THE GAR 嘉悦里 (Shenzhen, CHINA) ★★★★☆

While Tao Tao Ju (陶陶居) has largely fulfilled its role as my go-to dim sum restaurant in Shenzhen for the past two years, my desire to find an alternative has grown over the past couple of weeks. So, like most youngsters these days, I decided to turn to social media for recommendations.

Unfortunately, my research didn’t turn out very promising. Other than Cantonese restaurants at some of the top hotels, there weren’t many premium dim sum options in town. Except for one called THE GAR (嘉悦里), which has received rave reviews.

THE GAR is a premium, high-end Cantonese restaurant and dim sum lounge hidden inside Shahe Golf Club (沙河高爾夫球會) in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District. The venue uniquely blends the atmosphere of a classic, historic English club with the elegance of old Shanghai mansion style.

I was told the dumplings here were served in the quantity of one rather than a handful, like at most dim sum restaurants. Given the prices, it definitely didn’t come across as the usual “value for money” kind of outing in SZ.

A small welcome drink set the tone for what turned out to be an amazing journey ahead.

Steamed vegetarian dumpling with black truffle (黑松露上素餃) (¥38) — Finely diced vegetables and mushrooms, with a nice touch of black truffle tightly wrapped in a small package. The mouthfeel was pretty enjoyable and surprisingly refined. 

One thing about dining in Shenzhen is that they tend to be light on seasoning, and that was true here as well. The black truffle played a beautiful supporting role without ever dominating.

Steamed mantis prawn dumpling (富貴瀨尿蝦餃) (¥68) — When people talk about THE GAR, this is the one they’re most likely to mention thanks to its lovely presentation. I’ve actually seen it on Instagram quite a few times.

The steamed dumpling features a delicate, silky-smooth prawn mousse, topped with a full mantis prawn that can be clearly seen through the wrapper. It’s something for both the taste buds and the senses.

I like the springy mantis prawn combining well with the other ingredients. I thought the perilla leaf might bring more punch but it was more decorative than anything. I love this more than the abalone dumpling.

Steamed abalone dumpling with pork and shrimp (鮑魚鳳眼餃) (¥88) — Another signature items here and you could tell just from the price tag that it meant business.

The dumpling came with a base of pork and shrimp, crowned neatly with a braised abalone on top. The abalone was tender and packed with flavor. The green wrapper made with what I thought was parsley wasn't bad either. It added some interesting vegetal notes to complement the dish. Pretty nice.

Steamed pork dumpling with olive seed (中山靚金吒) (¥38) — I had never heard of this one before. After checking with my server, I learned that it’s a popular dim sum in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, made with minced pork. It sounded like she was reciting it from a script but to be brutally honest, I still couldn’t recall ever hearing about it in my whole life.

That said, the texture was pretty interesting. The exterior had a glutinous rice-like crust, while the filling consisted of minced pork, lard, and a mildly flavored sauce with a hint of acidity. It was OK — nothing mind-blowing, just interesting.

Steamed barbecued honey pork rice roll (蜜汁叉燒腸) (¥38) — Now that I have gotten two of their signature dim sums out of the way, it was time for something more down to earth.

The steamed rice roll was well executed. The diced honey-glazed BBQ pork and sweet soy added both texture and sweetness to the mix — comforting and satisfying.

Poached choy sum with premium soy sauce (白灼菜心) (¥68) — Some veggies to close out the meal. As usual, the portion of choy sum felt a little too generous for one person.

It was definitely a relaxing lunch. When I called to make my reservation this morning, they told me they were quite full this afternoon and I was offered a table on the terrace (it was warm

 — around 33°C today). I was also added to the waiting list in case a seat became available in the dining room.

In the end, it turned out to be unnecessary. The upscale restaurant was less than half full by the time I was there. I guess they were saving some seats for members of the golf club who might not show up.

It was my first time visiting this golf club, and I was surprised how busy it was. Lots of golf carts going left and right, and there were always people walking around the lobby with their golf equipment.

