Grand Hyatt opening: Posh eats in Shenzhen

It used to be the case in Hong Kong and some other Asian cities that the best-calibre restaurants were found in hotels. While world-class independent restaurants have now become common in many of the region's cities, in Shenzhen, just across the border from Hong Kong, freestanding top-tier establishments are mostly the ostentatious Cantonese variety. There are not that many upmarket hotels in the city, so the latest one to open -- Grand Hyatt Shenzhen -- has made a point of launching a large handful of new restaurants and bars. Here, quality of ingredients and diverse authentic dishes are paramount, along with modern, stylish and often understated surrounds.

Located a few minutes away from the Lowu border, the Grand Hyatt Shenzhen is at the center of City Crossing, which is fast becoming Shenzhen's new 'it' area. The Grand Hyatt’s ground floor Italian restaurant, La Terrazza, opens onto a new piazza, which is destined to be home to other cafés soon, and is skirted by big designer brand-name stores, that include Louis Vuitton's new PRC flagship store.

High dining

For a gourmet treat in air-conditioned comfort with views that span the high-rises of Shenzhen, the green hills of Hong Kong and the Sham Chun River that separates these territories, head up to the 32nd floor. This is the reception area for five glass-encased levels of restaurants and bars, nicknamed "The Lantern," as that's what this upper segment of the building looks like from the street.

The Show Kitchen, a sprawling international buffet restaurant, is home to separate open stations, where steam billows as noodles are cooked to order at the Chinese counter, chefs roll sushi and grill yakitori at the Japanese section and chilled poached seafood is presented on ice. At RMB 138 at lunchtime and RMB 188 for peak dinner time meals, it's a steal.

Belle Vue is fine dining Continental style. Off the oval main dining room are separate rooms called The Library, The Balcony and The Kitchen. A handful of cooking stations appear throughout -- with one third of dishes cooked at these, tableside. This brings some theater to the likes of lobster bisque and grilled prime seafood and meats.

There are also separate Cantonese and Northern Chinese restaurants. Hongkongers are packing out these restaurants at weekends, with many making the trip just for a good meal at a more reasonable price than back home.

Grand Hyatt Shenzhen, 1881 Baoan Nan Road, Luohu District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, People's Republic of China. Tel: +86 755 8266 1234. shenzhen.grand.hyatt.com