A Russian church has been transformed into a remarkable restaurant

FOR decades, the Russian faithful of Shanghai raised their voices in praise and thanks at St Nicholas Military Church, in what used to be rue Carneille in the French Concession. Today, gourmets speak with similar respect and enthusiasm of the food at Ashanti Dome restaurant - the church has been transmogrified from a place of worship into one of the most stunning restaurants in China.

It is a truly remarkable change.

It is one of the many old buildings in Shanghai protectively listed as a valuable monument to the city's past. So the exterior of the stately old Russian Orthodox church in what is now Gao Lan Road, in Lu Wan district, cannot be changed.

The building harks to a fascinating era of Shanghai history. The Russian revolution of 1917 sent a wave of refugees across the vast Siberian plains. After the defeat of White Russian armies in the Far Eastern provinces in 1922, many ended up in Shanghai.

Among them was a General Glebov, a Cossack. He was the prime mover among the large Russian community who wanted to build a church. It was designed by another Russian emigre, according to Shanghai-based author Tess Johnston who wrote God And Country: Western Religious Architecture In Old China. During the opening ceremonies in 1933, the building was dedicated to the memory of Tsar Nicholas II, killed along with his family by communists.

Much of the glorious architecture and the even more stunning interior decoration remains. Refurbishment has been done with verve, by Hong Kong designer Cheng Kam-yuen of Rock's Construction.

The ground floor opens up into a small foyer and wine bar, which then expands into the main 60-seat dining room. Walls are off-yellow, edged with white. Dark blue tablecloths and smart uniforms of the well-trained, friendly, English-speaking staff give the room an aura of elegance.