Grand Shanghai Banquet (大上海宴会厅) @ Sri Petaling

We've seen new restaurants sprouting out all over the neighbourhood of Sri Petaling, yet another food haven in KL where you can basically find anything from traditional Chinese to electrifying Western flavours. Despite of being a "neighbourhood" restaurant, Grand Shanghai Banquet appears to be one of the classy, premium Chinese eateries based on its grand-looking exterior and posh, gold-themed interior. 

A visit to this restaurant is a stroll down the memory lane into the glamorous city of Shanghai in mid-18th century, with nostalgic music playing at the background... And one thing's for sure, this is a family oriented restaurant that offers both the young and old an appetizing affair.

SIGNATURE DIM SUM (特制点心)

We arrived around 12 noon and the popular dim sums such as Shanghai steamed buns in superior soup (大上海小笼包) and egg tarts were already sold out. It was okay (but I'd be back for more!), the owner there then introduced us with the latest offerings in the menu.

Signature "Snow Mountain" Bun (金牌雪山包)

If you have been to Tim Ho Wan at The Gardens, you'd probably have tried its famous baked buns with BBQ pork (酥皮焗叉烧包). Now you can avoid the queue and head over to Grand Shanghai Banquet for the same dish too! Here it has a more glamorous name, and taste wise I'd say it is definitely the best item you must order here!

Love the way it was served piping hot, thus the exterior of the pastry was so flaky and crumbly that it reminded me of Polo Bun (菠萝包)! Forking into the buttery crust, the soft pillowy-like bun unraveled a sweet explosion of sweet-savoury pork filling with generous amount of oozing sauce.

Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun (蚝皇叉烧包) @ RM6.50

Char siew lovers would definitely go for a second helping of the barbecued pork bun, but this time it was in steamed version, for the real taste of the light, fluffy sweet bun and juicy meats. The best thing was that, it came without any chunky fats unlike other dim sum eateries.

Steamed Custard Quicksand Bun “Hong Kong” Style (黄金流沙包) @ RM7.00

Another must-have item at Grand Shanghai Banquet--- Steamed custard buns with the steaming hot golden lava that oozed out and exuded strong buttery aroma. Both baskets were overcooked, and we were left with unappetizing lumps of custard 'paste' in it. But the owner saw it and immediately offered to replace another basket for us, although we did not request for any.

Love the melt-in-the-mouth sensation as soon as we sunk our teeth into it! From every bite,

I could really taste the sandy texture of the salted egg yolks amidst the soft, fluffy buns.

PORRIDGE (生滚粥)

Pork Rib and Century Egg Porridge (排骨花生粥) @ RM5.50

Minced Pork and Century Egg Porridge (皮蛋瘦肉粥) @ RM4.50

It also offers three different variations of porridge-- pork ribs, minced pork and sliced fish from RM4.50 to RM6.00 per individual pot. Mine was silky smooth and tasty, with crispy crackers adding a nice touch to it. 

STEAMED RICE ROLL (肠粉类)

Steamed Rice Flour Filled with Barbecue Pork (葱花叉烧肠粉) @ RM6.00

We also tried the vermicelli rolls which was equally smooth, flavourful and less oily for my liking, although the thick rice rolls had turned slightly soggy. It could be a winning taste if the chef was more generous with his application of barbecued pork into the rolls. 

HOT FOOD ITEMS
On a separate menu, we managed to sample on some of the crowd's favourite dishes.

Grand Shanghai Signature Fried Rice (大上海招牌炒饭) @ RM22 (Medium)

If you'd ask me, I'd recommend the signature fried rice as a simple and comfy stomach filler. The hearty bowl of golden fried rice, had light and eggy flavour, in addition to the crispy texture from the rice grains. Plus, it was generously topped with prawns and scallops. 

Drunken Water Prawn Noodle in Claypot (醉虾煲仔面) @ RM24

We were not impressed by the presentation of the noodles in a burnt, half-filled claypot, but this dish took us by surprise with the richness of Chinese wine in the broth. Topped with a huge prawn (sliced into half), the flavours had permeated the noodles which still remained a lovely medium texture. 

Dual Taste Kailan (双味芥兰) @ RM18 (Medium)

An interesting variation from the usual stir-fried vegetables, here we had some crispy Kai Lan leaves topped with chicken floss as well as steamed crunchy stems and leaves which both retained their natural vibrant green color. Enjoy the textures, especially when served hot!

Verdict:
1. Dim sum, in overall, is good, but be sure to come early if you want to try their signature items!
2. Most of the hot dishes come in small, medium and large options, making it easier for sharing. 
3. Nice ambiance, impeccable service, and reasonable prices. Revisit? Definitely!
4. Recommended: Grand Shanghai "Snow Mountain" Bun, Custard Bun, Signature Fried Rice


Grand Shanghai Banquet 大上海宴会厅
No. 45, Jalan Radin Tengah, 
(same row as McDonald's, opposite Public Bank)
Bandar Baru Seri Petaling,
57000 Kuala Lumpur.
Contact: 603-8934 3852
Facebook: fb.com/pages/Grand-Shanghai-Banquet-Seri-Petaling

Business Hours:
Weekdays: 9am - 3pm, 5.30pm - 10pm
Weekends: 8am - 3pm, 5.30pm - 10pm