Hong Kong is not short of Shanghainese restaurants, so a new one needs to be unusual to create the buzz of interest Jardin de Jade has generated.
The latest outlet from the King Mang Jade Garden Group joins the original restaurant, which opened in Shanghai in 1999 followed by branches in Beijing and Macau. The Macau branch was awarded a Michelin star in the 2010 Red Guide, which has raised expectations.
The restaurant offers a modern interpretation of the special mixture of cuisines popular in Shanghai - particularly Jiangsu and Zhejiang dishes - with a greater emphasis on presentation than most traditional Shanghainese eateries.
The restaurant's d?cor is upmarket, with a mix of modern and traditional elements. A modernist crystal chandelier dominates the main dining room.
Signature dishes include Zhejiang-style preserved pork, saut?ed river shrimp, Jardin de Jade jasmine tea smoked duck, braised Dongpo's pork and Suzhou-style fried rice.
Another speciality is the restaurant's 'soup casseroles', such as double-boiled sea cucumber with polygonatum and Chinese herbs.