Shang - Susur Lee's Magical Mystery Tour

It says a lot about the souped-up speed ofpuckery taste of sour plum dressing add to the
gentrification in New York and even more aboutcrunch and flavor of 19 ingredients. Sashimi of madai
Susur Lee that he was willing to close his rocking hitwith pickled daikon, celery sprouts and lemon
restaurant Susur in Toronto for Shang, a hotel diningpurée, plus caramelized wild sablefish, then
room above Orchard Street. It must have seemedlobster-shrimp croquettes with Malay black pepper
quite a lure at the moment of commitment: Thesauce have us raving on our first visit. Dishes arrive
Thompson LES hotel with a world class restaurant intwo or three at a time with a clean round of
Manhattan's hottest new zip code. Now, withrectangular plates for tasting, white with a tiny red
escalating financial wipeouts and even crazedrabbit on the rim - the chef's astrological sign. I'm a
nocturnal nomads pinching dollars, there's more ridingfool for turnip cake, including this one, rife with
on Lee's back than just his ponytail.eggplant, Cantonese-preserved black bean and
Yes, he looks like a movie star and talks like a poet,shiitakes. With so many exotic notions, it would be
flashing briefly through the dining room with its bigeasy to overlook steamed potato dumplings. They
round booths and giant crushed fabric parachutessound so ordinary. Don't be fooled. Carved away with
casting a rosy glow. Lee clearly knows it's his to lose.a triangle of their almost-veil-thin crust attached, the
From the look of the Saturday night crush in thedumpling is marvelous and full of surprises.
dining room - the preferred age group, vogueish butCrisp-skinned young garlic chicken with
not slavishly so, masters-of-the-universe-in-waiting,sweet-and-sour onion marmalade is remarkably juicy.
still dancing on the edge - Lee's already got anLess thrilling is the Beijing cucumber salad, a too
audience that could build a buzz. Two longtimethick-skinned oxtail soup dumpling in chicken-coriander
veterans of hip, one from Nobu, one from Matsuri atbroth, and coin-like slices of octopus with tomatillo
the entrance obviously have the required Rolodex.and tomatoes. Cardamom-scented carrot and
Tonight's early responders are not just peripateticchili-mint chutneys plus glazed bananas can't save
first-nighters but also Saturday daters and evenbland Mongolian lamb chops. But the triumphs blur the
locals, a good-looking stew skewing young that mightflubs. And even though we're all groaning from the
build the vital word of mouth if they like the food asexcess, our host, a legendary gourmand, can't stop
much as we do.ordering. I am still able to appreciate the saving grace
What is it like? "What are the Beatles like?" youof orange and lemongrass granite on lemon curd with
might have asked before hearing the Liverpudlianpassion fruit gelee and bitter orange sorbet. I didn't
four. Like no one, would have been the answer.really need the lemon tart with lemon parfait and
Susur Lee's magical tour has taken him from Hongraspberry coulis in tea sauce or the coconut creme
Kong, to Toronto, to Singapore with its triangle ofcaramel with Chantilly and black rice pudding at the
influences - Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia - back tobottom, but I tasted - loved them both - and
Toronto and now he hopes to woo New York withsurvived.
these lyrical inventions. His food is unique, unlikeI can't wait to share this revelation with Chinese
anything I have tasted here, often thrilling, endlesslyfriends and taste more dishes even though it costs
inventive, whimsical and traditional in the same dish,$30 one way and takes forever to creep and lurch
daring and delicious. His passion for design almostthrough traffic from the Upper West Side. It's my
never overwhelms his mastery of texture andsecond visit this week. We must repeat the slaw,
layered flavors. He counts on a trusted second fromthe potato dumplings, the taro puffs and my favorite
his days in Singapore as he drives the kitchen to hisdish of all - steamed tofu custard with crab, shrimp,
astonishing tune, is his own pastry chef (and alsolobster, baby mussels and air-dried scallops in Tanjin
fields room service). Be warned. Come with friendsbouillon, a superior stock of duck, pork and ham -
you like. In this first ten days, the kitchen can besheer umami. The black hairy stuff is desert moss
slow.(not "dessert" as typoed), a green that grows
You don't have to know that the chef wants tooutside Beijing. Thin slices of pork loin wrapped
honor the Chinese Diaspora. "Wherever Chinese foodaround green beans with mustard and almonds should
goes, it changes with each country. I want to honorprovide safe haven for tofuphobes and finicky eaters
that tradition." Call it fusion, I suppose, but look forbut I won't waste my calories again. I love squab and
more at Shang. From time to time, a notion seemsfoie gras in wrappers imitating Peking duck but the
totally Chinese. Crispy taro puffs - four of them linedlotus crepes are leathery by the time they reach our
up without embellishment on a plate - are a dim sumtable. Spicy slow braised beef cheek, fatty and
you might encounter in Chinatown, except for thatluscious, is perfect. Served with soft brown rice and
velvety surprise of curried egg salad inside. (Taro is aolive preserved vegetables, one portion is enough for
special weakness of mine that not everyone shares.)four to taste, especially, if like me, you'll eat too
A big tangle of chickpea sweet onion fritters onmuch anyway. And with so many options $12 or less,
puddles of ginger-mango chutney and minted yogurtand everything else (except Kobe beef) $25 or
- orange on one side, green on the other - links toconsiderably cheaper, you can spend a little or a lot.
India and possibly Japanese tempura. Splendid lobsterInclude a $3 order of mantou whole-wheat Chinese
croquettes filled with salty duck egg, lemon balm,bread to sop up sauces, and you probably won't
shallot and the tang of chili-lime juice is a generationwant to stop for a burger on your way home.
removed from China, reminiscing.187 Orchard Street. 212 260 7900. Closed Sunday. To
Lee's signature Singapore slaw is the perfect openeravoid a steep flight of steps at the Orchard Street
(one order is more than enough for four, no matterentrance, enter through Hotel Thompson LES at 190
what your server says). Toasted hazelnuts and aAllen Street. Take the elevator to 2.