Food styles collide at Waikiki's Shanghai Bistro

By Helen Wu
Advertiser Restaurant Critic

Patrons take in the window view and the warm wood interior of Shanghai Bistro, which offers a bar, lounge section and dining area. Photos by Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

At Shanghai Bistro, which describes its menu as Pacific-Asian, offerings include, clockwise from bottom: Flaming Satay Tenderloin Steak, Signature Kung Pau Chicken, Shanghai Crispy Whole Sea Bass, and Chef Chang's Live Crab-Crab.

Shanghai Bistro Discovery Bay Center, Waikiki 1778 Ala Moana, Suite UL-10 (second floor) 955-8668 Open daily, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Half-off martinis and appetizers (except Shanghai Bistro shrimp) at Happy Hour and for late-night dining Happy Hour: 3:30-6 p.m. Late-night dining: 10 p.m. to midnight Full bar Free validated parking Good

What intrigued me most here was not the cuisine, described as Pacific-Asian. I did not find much Pacific influence in the cooking. The food is actually Asian-fusion, with Japanese, Southeast Asian and Western components combined to form pan-Asian dishes.

I must admit what I enjoyed most on my visits to Shanghai Bistro: the décor and ambiance.

And particularly the high-tech bathroom. I know it sounds silly. But on our first visit, my dining companion returned to the table and exclaimed, "You have to see the bathroom!"

As far as restaurant restrooms are concerned, Shanghai Bistro's is the most high-tech I've ever encountered. If you have the chance to visit this place, you must go to the restroom. And make sure you press the mysterious red button on the toilet. You won't have to touch much else since the toilet, faucet and paper towel dispenser are all motion-sensor activated.

Sometimes the restaurant's efforts and attention to detail worked marvelously, as in the restroom, but other times they were overdone, particularly when it came to food. Embellishments carried over into décor, presentation and service — all contributing to a serene and beautiful ambiance. Yet there were extraneous aspects that were awkward and contradictory to what they were trying to achieve.

Obvious from the moment you walk in is the care taken in presenting a relaxing, refined atmosphere. Eye-soothing halogen lights dot the ceiling, giving warmth to the extravagant wood interior and teak floor. A bar, lounge section and main dining space are the three seating areas within the restaurant's open room, which accommodates up to 200 guests. Highlighted pillars showcase a collection of Chinese Yixing clay teapots. The restaurant appears more like an expansive dining room out of Architectural Digest than a Waikiki eatery.

However, harsh sounds of a handyman drilling into one of the pillars interrupted my second visit at lunch. Along with an overly loud woman on her cell phone, the noises reverberated against all the wood, detracting from the calm environment. The staff gave no warning and made no apologies to either of the two tables occupied at the time.

Artistic presentation is emphasized to the same extent as the interior design. Tables are set with earthy stoneware show plates, which are removed upon placing your order. Food is served on an assortment of stoneware dishes, lacquer trays and bamboo baskets. These eye-catching presentations often take up the whole table, causing servers to play a strange form of musical dishes as they rearrange and make room for the hodgepodge of oversized platters.

Sometimes there's a conflict between form and function. For example, the restaurant offers a selection of teas, served in pretty glass pots. I ordered a Harney & Sons blend ($4), but because the water in the pot, with a candle burner below, wasn't hot enough to begin with, I had to wait for it to brew for nearly the length of my meal.

Flaming tenderloin steak with satay sauce ($20) was a tasty showstopper. But it had no relation to satay — typically skewered, grilled meat with a spicy peanut sauce — arriving in a Japanese nabe iron pot on a flaming bed of salt. The way it was served, its oyster sauce and its basil flavors surprised us.

Shanghai crispy whole sea bass ($23) came with six different dipping sauces, each in its own small dish, but with no accompanying serving spoons. The deep-fried fish was sliced so that its meaty flesh was exposed in chunks for easy eating. But some sauces, such as the mango mayonnaise and wasabi cream, did nothing to complement the fish.

For dessert (all desserts are $2.50), the Vietnamese-style baked pudding was also muddled. Light green, it resembled baked custard with dried coconut inside, cut in a pielike wedge. Both green-apple and raspberry-flavored syrups drizzled on top created mixed-up flavors.

The menu features mostly ordinary Chinese food and Asian-fusion, with tofu, cheese or mayonnaise playing a role in many of the appetizers. A variety of vegetarian dishes present welcome options. A few items really do stand out, however.

Battered, French-fried taro, potato and purple Okinawan sweet potato make up the rainbow bistro potato ($5). Served with three dips, these are some of the best fries I've ever eaten, despite their being clumpy. Chef Chang's Peking duck burger ($9) — not really Peking-style duck, but a cold roasted-duck sandwich — comes on a gigantic sesame seed/sweet bread bun. Jasmine tea pudding, basically a gelatin dessert, was fragrant and palate-cleansing despite some loose tea pieces.

Prices and menu offerings remain the same throughout lunch and dinner; most tend to be expensive for what you get. Shanghai Bistro is best visited during its late-afternoon happy hour or for late-night dining, when appetizers, with the exception of Shanghai Bistro shrimp ($11), are half price. It would also be suitable for a special-occasion dinner or to impress a date.

Reach Helen Wu at hwu@honoluluadvertiser.com.