Food Rating: 6.9/10

Price: ¥¥¥¥

Address: 213, Shahe Golf Club, 1 Shahe East Road, Nanshan, Guangzhou, China

深圳市南山区沙河街道西社区沙河东路1号沙河高尔夫球会俱乐部213

Tel: +86 19076107889

Opening Hours: 6:00am - 10:30pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/61/_TOK

Fu 1039 福一O三九 (Shanghai, CHINA) ★★★★☆

Fu 1039 (福一O三九) is a renowned restaurant in Shanghai, celebrated for its authentic Shanghainese cuisine. The one-Michelin-starred restaurant is housed in a preserved 1920s, three-story historic villa, offering a nostalgic and intimate dining atmosphere that’s beloved by both locals and tourists.

Located on trendy Yuyuan Road (愚園道), Fu 1039 features classic Old Shanghai décor, with antique furniture and private rooms. It feels more like visiting a wealthy friend’s mansion more than anything else.

The dining room certainly doesn't look like part of a commercial dining space.

Unlike its more formal sister restaurants such as Fu 1015 and Fu 1088, Fu 1039 specializes in refined versions of local home-style dishes. It’s also best known for being more affordable while maintaining high standards.

While we were pondering whether to order some of their signature dishes like braised pork, drunken chicken, and stir-fried river shrimp, here comes some fruits to get our palate ready.

Tea smoked eggs topped with caviar (鱘龍魚子醬茶燻蛋) (¥18 each) — Nice, light smoky flavors matched with the runny egg yolk and the saltiness from the caviar. A fast start.

Wok-fried prawns coasted with salted egg yolk paste and almond (杏片金沙蝦球) (¥188) — The prawns had very lovely bouncy texture and absolutely great “wok hei”. The salted egg yolk paste was spot on. Too bad I didn’t have steamed rice to pair with it.

Braised hairy crab meat served with toast (清炒蟹粉配吐司) (¥368) — One of the many signature dishes here. The crab roe and hairy crab meat were wok-fried and served with toast.

Very delicious — whether you enjoy it with the toast or without.

I was trying to experiment by combining this with the prawns, and our server caught me in the act while I was taking a picture. He immediately came over with a nice chuckle and said, “Experiencing a new dish for us, huh?” That was a pretty funny moment. 😂😂

Wok-fried string beans with bamboo shoots and pickled vegetables (乾片鮮筍四季豆) (¥78) — One of my favorite vegetables somehow only available in Shanghainese cuisine. These came with a little extra heat.

Our dining experience was highlighted by the restaurant’s nostalgic “Old Shanghai” elegance and outstanding regional dishes, which are the two main draws here. We were just glad we finally found the time to cross it off my list.

Food Rating: 7/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: 1039 Yuyuan Road, Jiangsu Road Subdistrict, Changning District, Shanghai, China

上海市长宁区江苏路街道愚园路1039号(近江苏路)

Closest Metro Station: Jiangsu Road (江苏路)

Tel: +86 (021) 5237-1878

Opening Hours: 11:30am - 2:00pm, 5:30pm - 10:00pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/0c/KqlM

Moose Pudong 鹿園 浦東店 (Shanghai, CHINA) ★★★★☆

We had an early start for a morning tour of Pudong (浦東). The Oriental Pearl Tower (東方明珠塔) was a great starting point, and I planned to take a walk down memory lane with a long overdue visit to the Grand Hyatt Shanghai hotel (上海金茂君悅大酒店). It opened back in 2000 (I think) and at one point, it was the world’s tallest hotel. I have dined there on a few occasions when it was still new, but I’d never had the chance to stay.

But the temperature turned out to be much warmer than expected. After a few quick photos of the Oriental Pearl Tower, we decided to retreat somewhere with air-conditioning.

Super Brand Mall (正大廣場) came to the rescue, and we enjoyed some game time at the arcade centre there as well.

Next up was lunch. Moose (鹿園), also better known as Luyuan, is a Michelin one-star restaurant located on the 9th floor of the L+Mall in Lujiazui (陸家嘴). It specializes in refined Huaiyang and Shanghainese cuisine.

The main branch of the restaurant is set in a refurbished century-old colonial mansion in Changning district, quite a stark contrast to this modern, luxury outlet in Pudong.

