Regent Shanghai on The Bund · JIN LIN

[Taste] Fresh and refreshing [Environment] Wide view of the Bund [Service] Friendly and cordial

The environment is very beautiful and sophisticated. It mainly serves Cantonese cuisine, which is very exquisite.

I returned to the legendary Seagull Regent Hotel on the banks of the Huangpu River to celebrate its first anniversary after its reopening. Even the river breeze outside the window carried anticipation. The event began with a jar of 2007 "Winter Fun" Shaoxing wine. As the clear yellow liquid burst from the earthenware jar, the room was filled with a rich, mellow aroma—the gentle warmth that only time could create. The bartender was busy that day. Using "Winter Fun" as a base, we were allowed to choose our favorite combinations. Wanting everything, I added cinnamon, dried tangerine peel, and sea salt, finally creating my own personalized cocktail. Holding it in my hand, it was both a tribute to the hotel's heritage and a touch of tipsy romance for its anniversary celebration. As the wine warmed me, a grand banquet brought the night to another climax. As expected of a master of Hong Kong cuisine, Chef Ding's skill was on full display in the first course, a fresh matsutake mushroom, pigeon egg, and deer tendon soup. Rich in collagen yet not sticky, the clear broth reveals a gentle, time-tested refinement in every sip. Steamed grouper with crab roe and egg white sauce, braised seasonal vegetables with crab roe from the Jade Pool, freshly extracted crab roe served with glutinous rice… it turns out, the crab is the star of the feast. Nearly five hundred large hairy crabs, each weighing over four ounces, were used for the entire banquet. The black truffle and crab roe baked crab shell alone used the meat and roe from nearly one hundred and fifty crabs. It felt like you could dig and dig forever, everyone applauding the sheer generosity. And digging revealed another surprise: hidden among the golden crab roe were large pieces of black truffle, their rich aroma spreading in layers. Little did I know, the surprises weren't over yet. A 500-gram "King of Black Truffles" from Nujiang, Yunnan, appeared on the scene. Just opening the wooden box released an overwhelming aroma. What followed was even more astonishing: Chef Ding, holding the King of Truffles, walked straight to me, and the truffles floated like snowflakes onto the crab shells I'd already been eating, covering the bowl to the brim. Wow, it was amazing! I didn't even have time to take pictures; I started eating right away. The crisp, tender texture of the truffles was unbeatable. From the explosive opening of the Shaoxing wine jar to the delightful surprise of the specially crafted cocktails, and then the generous presentation of lake crabs and seafood, this evening felt like savoring the richness and warmth of autumn and winter. To encounter warmth on such a beautiful winter night was truly delightful. #CheckInOldShanghai #BestPhotoSpotOnTheBund #FoodFestival #RomanticRestaurant

The view at Jinlin Chinese Restaurant in the Seagull Regent Shanghai is, needless to say, stunning. The sunset glow and the moment the Bund lights up make you feel like you've truly arrived at a high-class restaurant. The service is impeccable, too. From the ordering process to the frequency of bone-in dishes, to the explanations, knowledge, and arrangement of the dishes for the entire table, everything is professional. Chef Ding, a Hong Kong native, has worked at The Langham, Hong Kong, Four Seasons Shenzhen, and the J Hotel, and now at Jinlin. His fundamental skills are solid, but his most valuable skill lies in his mastery of the concept of "golden mean." I absolutely love the barbecued pork. It uses lean black pork, and the sauce is not overly sweet, capturing the aroma of rose water without overdoing the sweetness. Once it's ignited, the aroma is tangy and the sweetness is just right. The roasted pork is exceptional, with the skin and meat separated. If you don't look closely, you won't notice the beauty. The skin is perfectly crispy, and the pickled bamboo shoots offset the greasiness of the leaner roasted pork. As the crispness fades and the greasiness returns, the pickled bamboo shoots subdue it. The sweetness is balanced, the layers of flavor are mastered, and the arrangement and layout perfectly capture the essence of "golden mean." The smoked cod's sauce is also sweet and salty, with a perfectly balanced crispness. The marbled beef broth is clear and tender, without the greasy, A4-A5 quality Wagyu beef. The skill of Cantonese soup bases is evident. The pigeon skin is incredibly juicy; it's so tender it breaks when touched. The marinade is incredibly well-balanced and seasoned, even the breast meat is incredibly flavorful. The Mindong yellow croaker, when they heard "Qilin Steamed," I thought it was the Cantonese dish of steamed ham, mushrooms, and bamboo shoots. Instead, they used fried spring roll-like dough to simulate the "standing scales" effect. The handmade rice noodle rolls underneath were a marvel. The interplay of the two distinct textures of fish and rice noodle rolls was a wonderful combination. I personally think the rice noodle rolls were even better than the fish. The craftsmanship is truly remarkable. Desserts consisted of lychee jelly, lychee juice, and lychee wine—all lychees, yet each had subtle differences. The carefully controlled proportions of the juice in the jelly, bird's nest, and jelly created a satisfying, satisfying meal that balanced the entire table. The entire meal was "mediocre" without being mediocre, a testament to its solid foundation and subtlety, executed with ease. While the dramatic ups and downs evoked a sense of grandeur, the subtle control of the balance was truly captivating. Well, then, I'm going to eat more, scroll through the menu, and even entice Chef Ding to order off-menu dishes! #BundBestPhotoSpot #RomanticDateRestaurant #ScenicRestaurant #ShanghaiCantoneseCooking #ShanghaiCantoneseCookingCeiling

Outside the window lies the winding Huangpu River. Dusk draws the last glimmer of gilded light from the water's surface, transforming the brocaded window frame into a canvas. The buildings on the opposite bank gradually light up, the glass globe of the Oriental Pearl Tower floating against the indigo sky, like a lost constellation fallen to earth. Yet, the red blossoms within the window cascade like flames from the dome, their vibrant petals frozen in a whirlpool of fallen petals by the river breeze. Perhaps a floor-length dinner attire is the only worthy accompaniment to such splendor. This being my first time at Seagull Regent, I'd be too casual, especially with the familiar Chef Ding and their Italian chef, a "double culinary feast of East and West." Even the colorful cornucopia of appetizers rippled with delicate scales, not to mention Chef Ding's signature Cantonese dish, the goldfish dumplings in clear chicken broth and pigeon egg. The translucent scales resembled the leisurely gliding Huangpu River cruise ships outside the window, trailing traces of light like shattered diamonds, and the ripples of the Suzhou and Huangpu rivers casting shimmering silver on the glass. This vivid goldfish truly couldn't be achieved overnight. Amid the mist of baked oysters in red wine and a green cup, a koi fish swam, etched the name "Jinlin" on the table and outside the window, creating a mime-like chorus of reality. One chef followed the other, the Italian chef's Roman artichokes with garlic cream, as gentle as a full moon in the pond. His ravioli filled with New Zealand prawns, blending the flavors of his homeland with sea urchin sauce, shimmered as brightly as the colorful neon lights outside the window. And then there is the “Sterns and Flowers Reflect the Drunken Princess”, which turns the dessert into a poem, which echoes the artwork called “Chasing Light” in the lobby outside the private room. Today’s chefs are so talented, all of them are rolled into hexagonal warriors, capable of doing anything, hahahaha.