Shang Social

Shang Social
78 Airport Boulevard
#01-219 Jewel Changi Airport

http://shangsocial.com/

Fried Yam With Salt And Pepper (SGD $12.80)

Modern Master Of Chinese Cuisine

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 7
Ambience & Setting: 8
Food & Beverage: 7
Service: 7
Value for Money: 6
Spent about SGD $37 per person.


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Opened in April 2019, Shang Social is the standalone dining restaurant of the Shangri-La Hotel Group. Shang Social is known for its curated Modern Chinese dishes, created by 3 of Shangri-La’s acclaimed master chefs, and comprises 3 spaces - 'Dining', 'Mkrt', and 'Bar'; a formal dining, casual dining, and bar respectively, each with its own set of menus.

Ambience at Shang Social is casual elegant, with a touch of Oriental art deco. Touches of opulence abound in 'Dining', as befits its brand, from the shiny modern chandeliers casting a soft warm glow, the plush cushioned chairs and booths, to the sleek black and white floor tiles. In contrast, 'Mkrt' features sturdy wooden furnishings, bright modern globe bulbs, dress mirrors, and contrasting blue, red, and white floor tiles. At 'Bar', high chairs surround a sleek granite topped long bar counter, with rows of bottles in the background.

Service at Shang Social is efficient and friendly, though staff seem to have a hurried air. Tasks are carried out quickly, be it serving orders, retrieving items, or cleaning up when diners leave. For 'Dining', there's a little more attention shown to guests, compared to 'Mkrt', where small things like cutlery is self-service. At 'Bar', you can converse with the bartenders over the counter. Staff display decent product knowledge, able to offer recommendations and briefly describe dishes.

Food at Shang Social is all about Modern Chinese cuisine, focused on Cantonese, Sichuan / Szechuan, and Huaiyang cuisines. Dishes were created by 3 of of Shangri-La’s master chefs; Chef Mok Kit Keung (Cantonese), Chef Rick Du (Sichuan / Szechuan), and Chef Joe Hou (Huaiyang). Noticed that while the kitchen tries their best to replicate the standards, quality is inconsistent, sometimes good, other times less so. Portions are designed for sharing. Prices are comparable to upper mid-range restaurants, budget about SGD $37 per person.

Post COVID-19 circuit breaker, Shang Social has drastically scaled back on its Modern Chinese fine dining menu, and is now positioned like a casual Chinese eatery instead.


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Shang Social Exterior

Shang Social Interior

Seating - 'Dining'

Seating - 'Mkrt'

Seating - 'Bar'

Shang Social Mkrt Menu

Shang Social Mkrt Menu

Meal Flat Lay

Types Of Chili

The default Tea (SGD $2.50) served here is a fragant and delicate Jasmine tea, which has a lovely floral sweet flavour. Excellent.

Tea (SGD $2.50)

The Beer Tiger (SGD $12) is an Asian pale lager brewed by Asia Pacific Breweries Singapore in Singapore. It has a clear, bright golden yellow colour, with aromas of wheat, metal, corn, and yeast. The body is smooth, crisp, and refreshing, with tastes of malts, bread, hay, and popcorn. Fairly flat sweet bitter taste, with metallic notes and an empty finish. Great thirst quencher, though not big on flavour.

Beer Tiger (SGD $12)

A speciality craft beer, the Beer Archipelago Chrysanthemum Pale Ale (SGD $12) is brewed by the Archipelago Brewery in Singapore. It has a pale straw golden colour, with aromas of malt, daffodils, biscuit, and orange. The body is light, hazy, and crisp, with tastes of bread, chrysanthemum, jasmine, and tangerine, with refreshing floral grainy sweet bitter flavours. Has lively carbonation with a dry finish.

Beer Archipelago Chrysanthemum Pale Ale (SGD $12)

The Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings With Bamboo Shoot (SGD $5.80) have a medium thick, translucent dumpling wrapper, which holds the juicy filling of bouncy shrimp and tender bamboo shoots within. Bite in, and you're rewarded with a burst of earthy sweet savoury flavour. I note the fresh sweetness isn't as pronounced as elsewhere though. Worth ordering!

Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings With Bamboo Shoot (SGD $5.80)

Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings With Bamboo Shoot

The Siew Mai Pork And Mushroom Dumplings (SGD $5.80) has a satisfying juicy tender chew, with the minced pork and sliced shiitake mushrooms lending bold meaty sweet savoury earthy flavours. Lovely, an above average rendition. Good!

Siew Mai Pork And Mushroom Dumplings (SGD $5.80)

Siew Mai Pork And Mushroom Dumplings

Loved the Pork Rib And Yam Taro With Black Bean Sauce (SGD $5.80) here. The black bean sauce lends a fragrant earthy aroma, while the tender strips of yam / taro are bright and earthy savoury in flavour. The pork ribs have a good amount of fat to pork meat, and comes easily off the bones with a slight pull. Has a juicy chew, with bold meaty savoury salty flavour. Good!

