Obsession 2016: Lanshu Chen review

Chopped raw halibut came covered in a dusting of what I can only describe as incredibly savoury ham powder which, when combined with the crispy potato chip, reminded me of a sophisticated version of the Serrano ham-flavoured crisps of my childhood. The intense savouriness was offset perfectly by the plum gel (which came in delicious little blowtorched spheres), while the dots of pomme purée and pork liver added to the festival of textures. Every mouthful was different, and the Sancerre Chavignol Rosé chosen to match with the dish worked perfectly; I didn’t really like the wine on its own, but when drunk with the food it really brought everything to life. Pure alchemy if you ask me!

Evidently there’s more than one way to eat a radish – I’m used to buying them, using a few in a salad then leaving the rest to die a slow death in the fridge’s veg drawer, so it was beautiful and intriguing to see all the different variations. The confit foie gras, sitting atop a radish foam, was exquisite, so much so that I though the accompanying slices of brioche were unnecessary. The delicate radish jelly was softer than panna cotta – a true melt-in-the-mouth experience. The final crunch of red barley proved again how expertly Lanshu combines textures.

I absolutely love bisque – I was the sort of child who would pick the prawn heads from the paella and suck their brains out – and I think it’s one of the nicest, most umami-rich flavours around. The one served here was perfect, as was the firm, sweet lobster meat. The ravioli contained a cabbage mixture and burst the second your fork touched it, letting the contents spill out and combine with the bisque. It was a wonderful combination, and I could have eaten three more plates of it without batting an eyelid.

The combination of beef and mustard shows Lanshu’s classical French training, but this was so much more than what you’d get at your local French bistro. Textures again play a major role in the enjoyment of this dish; a deep-fried thin slice of onion accompanied onion purée and onion foam; white currants in the mustard sauce burst in the mouth, lending a sharp sweet tang, while soft figs and sticks of beef crackling topped the exquisitely cooked beef. Our table started talking about the benefits of sous vide vs. more traditional cooking – whichever method Lanshu used is my favourite.

I didn’t know if the dish’s name referenced the Monet painting until it arrived, but that soon changed when it was brought to the table – it was just as beautiful as the water lilies the famous artist created. There were plenty of Asian influences in this dish, which made a welcome change; pieces of set tofu custard came submerged in a warm melon tea soup with tapioca, water chestnuts and raspberries (and for that indulgent French finish, the fruit came topped with gold leaf).

The dessert wine served with this dish is something I plan to stock up on myself – a Pio Cesare Moscato D’Asti (Piedmont, Italy, 2013). I believe the matching was changed to this once master of wine Craig Bancroft and his team had the chance to try the wines with Lenshu. I’m so glad it was, as it tasted absolutely incredible.

I love food that comes full of surprises and Lanshu’s dishes did exactly that. Craig said that when Michelin finally do make the trip to Taiwan, Lanshu will be up there shining with the best. I couldn’t agree more.