Park Chinois - Mayfair, London

In the 1930s, Shanghai was one of the world's capitals for indulgence and iniquity. The Bund promenade was peppered with casinos and bordellos, nightclubs and restaurants, all of them thronged by high society and attendants in livery. As it turned out, it was a flash in the pan, flickering from the ashes of WW1 before being subsumed into WW2, but its opulence was unprecedented and perhaps unparalleled. At least until Alan Yau opened Park Chinois in late December, which aims to recreate Bund Shanghai in the heart of London. 

Yau is famous for creating spectacular destinations such as Hakkasan and Duck & Rice, but his newest Mayfair venture outshines even these, being rumoured to cost in the ballpark of £20 million. Nestled on Berkeley Street only a stone's throw away from Sexy Fish, Hakkasan and Nobu, its mission statement is broadcast loud and clear: Park Chinois is making a bid for crown. 

From the reception to the red velvet, Park Chinois is drenched in opulence. Upon arrival, guests are greeted by a phalanx of immaculately coiffured and tuxedoed staff who will ensure that you are relieved of you outerwear and delivered to your table in high style. Said table is clad in starched white cloths and flanked by cushy upholstered chairs commissioned from the same outfit who furnished the Palais de Versailles, with ornate Chinese lamps and cerise red Chinoiserie spread throughout. The floor is black mahogany and the bar black malachite, and a quartet in the centre of the restaurants belts out jazz standards before an attractive young DJ takes over to work the crowd.

In terms of food, Park Chinois has already become famous for its roast duck, five of which are prepared every hour to ensure quality, served with the traditional pancakes, hoi sin and the option to complement the glassine poultry with a dollop of the world's most expensive caviar. There are some very interesting collisions of western and eastern cuisine on PC's menu. Case in point is a "carbonara" prepared with udon noodles, sea urchin, a 65° egg and pancetta - delivered to the table in perfect miniature spindles. 

For those after simpler fare, there are plenty of Yau classics flexing on the menu - with an array of gilt little parcels of dim sum (the scallop shumai with tobiko or the venison puff are always a hit) as well as larger plates such as salt and pepper squid with som tam style green papaya salad. Dessert is also a must, particularly the century soufflé, which arrives at the table emerging from a hot ramekin as an outsized golden orb, spiked with Grand Marnier, with an ovoid of cinnamon chocolate ice cream slid by a waiter into its centre. 

Park Chinois comes with a hefty price tag, most likely one of London's heftiest, but if you're after a pure luxury experience and to see and be seen, it excels at both. 

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