The modern, cozy décor strikes a balance between contemporary style and traditional Huaiyang elegance.

Before our dishes arrived, we were offered some local melon and a strawberry.

Braised bean curd with vegetables (鹵汁浸素燒鵝) (¥48) — We started off with a few starters including this vegetarian duck dish. The braised bean curd stuffed with mushrooms and vegetables was served cold, with a homemade sweet soy sauce. Refreshing and appetizing to kick off the meal.

Mushroom soup with tofu and pigeon egg (明月雪絨豆腐湯) (¥58) — One of the house specialties here. A refined Huaiyang-style soup that showcases the incredible knife skills, where tofu is shredded into snow-like threads to resemble a snowflake. There was a light but deep mushroom flavor in the background, for a balanced and soothing finish.

Shrimp and bamboo shoot mugwort mochi (蝦仁筍丁艾草團) (¥68) — A new item on the menu. While the filling of shrimp and bamboo shoots resembles that of a steamed shrimp dumpling, the wrapper is a mochi-style one made with mugwort. An interesting creation on paper, but the skin was a little too thick and sticky for my liking.

Squirrel-shaped mandarin fish (松鼠桂魚) (¥78) — One of the signature dishes here, which can be ordered as a one-person portion. That’s exactly what we did with the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish. Little nugget has always been a huge fan of this dish thanks to the thick, sticky sweet-and-sour sauce. Personally, I thought the texture of the fish was really succulent. 

Roast duck (燜爐烤鴨) (¥288) — A signature dish that, according to our server, requires at least 70 minutes of preparation time. Let’s see whether it really lives up to the long wait.

I thought it would take longer than 70 minutes. By the time our chef brought it out and once the craving for those crispy skins kicked in — we’d already finished the other dishes long, long ago.

Our server explained that we would be enjoying the skin first. 

The duck was roasted with fruit wood, so the crispy skin naturally developed a distinct aroma, along with a shiny, slightly oily texture.

A plate of condiments was already set on the table. It included the usual scallion, cucumber, sugar, and hoisin sauce but no thin strips of hawthorn jelly or melon.

We were told to dip the skin in sugar first. Crisp, delicate, and melting in the mouth — it really was excellent.

By the time we’d polished off fewer than a dozen pieces of crispy duck skin, another plate was already waiting on deck.

All of these came with a thin layer of fat and meat underneath.

The thin and delicate pancakes were served in a heated bamboo basket.

Little by little, I added the condiments to my pancake.

And rolled it into a tube-like roast duck wrap.

What stood out most about Moose’s roast duck was how soft and succulent the meat was. The fruit-wood aroma was clearly present and distinct, but not overpowering allowing the natural flavor of the duck to shine through. For me, it even tasted better than the one we had at Song Sichuan Cuisine (宋 · 川菜) in Guangzhou.

Second and third round coming…..

Boiled Duck frame with vegetable and fish ball soup (時蔬魚丸鴨架湯) (¥20 per head) —  The remaining bones were used for this duck soup with vegetables and fish balls. I expected it might be a little greasy, but it was the complete opposite. The broth was clean and sweet, with a lovely creamy texture. Love this!

The highlight was definitely the soft bones. A little crunchy but tender and satisfying.

The meal lasted a little over two hours, slightly longer than I expected. The pacing wasn't bad except for the roast duck, which understandably took more time to prepare.

All in all, what stood out most was the balance between refinement and comfort. The dishes reflected clear Huaiyang finesse with clean flavors, careful textures, and plenty of attention to detail — yet nothing overly fussy.

Food Rating: 7.1/10

Price: ¥¥¥

Address: Shop 908-909, Level 9 Lujiazui Center, Pudong District, Shanghai, China

上海市浦东新区浦东南路899号上海陆家嘴中心9层908-909号

Closest Metro Station: South Pudong Road (浦东南路)

Tel: +86 (021) 5877-5707

Opening Hours: 11:00am - 2:00pm, 5:00pm - 9:00pm daily

Map: https://j.map.baidu.com/17/oeiM