Saunter through the massive doors, which may require using both hands if the doorman happens to be elsewhere, and take some time to survey the massive room that is both a bar and an art gallery. Built in 1903, it’s French colonial with Chinese influences. This historic building has reinvented itself a number of times – a warehouse, office, family residence – and been preserved in its original state.
Antonio Lopez de Haro and Gisela Salazar Golding, both from Venezuela, met in Shanghai in 2006 and have been friends and collaborators ever since. Three years ago they moved to the Kingdom. In true international style, they managed to marry South American with Mediterranean food and then make it a ménage with a pinch of Asian flavours.
Slide up to the bar and order a drink, like the mojito that uses homemade ginger syrup instead of sugar. Original cocktails ($4.50 to $5) focus on Asian accents with innovative tweaking, but the classics are also available. Beer comes in at $2.50 for Angkor to $7.50 for Moa Noir. Single-malt enthusiasts can order Laphroag at $5 or 21-year-old Glenlivet Archive at $21. Bar snacks are $4 to $7, but don’t eat too much because a gourmet feast is waiting upstairs.
The paper menu, which changes every six months, is a walk down foodie lane. Chef Gisela, with 13 years in the kitchen, brings a versatile approach to her art. “I like to be creative and play with flavours. Fish is particularly good for this.”
The appetisers/tapas offer a variety of choices: seafood (red tuna tartare with wasabi emuision, $9.50); meat (marinated lamb skewers with mojo rojo chili sauce, $7.50); vegetarian (pastelitos, pastries of cheddar cheese with fig confit, $5). The obvious solution is to go with friends so that you can better share.
Soups and salads have their place. How about the roast onion and parmesan cream with sautéed mussels and green asparagus ($6.50)? Or the marinated chicken and crouton salad with roquet and crispy bacon ($7.50)?
Move on to the mains. What does our chef suggest? Hard question, but she comes up with paella negra, the black ink which comes from the calamari ($28). This is baked, so a 30-minute wait is required, which is a perfect time to imbibe a bit of wine. The house white is Cloudia de Vallformosa at $4 a glass or $21 a bottle. Another choice is Pewsey Vale Riesling at $32.
The chef’s meat recommendation was Australian beef cheek. It’s braised for 12 hours in a mustard a l’ancienne and served with sweet potato puree ($19). A bottle of Scottbase pinot noir ($59) goes well, but if it is a third-or-so bottle, go for the very drinkable house Norton Malbac at $4 a glass or $21 a bottle.
Todd, my dining companion and photographer, gently dabbed his napkin at the corner of his mouth, pushed back the plate and announced: “This truly is world-class dining.” Agreed.
Tepui @ Chinese House, #45 Sisowath Quay (corner Street 84); 023 991514.