Sitting down to a square meal with family and friends is a central part of all cultures and every country uses its own unique flavors and age-old cooking techniques. The Asia region is rich in a variety of ancient customs, geography and religious beliefs which make for a tantalizing selection of tasty cuisines.

Japanese cooking focuses on simple ingredients and clean fresh tastes whereas Korean food can be sour or bitter and is always nutritionally balanced. Thai and Vietnamese dishes are sometimes spicy and use lots of fresh fruit and vegetables. Indian cuisine is famous for its curries and Chinese food features a staggering range of regional dishes. In China you can find all types of Asian food and are often spoilt for choice as to where to eat out. SpaChina has selected four restaurants in Beijing and Shanghai to help you decide on a healthy Asian meal.

De All

When you think of Korean food, what comes to mind besides traditional Korean barbecue? If you are in Shanghai, one answer is De All.

Located on Huangjincheng Dao near Gubei Lu, De’all Korean Cuisine & Bar offers an alternative take on Korean cuisine. Specializing in the subtle tastes of ‘imperial food’, the restaurant offers refined and luxurious dining from the kitchens of ancient Korean palaces.

With its golden drop lights, exquisite man-made tables, traditional folding screens, and red silk cushions, De All combines traditional Korean designs with modern European style. The Korean meaning of De’all translates as “where you can gather together with your friends, lover and family members”.

Healthy food is believed to have similar restorative effects to medicine and the core of Korean imperial food is the combination of these two elements. Products believed to have medicinal properties such as Chinese red dates, chestnuts, ginseng and fruit like pears, apples and watermelon are frequently used in Korean cooking. Traditional imperial food consists of 12 courses and 12 pickled vegetable dishes, each with different ingredients and different cooking methods. In ancient Korea, people offered the Emperor the best food that they had harvested or hunted. As a result, the Emperor got to know his people’s lifestyles and changes in the climate only by observing the food which arrived at his table.

Highly recommended at De All are the Korean royal palace hot pot (RMB3 88 per course) and the royal feast in a box – a secret recipe from the Royal Palace (RMB 98 per course). Both can be shared between five to six people.

If you prefer using traditional long chopsticks, try the xian xing Korean noodles in cold broth. At RMB 68 per course, the noodles contain no oil or MSG and the chef adds pears, soured cucumbers and pickled radish to make it a healthy and tasty choice.

De All provides a welcome respite from hectic noisy Shanghai and is an ideal place to enjoy high quality food in pleasant surroundings.

768 (sky-bridge), Huangjincheng Dao near

Gubei Lu, Changning District, Shanghai. Tel: + 86 21 62197 727 / 6219 6255

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