As the global Chinese community celebrates the dawning of the Year of the Tiger, TĪNG Restaurant & Lounge at Shangri-La the Shard in London is getting in on the action.

The restaurant is offering a sumptuous menu to ensure the celebrations go off with a firecracker-bang.

What better place to enjoy the party?

Derived from the Chinese word for living room, the restaurant offers a dynamic dining experience inspired by Asian cultures.

Perched far above the city on level 35 of the tower, we arrived just after sunset and joined a busy dining room, filled with guests eagerly taking snap shots of the city far below.

This is a real destination location, perfect for a special celebration or romantic engagement – though the atmosphere is not as formal as the prices perhaps suggest.

This being a Shangri-La property, things begin on a sophisticated note with a glass of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label champagne – perfect as we drink in the view over the city.

London has slowly been coming back to life over the past few weeks, and with spring on the horizon hope is growing 2022 will allow the capital to wave the Covid-19 pandemic farewell once-and-for-all.

On offer as part of the festive period celebrations is the Eye of the Tiger cocktail.

Not for the faint of heat, it features both Roku gin, a Japanese craft spirt, and yuzu sake, a bright, punchy variety of the staple alcohol.

Mixed with lemon juice, grapefruit, agave syrup and aquafaba it delivers quite a punch and is a great way to settle into the evening.

A mocktail version, at half the price, comes with apple juice, mango purée, passionfruit purée, yuzu juice, agave and aquafaba – ideal for those with work in the morning.

The Chinese new year menu is relatively short, featuring just two options for each course, but the everyday TĪNG menu also remains on offer, so there is plenty to choose from.

For starter, guests can have aromatic duck spring rolls, accompanied by sweet chili, green onion salad, or the vegetarian “duck,” with cucumber, mandarin and a spicy hoi sin sauce.

We plump for the former, and are delighted by what arrives.

Essentially a turbocharged version of what you would order in a less celebrated Chinese restaurant, the spring rolls are garnished with a flourish of edible gold to give a celebratory feel.

Again, there are two options for main, chicken and abalone fried rice with XO sauce, which comes with tobiko, shiitake mushroom and pak choi, or a prawn version, accompanied by tobiko, onion, carrots and chives.

My guest is suitably pleased with her choice of chicken – but for £38 you really need to make the most of the spectacular view to get some sort of value here.

I went off-piste for the main, selecting Mongolian lamb from the à la carte offering – though quite how it differed from a more traditional British lamb remained a mystery.

Served with sweet roasted pepper, dumplings and choi sum, it was nonetheless succulent, juice and everything one would hope for a meal in this rarefied air.

Finally, for dessert, there is a chocolate and miso bar, which comes with toffee, miso cream and cacao nib ice cream, or a pineapple and raspberry dome, accompanied by vanilla Chantilly, mango cream, fresh raspberries and mango sorbet.

We selected the latter and were virtually overwhelmed by the full-sized affair that arrive – it could easily have been another meal.

Fluffy cream, fresh fruit and tangy sorbet were a delight, though the macaroon base could have been a little lighter.

Throw in two glasses of a Moser Family cabernet sauvignon from Ningxia, and you have a wonderful way to start the new year.

Of course, there will still be plenty on offer once the Year of the Tiger celebrations come to a close – check out a variety of   TĪNG menus here.

For example, if you are quick, there are also some fabulous Valentine’s Day opportunities to be had at both TĪNG and its sister restaurant, GŎNG.

More Information

Shangri-La the Shard, London is the highest hotel in the capital, located in one of the most iconic buildings in the world, right in the heart of London Bridge.

Take a quick 3D tour of TĪNG here to get an idea of what to expect when you visit.

There are also local favourites by Bar 31, which can be ordered to take away via the Shangri-La To Go programme.

Whether by foot, road, boat or rail, the hotel connects to world-famous landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge, and to London’s main business districts in the City and Canary Wharf.

Service at Shangri-La the Shard, London has been redefined with a style that feels friendly, warm and genuine, giving guests a truly unique experience of the capital.

For more information, visit the official website.