Tea and Soft Beverages - AED 248 inclusive of House Beverages and Chinese Hops

Lorenna White

October 2021