[Radar]: Manchuria

 

Area: Manchuria is on the upper floors of the F.C.C., at 889 Julu Lu. That's set back from Julu, down the entranceway adjacent to the former girlie-bar strip, and across the back garden of Velvet Lounge. Enter like you're going to F.C.C..

What it is: Manchuria is a sophisticated Cantonese restaurant, by Edwin Ng. Ng traded a long career in the fashion industry for the world of F&B several years ago, and now has a string of plush Southeast Asian restaurants to his name: Bali Laguna, Thai Gallery, and F.C.C.. But Ng is from Hong Kong, and he didn't have a Cantonese restaurant. He did, however, have 350 seats in F.C.C. and not enough people wanting Vietnamese to fill them. So, Cantonese. Manchuria is him adding that to his collection while addressing a perceived dearth of upscale Cantonese places in town -- modern, stylish, great decor, very nice cooking.

The menu, and restaurant, for that matter, is aimed at private groups of stylish Hong Kongnese, the business class, and the government. For the first group, mild Canto fusion, like marinated duck's tongues with Bugles, mountain yam with blueberry sauce, foie gras, etc. For the second and third: abalone, shark's fin, sea cucumber, expensive soups and expensive animal parts.

Within those two extremes of the menu, however, there's enough slightly more traditional Cantonese dishes for the less-trendy, unconnected eater to explore. The soups, in particular, stand out for pure, MSG-free depth. The sea whelk stir-fried with black bean sauce and stuffed green peppers is nice, too.

Keep in mind that the menu is fancy Cantonese, by Cantonese and for Cantonese. It's kind of serious stuff. Tasty, but don't jump in expecting roast pork and kai lan.

Oh, and the name. Manchuria is northern China; Manchuria, the restaurant, is southern Chinese food. There's no correlation. Whatever. It's just a name.

Atmosphere: This is where Manchuria shines. Ng's former life in fashion informs all of his restaurants. Unfortunately, the best parts are behind closed doors. Most of Manchuria is opulent private rooms, in lavish Chinoiserie fantasy: silk paintings, antiques, delicate Buddha statuettes, soft lighting, opium beds, diaphanous fabric draped on the walls, round doorways...

The decor of so many restaurants is divorced from their concept. Manchuria's -- traditional Chinese, modern accents -- is implicit.

There are two small public dining rooms with, oh, five or six tables, total. The decor in them is lovely, subdued China as well, but it's the private rooms that really sparkle.

Damage: Between 200-300 per person. Cold dishes start at 18rmb, but you'll be ordering, or should be ordering, soups and seafood. Two or three hundred keeps it modest -- no steamed spotted garoupa or king prawn in superior stock, but instead maybe tofu in a golden, rich chicken gravy with mantis prawn, and double-boiled partridge soup, both perfect for the colder weather. It does get more expensive.

Who's going: Cantonese, both traditonial and the trendier, younger set; government people, and others on the Private Room Social Circuit; and maybe a scattering of white people looking for either Chinese food with serious decor, or adventuring into something different than the regular Cantonese haunts.