Firstly, the ‘guards’ did not greet us at the door to the supposedly exclusive compound and there were no directions, so we were left to wander around the compound looking for the entrance to the club. When we found it, there was no one at the reception. We bumped into someone who looked like the manager there (a Frenchman), but he did not seem welcoming. His manner was rather strange and he did not seem to know how to show us to our table, take our coats or provide the menu properly. The waitress did not do any better. Common courtesy like how to respond when someone says thank you (I said it in Chinese) seemed alien to her. At one point, she was speaking loudly in Shanghainese on the phone right behind us. I had to ask her to take her call somewhere else. Afternoon tea is served at the bar area, which was not designed for that purpose. The coffee tables were very low and tiny, which meant we had to stoop very low to get our tea and food (which was almost falling off the table). The food was disappointing – the sandwiches were stale, the ham sandwich had nothing but a slice of ham and a slap of butter, the creme brulee was hardly ‘bruleed’. The chocolate mousse was pretty good though. The tea was served without a strainer, and I had a hard time trying not to ingest some tea leaves everytime I took a sip of tea. Not surprisingly, the send off when we left was just as cold. We did not even get a ‘Thank you for coming’.

All in all, I could not believe that it was a private members’ club (it will no longer be open to the public in a few more months). Even if I was not getting impeccable service, I should at least have gotten some basic service. It’s noteworthy that I have had much better service (and food) in various other establishments in Shanghai. Having said all that, the building which houses the club is magnificent – great renovation to an old mansion, wonderful detail and plush decor. Go there to check out the space but skip Kee Club.