Pork Rib And Yam Taro With Black Bean Sauce (SGD $5.80)

Pork Rib And Yam Taro With Black Bean Sauce

The Pan-Fried Beancurd Skin Roll With Prawn (SGD $5.80) has a crisp outer beancurd skin which holds the filling of juicy bouncy prawn / shrimp and tender fish cake. Has a deep savoury salty flavour, that somehow lacks a touch of fresh sweetness. Alright.

Pan-Fried Beancurd Skin Roll With Prawn (SGD $5.80)

Pan-Fried Beancurd Skin Roll With Prawn

Loved the Pan-Fried Turnip Cake With Chinese Sausage (SGD $5.80), with the large squares of daikon radish cake being soft and moist. The bits of lup cheong / dried Chinese sausage within lend a deep meaty savoury salty flavour that complements the earthy sweet notes of the daikon radish cake. Good!

Pan-Fried Turnip Cake With Chinese Sausage (SGD $5.80)

Pan-Fried Turnip Cake With Chinese Sausage

The Suzhou Baked Minced Pork Bun (SGD $2.50 per piece) was rather forgettable. The crisp flaky pastry bun crumbles easily, revealing the filling of grainy minced pork within, but it lacks that satisfiying bite. Has a pronounced sweet flavour, more than the savoury taste I expected. Could be improved.

Suzhou Baked Minced Pork Bun (SGD $2.50 per piece)

Suzhou Baked Minced Pork Bun

The Shanghai Pan-Fried Bun With Pork (SGD $2.50 per piece) is pretty good. The base of the bun is crunchy and studded with sesame seeds, while the top is fluffy with a doughy chew to texture. The filling of minced pork and chives within has a moist juicy soft texture, with delicate savoury sweet earthy flavour. Good!

Shanghai Pan-Fried Bun With Pork (SGD $2.50 per piece)

Shanghai Pan-Fried Bun With Pork

Shanghai Pan-Fried Bun With Pork

The Barbecue Honey Pork Bun (SGD $5.80) is decent enough. The fluffy soft bun tears apart easily, revealing the warm and moist bits of marinated pork loin within. Has a pronounced sweet savoury flavour. Best eaten quickly while still warm.

Barbecue Honey Pork Bun (SGD $5.80)

Barbecue Honey Pork Bun

The Beng Hiang Kong Bak Bao (SGD $7.60) has a medium thick fatty slab of braised pork belly, sandwiched within a soft bun, accompanied by crisp lettuce. Nice juicy tender bite to texture, with robust salty savoury meaty flavours. Good!

Beng Hiang Kong Bak Bao (SGD $7.60)

Beng Hiang Kong Bak Bao

The Jellyfish And Cucumber Salad (SGD $9.80) is properly refreshing, with pieces of slippery chilled jellyfish, crunchy cucumber, and crisp red onions. Has bright sweet spice flavours, with a tinge of sour notes. Worth ordering!

Jellyfish And Cucumber Salad (SGD $9.80)

Jellyfish And Cucumber Salad

I like the Drunken Chicken With Yellow Wine (SGD $10), though the strong boozy herbal sweet flavours may not appeal to all. The chunky pieces of kampung chicken are tender and moist, with a satisfiying delicate chew. Quite happy with this.

Drunken Chicken With Yellow Wine (SGD $10)

Drunken Chicken With Yellow Wine

The problem with the Spicy Dumplings In Red Oil (SGD $10.80) is the gravy. While the large juicy dumplings, stuffed with minced pork and fresh shrimp, have a lovely crunch with bold sweet savoury flavour, the gravy itself is rather weak. It lacks both the sour and spicy edge you'd normally expect in this gravy, having a more salty savoury flavour instead. Could be improved.

Spicy Dumplings In Red Oil (SGD $10.80)

Spicy Dumplings In Red Oil

Spicy Dumplings In Red Oil

The Fried Yam With Salt And Pepper (SGD $12.80) is yummy. The thin fingers of sliced Chinese yam / taro are coated in a crisp batter, while the yam / taro itself remains moist with a light crunch. Seasoned with salt and pepper, then served amongst dried chili, this has bright earthy sweet salty peppery flavours. Nicely addictive. Highly recommended!

Fried Yam With Salt And Pepper (SGD $12.80)

Fried Yam With Salt And Pepper

With the scaled down menu, there's greater emphasis on their Chinese Cantonese dishes, with the highlight being their Triple Combination Meat Platter (SGD $27). The Barbecue Honey Pork Belly has a sticky glaze, and a thick cut that results in a light moist chew to texture, with good meaty savoury sweet flavour. The Crackling Roast Pork Belly has a light crunch to the skin, with the pork meat being tender and bouncy, having delicate salty savoury flavour. Also nice when paired with the yellow mustard dipping sauce. Again, the cut is really thick. The Soya Sauce Chicken has a beautiful robust salty savoury sweet flavour, with a juicy bouncy chew to texture. A succulent platter, which I've ordered again on other occasions. Good!

