Building on the enduring success of its Gaoyou Lu restaurant,Lost Heaven has opened an ambitious new location near the Bund. The place is huge.It's a four-storey temple to the tastes and traditions of Yunnan and its near neighbours, Tibet, Burma, and Thailand. The "Mountain Mekong" food is served on the second floor restaurant. The ground floor is a lifestyle store that sells handicrafts and homeware inspired by Chinese minorities. The third floor is home to a bar and a wonderful, expansive terrace lined with leafy bamboo. The fourth floor hounge bar which for private parties, meeting.

New Eats | Almost Heaven

Lost Heaven’s new Bund-side location rewards visitors’ efforts to get there. Cast in deep hues of red, the dining room’s dark wooden furniture, soft lighting and traditional Yunnan décor create a tranquil, romantic ambiance. A Friday night found the space filled to capacity by 8pm, a sign of a dedicated following. But we're not sure we'll be among them.

While prices are reasonable given the location, our meal, overall, was neither disappointing nor impressive. We went with Yunnan eggplant and tofu (¥40) and an order of lamb samosas (¥60) to start. With the right amount of chili and a subtle hint of smokiness, our spoon found its way back to the eggplant and tofu frequently. The mint-cilantro sauce that accompanied the samosas was tasty, a combination of fresh flavors that brought an ordinary appetizer to life.

Aiming for some exot ic flavors, we hoped the braised banana flowers (¥60) and simmered vegetables in tamarind juice (¥50) would satisfy. Though a unique texture, the delicacy of the banana flowers and any subtle flavor was overwhelmed by the tomato sauce that dominated the dish. Meanwhile the mix of Chinese kale and tomato betrayed only a subtle hint of tamarind. The juice was overpoweringly salty, which rendered the dish too strong.

Other choices included the Dai tribe pork in lettuce wraps (¥60), which, while satisfying, was lacking in spice that would have made it truly memorable. Our Miao tribe hot and sour fish (¥90) was, like the banana flowers before it, overwhelmed by the tomato in the sauce, leaving the hot and sour somewhat by the wayside. To wash it all down, there are plenty of fruit juice options, though those looking for a glass of wine may be disappointed by the selection. We didn’t walk out regretting our visit, nor did we find ourselves giving abundant praise either. Nevertheless, it remains a decent option for affordable food on the Bund.

Trista Baldwin