SOCIAL The St Regis Shenzhen 5016 Shennan Road East Luohu District, Shenzhen Tel: (86 755) 830 88888 starwoodhotels.com/stregis If this restaurant has a signature dish, it is the must-try baby abalone nigiri, which is marinated overnight and slowly cooked until it gets just the right texture. Served with sushi rice that has been blended with red beans, it is a delicious if somewhat unusual combination. Think of it as Chinese seafood with Japanese characteristics. Other must-sample dishes include wok-fried razor clams with crab yolk, which is savoury to a fault. The salmon rolls on kim chi with sesame soy sauce have an undeniably spicy kick. The hand-pulled spinach flat noodles with white radish and beef rump are also highly recommended. The menu changes every six weeks, and that includes the buffet, which is popular with locals. Each station has its own signature dish, so expect things such as chocolate caracao from the French pastry chef juxtaposed against century eggs with Japanese ginger puffs from the Chinese chef. East-meets-West doesn't get any better than this - and the seafood is succulent. All-day dining is available, including breakfast. The restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows offer spectacular views of Shenzhen. Michael Taylor