Triple Combination Meat Platter (SGD $27)

Barbecue Honey Pork Belly

Barbecue Honey Pork Belly

Crackling Roast Pork Belly

Crackling Roast Pork Belly

Soya Sauce Chicken

Soya Sauce Chicken

Triple Combination Meat Platter

The Pig Four Treasures (SGD $18) features 4 parts of the pig, including tender pig's liver, chewy pig's stomach, bouncy pig's small intestines, and juicy pork meat balls. Served in a dark soy sauce and spring onion gravy, each piece picks up the gravy to varying degrees, with layers of earthy salty savoury flavours.

Pig Four Treasures (SGD $18)

Pig Four Treasures

The Stewed Beef Brisket With Daikon Radish (SGD $19.80) is a warm, soulful claypot with deep and robust flavours. The stewed beef brisket is tender and pulls apart easily, with deep meaty savoury salty flavour. The daikon radish has likewise been stewed till soft, with bright earthy sweet flavour. The result is the gravy is rich and tasty, great when paired with white rice. Highly recommended!

Stewed Beef Brisket With Daikon Radish (SGD $19.80)

Stewed Beef Brisket With Daikon Radish

The plain Bamboo Noodles Soup (SGD $6) has a light soup / broth that is warm, with gentle vegetal sweet savoury flavour. The profile doesn't quite entice you to drink more though. The long thin bamboo-pressed noodles have a delicate springy chew to texture, with light grainy sweet flavour. Decent enough, this is meant to be paired with other dishes.

Bamboo Noodles Soup (SGD $6)

Bamboo Noodles Soup

The Bamboo Noodles Dry With Prawn & Conpoy Dumplings In XO Sauce (SGD $14.80) features a base of long thin bamboo-pressed noodles with a springy texture and grainy sweet flavour. Some crunchy kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli with vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour sits on top. Completed with large juicy dumplings, stuffed with minced pork and fresh shrimp, having a beautiful juicy tender crunch to texture, with bold sweet savoury flavour. Served dry, with a dark soy sauce and shrimp gravy that holds savoury salty flavour. Good!

Bamboo Noodles Dry With Prawn & Conpoy Dumplings In XO Sauce (SGD $14.80)

Bamboo Noodles Dry With Prawn & Conpoy Dumplings In XO Sauce

Bamboo Noodles Dry With Prawn & Conpoy Dumplings In XO Sauce

The Bamboo Noodles Dry With Barbecue Honey Pork Belly & Shrimp Wanton (SGD $14.80) features a base of long thin bamboo-pressed noodles with a springy texture and grainy sweet flavour. Some crunchy kai-lan / Chinese kale / Chinese broccoli with vegetal earthy bitter sweet flavour sits on top. Completed with thick cut barbecue honey pork belly that has a light moist chew to texture with good meaty savoury sweet flavour, and medium juicy dumplings stuffed with minced pork and fresh shrimp that have a beautiful juicy tender crunch to texture and holds light sweet savoury flavour. Served dry, with a dark soy sauce and shrimp gravy that holds savoury salty flavour. Good!

Bamboo Noodles Dry With Barbecue Honey Pork Belly & Shrimp Wanton (SGD $14.80)

Bamboo Noodles Dry With Barbecue Honey Pork Belly & Shrimp Wanton

Bamboo Noodles Dry With Barbecue Honey Pork Belly & Shrimp Wanton

The Prawn & Conpoy Congee (SGD $12.80) has a rich gloopy thick texture that hints of the long, slow stew for this congee. Has a comforting grainy sweet flavour, made more fragrant with the addition of ginger. The dried scallop lends a light sweet savoury flavour to the dish, while the large juicy crunchy deshelled prawns / shrimp hold good sweet savoury flavour. The crisp fried dough fritters lend a nice contrasting crunch to texture. The use of a claypot in serving this helps keep it warm. Highly recommended!

Prawn & Conpoy Congee (SGD $12.80)

Prawn & Conpoy Congee

An interesting dessert, the Chilled Wolfberry Osmanthus Layer Jelly With Coconut (SGD $6.80) is served in a visually intriguing presentation. Comprising wobbly bouncy coconut jelly and osmanthus jelly pressed together, and garnished with a single goji berry / wolfberry, this has pleasant floral earthy sweet flavours. Good!

Chilled Wolfberry Osmanthus Layer Jelly With Coconut (SGD $6.80)

Chilled Wolfberry Osmanthus Layer Jelly With Coconut

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Disclaimer: Half our visits here were before the COVID-19 circuit breaker in Singapore was implemented, some menu items pictured are no longer available. Environment photos were likewise taken before COVID-19.







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