The Place
Occupying the 117th and the 118th floors of the Ping An Finance Center, Altitudes is truly a ‘castle in the sky’ at nearly 600 meters above the ground. Walking out of one of the fastest elevators we’ve ever taken, we were immediately greeted with a stunning 360-degree view of the city. On the inside, the restaurant presents a simple, minimalist design that spans space and time: with a giant painting of a Greek mythological figure and a Japanese rock garden combining to present an eclectic visual experience.
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
The Food
Altitudes offers four types of F&B experiences to choose from: fine Cantonese cuisine on the 117th floor and the lunch buffet, afternoon tea and night bar on the 118th floor.
On our visit, we were in the mood for Western food and decided to sample the lunch buffet, which is available between 11.30am-2pm and includes such succulent offerings as Alaskan king crab, Boston lobster and New Zealand lamb cutlets.
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
Despite these choice foodstuffs, for such a swanky dining venue, Altitudes’ buffet options come off as being a bit limited compared to those at five-star hotels. But what the buffet lacks in options they make up for in taste. All of the ingredients are said to be carefully selected from around the world by the chef team led by Chef Zhou, who has been devoted to making the best Cantonese food possible for 20 years, and transported fresh to Altitudes’ kitchen. The freshness of the seafood is particularly apparent, and we chose to chow down without sauces.
Image via Altitudes
Despite being a Western buffet, many of the dishes on offer harbor a Cantonese twist thanks to Chef Zhou. Western diners will find a true taste of home at the dessert station, where cookies, cake, pudding, tiramisu and more are available.
The Vibe
Image by Jonathan Zhong/That's
The soothing music and artsy furnishings imbue Altitudes with a very elegant vibe. However, the one thing that makes it special is the daunting height of the outlet.
Seafood and a view for under RMB500, what more could you ask for?
Price (lunch buffet): RMB420 plus 15 percent
Who’s going: business people, office workers, Cantonese food lovers
Good for: vertigo, fresh food with a view
Nearest metro: Shopping Park (Exit D), 2 minutes’ walk
Open daily, 11.30am-11.30pm (Cantonese dining)/11.30am-2pm (lunch buffet)/2.30-5.30pm (afternoon tea)/6-11.30pm (night bar); prices vary. See listing for Altitudes.
[Cover image by Jonathan Zhong/That's]
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