(shanghai daily)
Updated: 2007-02-22 08:53

Some meals are like holidays spent on tour in groups. The itinerary is planned ages before you even fork over fat wads of cash, the journey is safe and meticulously planned to give a carefully-sculpted image of your destination, and the veteran tour guide will not stop yapping away about useless facts that most people couldn't care less about.

Some meals, however, are much more rewarding. The plate in front of a diner is essentially a chef's attempt to connect with his patron on a variety of levels and to interact with the senses; some chefs may take this idea and play with it. This is cuisine that is trying to say something and begs the consumer to listen.

Jade on 36 at the Pudong Shangri-La definitely belongs to the latter category. This city has its share of culinary institutions but none of them feel as much like a trip to the classroom as it does here. What has been said about this place may or may not be true; in any case a trip to the city's most avant- garde dining establishment almost always involves preconceived notions. The only one that matters, though, is this: You'll get as much out of Chef Paul Pairet's food as you're willing to put in.

The restaurant on the top floor of the hotel's second tower enjoys one of the city's more spectacular views; the Adam Tihany-designed restaurant certainly plays up to the "quirky and colorful." The legendary Transylvanian-born hospitality designer has had a hand in some truly memorable creations including Le Cirque in New York; the interior of Jade is as good as any of his other works.

My culinary journey began with similarly quirky amuse bouches. The oft-talked about light sardine mousse made from tinned fish served in their can was meant to illustrate, "Paul's philosophy that any ingredient is interesting." It served as a warning to throw the form book out the window.

Diners order from a variety of menus in various sizes, costing between 400 yuan (US$52) and 888 yuan. First timers are encouraged to sample the large Jade on Jade selection; repeat visitors should find the recently-added Mahogany set menu offerings a good choice as well.

Capturing the attention early was the foie gras opera cake. Presented like a dessert, the goose liver and cocoa combination was so wonderfully creamy and rich but it was the port and passionfruit gel that gave this dish its considerable complexity. "It's not just about playing with form," said French chef Pairet. "It's about trying to strengthen the effect with shape."

The frog's legs, a recent addition, are done in classic French style but with a twist. Bathed in lemongrass, ginger and garlic before being sauteed in sauce meuniere and with a cod and garlic puree, the taste can be almost overwhelming on its own. The beauty here is the intelligent use of foam, in this case celery, to neutralize any piquancy.

Unlike more far-out restaurants of this ilk, Jade has a pivotal moment which feels like the traditional main course. The beef short rib is moist and flavorful like meat cooked in a tajine yet at the same time it tastes as salty and savory as a roast. You can even taste the crackling. Try that at home.

The meal ends with a lesson in deconstructionism. A whole lemon is stuffed with sorbet, curd, bits of citrus and vanilla cream as well as sweet lemon crust. As you bite into the fruit, the textures seem upside-down as the skin is softest while the core is the most solid. This is the classic lemon tart in a lemon.

The question arises as to whether Jade is too far ahead of its time. A meal here can really tax the brain if not the palate; a good number of consumers leave without getting it. Still, some dishes are great fun and the experience is worth the while for those who don't mind working a little for their enjoyment.

Jade on 36
Address: 36/F, 33 Fucheng Road
Tel: 021-6882-3636