Chef Frank Xu, the proud heir of a Sichuan cooking dynasty, has set up his HQ in the lavish La Réserve hotel, where he rolls out Chinese cuisine strewn with subtle European accents. Regional delicacies, notably first-class shrimp and beef, enjoy guest-of-honour status on the extensive menu. The savvily curated wine cellar is as impressive as the well-oiled seamless service. The summer terrace provides an outstanding stage for alfresco dining. Popular with tourists and city slickers for its gourmet repertory and glamorous interior which brings to mind the high-society cosmopolitan aura of 1930’s Shanghai.