The stars behind the stars

Restaurant: Sir Elly’s ★

Dish recommended: Sea salt smoked black cod

Most of the dishes on the menu at Sir Elly’s are available for no longer than three months but the smoked black cod is an exception because it is “feminine”, which according to chef Hans Zahner refers to being healthy, refreshing and light. Chef Zahner uses olive oil and tomato consomme instead of butter and cream to achieve this lightness. He uses mashed green peas as the base and smokes the cod with only sea salt in order to maintain the true flavor.

“I don’t sauce the fish. I like to sauce around it, on one condition only — the fish is good enough,” said Zahner.

Restaurant: 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo

Bombana ★★

Dish recommended: Classic Milanese Veal Chop

Chef Riccardo Le Perna has been in Shanghai long enough to know the local residents’ penchant for fried meat chops. From street side vendors to the city’s most historical Western restaurants that were opened in the 1930s, golden crispy pork chops have long been a popular choice, both as a snack and during important dining occasions.

As such, chef Perna decided that Shanghai was the perfect city to popularize his hometown veal chop. Using what he considers the best part of the cow, he said the trick to cooking this dish is to pan fry the meat without getting its surface rippled.

Restaurant: PHÉNIX eatery & bar ★

Dish recommended: Compressed Strawberry 95

Chef Michael Wilson admits that he isn’t the original creator of this hit dish at his restaurant. Rather, he got the recipe from a fellow chef in Amsterdam after he was captivated by the aroma and flavor of the basil cake.

Having made a few tweaks to the recipe, the Compressed Strawberry 95, a seasonal special, has since been immensely popular with diners. The dessert features strawberries, crushed ice, yoghurt and vanilla, with a sprinkle of meringue pieces and basil leaves.

“This dish looks simple, but it’s actually not that simple to make,” says Wilson.