Keith Crane

IT'S not often I go out of my way to hunt for a steak and I can't actually remember the last time I sat down to eat one and enjoyed it.

It may be the memory of a stormy Caribbean cruise several years back when despite the heaving seas, red-necked Texans continued to devour equally crimson steaks as no other passenger could face food of any sort.

But if absence makes the palate grow fonder then an invitation to the Shangri-La was more than worth accepting.

Not only is the Shangri-La a landmark at the border crossing at Luohu - a welcome sight for anyone returning to the mainland - its 31st floor 360 degree bar, restaurant and lounge offers stunning views over this part of the city.

From here you can marvel at its miraculous growth that indeed does the well-traveled manager Rex Lam.

As a young boy he remembers passing through on his way from Hong Kong to a faraway city such as Shanghai: "There was nothing here, just a dirty river and it was flat," he says.

So to the menu, introduced in September and which specializes in steaks: there's one to each of 11 pages with the last two pages devoted to a more regular hotel menu.

All the beef steaks are Australian with weights, pictures and prices clearly shown: eg rib-eye, 450g, 330 yuan; T-bone, 360g, 348 yuan; or alternatively lamb rack, 440g, 268 yuan.

There are also US pork chops (480g, 88 yuan) or fish: lemon sole, (440g, 278 yuan), Norwegian salmon steak, 330g, 218 yuan.

Looking at the size of the portions I decided they were more than I could manage. So rather on weight than cut, and not wanting to waste food, I chose the 200g beef tenderloin, (298 yuan) with fries and sautéed mushrooms.

So you may well be asking yourself so far, so what? A hotel that serves steaks? Yes, these are no mean steaks, but this is also no mean meal. I decline a starter knowing what's coming next but we are served a small appetiser anyway, a crumbed fish finger.

Then a variety of breads with three dips or toppings - mustard butter, mixed beans and chicken arrived.

But it's the presentation next which starts taking your breath away.

A selection of salts arrive - in small jars with individual spoons on a wooden tray : organic spiced; pure sea, Tala's vanilla and (most expensively of all I'm told) Welsh oak salt.

Then you are offered a choice of cutlery - a canteen of variously teethed knives to dissect your meal.

The steak arrives - tender and topped with a tomato. I asked for medium and it may have been a little rarer than I would have chosen but I wasn't sending it back as it was tasty and just the right size.

But then the coup de theatre.- mustard. And it's not just any old mustard, say a jar of Coleman's. A whole selection is brought to the table: made from different peppers; flavored with honey or champagne or smoked - the choices seem endless.

Dazzled by the selection I didn't even count, or have time to write down the names from the labels, but chose a contrasting three which meant every bite of steak was practically a new experience.

Indeed it's often said that you need a palate as good as a wine or cheese taster to be able to be a good mustard taster, who in turn go on to be connoisseurs.

While I may not be an expert I certainly know that if I want a steak, I do want some decent mustard.

These extra considerations and ideas of what a diner enjoys turned what could have been another run-of-the mill steak night into something much more stylish: an event and an occasion.

Venue: 360 degree bar, restaurant and lounge

Add: Shangri-La Hotel Shenzhen, Jianshe Road, Luohu District (罗湖区建设路香格里拉大酒店)

Tel: 8233-0888

Metro: Luohu Station, Exit E

Buses: 101, 102, 25, 204, 215