In a trip in Shanghai at the end of 2018 I noticed something familiar on Guangdong road. It was a restaurant very similar to one I had visited one year earlier in another part of town. Initially I thought it may have been a rip-off, but no, it was a new branch just a stone-throw away from Bund 3/5.
It only serves two dishes: two types of crab noodles. Apparently it is owned by a vegetarian ascetic that has never eaten a crab. Apart from the backstory, I loved my previous visits so I tried the new location on the Bund.
The visit
I arrived early and at that time there was no queue. They have a waiting room. They also take reservations.
The style of the environment is very distinctive. Wooden furniture, wicker basket where to place your bag and overcoat…
And a wall of photos picturing the owner with famous people.
The service begins with a cup of ginger tea and peanuts. Then the choice is pretty simple: they have crab noodles with the meat from the claws or with the meat from the whole crab, this second choice being more expensive and allowing to taste the crab roe. You can also make your selection a “combo” by adding a steamed crab. They use hairy crabs that are very popular in Shanghai especially during their mating season (peaking between October and November). In the past, I knew that this restaurant was open only during the mating season, but a waiter told me that they are now open all year round. If I understood correctly, not sure how the noodles would change.
I went for the option with the claw meat. Personally I think it is even better as it is less sweet.
The noodles are very delicate and are a good match for the crab meat.
This is a picture of the more expensive version: you can see all the roe that confers the dish a sweet flavor.
I liked my crab noodles, even if I remembered a more delicate flavor in the past, not sure if anything has changed since they opened the new location.
The check
The generous portion of crab noodles (with claw meat only) cost me 72 CNY (just a little over 10 USD). Very good value. The other version of the noodles with the meat from the whole crab costs around 50 USD (hairy crabs are expensive).
There are other restaurants that specialize in crabs in Shanghai, but only this one managed to create such a distinctive experience and branding. It is worth a visit.
Where in Shanghai: 59 Guangdong Lu, a couple of block down from Bund 3.
Niko Romito is one of the big names of Italian high cuisine. It has the definitive accolade, the three Michelin stars, for his Italian restaurant. Recently, Romito went international collaborating with the new luxury chain of hotels named after Bulgari (or shall I write Bvlgari?).
Niko Romito’s Shanghai restaurant – called Il Ristorante – is located on the 47th floor of the hotel with beautiful views of the North Bund. The restaurant gained one star shortly after its opening in the 2019 edition of the Shanghai Michelin Guide.
The Visit
I made a booking using the form on the hotel’s website for a lunch. Small issue: at the time of my visit, end of 2018, the hotel was not properly indicated on Google Map; this wasted some of my time (for heaven’s sake, why these ultra-luxury locations cannot afford a competent social media manager! I guess their usual customers arrive at the hotel by helicopter and do not bother to check online maps).
As you might expect the dining room is luxurious sporting beautiful views (even on a foggy day), but not baroque, with a modern decor.
I ordered two dishes from their quick tasting menu (only available at lunch) plus Romito’s signature lasagna. The quick tasting menu changes weekly (it was different from what I had seen on the website… again… please hire a social media manager!). The lunch menu is no different from the dinner menu (for dinner they also have an additional tasting menu). It is a succinct menu, but everything is there: some meat, some seafood, pasta.
In an Italian restaurant the bread is no minor concern. They brought me some nice flour products and some Italian olive oil (thanks for not mixing the olive oil with vinegar), called Essenza di Carnia if I recall correctly.
As an amuse bouche, I was served a soup called “assoluto” (absolute). The soup was a distilled concoction of carrot, onion, and celery. Very delicate.
The first dish was pork belly with spinach. According to the waitress, the pork was slow-cooked for 30 minutes at 45 degrees. It was a seamless cut of quality pork meat made more delicious by the topping of onion and tomato.
Then I got the lasagna, that did not look anything like a lasagna. This was clearly a creative interpretation. The delicate pastry contained melted mozzarella, provolone cheese (not the usual besciamella) and beef ragout. It was good, but it did not blow me away. I appreciate that it was served at perfect temperature.
The second dish from the set menu was beef cheek with mash, tomato sauce and parsley. This was a melt-in-your-mouth beef cheek as it should be.
The dessert included in the set menu was a cream caramel with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They have some more creative desserts in the menu.
But before the check there were some additional sweet treats: a candied piece of pineapple and a mini “bombolone” (a type of Italian donut filled with cream).
The check
Final check 913.10 CNY (132 USD). The set menu before 15% service charge was “only” 398 CNY, but that becomes nearly 500 CNY (575 with service charge) when you add a super expensive bottle of water and that would be the very least to dine for lunch at this luxury restaurant. The lasagna alone was over 50 USD (the only 50 USD lasagna I have ever had).
That’s a handsome sum of money for a three course lunch, but we are speaking about a luxury location, so no surprise here.
Before leaving, the chef, a young Italian gentleman, came out and we had a brief chat. He explained Niko Romito’s mission to turn staple Italian home-cooking dishes into high cuisine creations.
Clearly, this restaurant is not for everyone or for an everyday meal, unless you really have deep pockets.
Overall, I enjoyed the lunch and I may go back one more time (and more times if I win the lottery).
Where in Shanghai: Bvlgari Hotel Shanghai, 47/F, 33 Henan Bei Lu, near Tiantong Lu In Chinese: 河南北路33号上海宝格丽酒店47层, 近天潼路 Menus and reservation on this page.
Roast goose is a hallmark dish in Southern Chinese cuisine (Hong Kong and Guangzhou). The Shanghai Michelin Guide happens to have one restaurant specializing in roast goose awarded one star: Madam Goose. I had to try it.
Getting to the restaurant may feel discouraging because it is located in a mall in Minhang District, a suburban district of Shanghai. Luckily, while it will take some time, it is not so difficult to get to destination: get on the line 1 of the metro and get off at the last South stop. Then take the South exit.
By pure accident, I think, there were huge advertising posters publicizing the restaurant right out of the South exit.
The visit
I shared a weekend lunch with a friend and we met at the restaurant on the 4th floor of Skymall in Minhang District. Above you can see the entrance.
The restaurant is quite nice. I do not understand why the 2019 Michelin Guide ranks it with a single fork (the fork rating indicates the level of comfort of the restaurant) and seems to suggest that it is not a comfortable place… or maybe it was renovated recently. Anyway, it is a nice place that will get very busy for lunch. I arrived at 11.30am on a Sunday without a reservation and I had no problem finding a table. But just half an hour later it would have been another story.
Staff does not speak English and the menu is in Chinese… but luckily there are some pictures…
We sampled several dishes. The dish pictured above is goose foie gras and it was very delicate. Definitely recommended.
The goose can be ordered in “quarters”. One problem with goose meat is that sometimes it tastes gamy, but not this one. It was juicy and tasty enough, maybe not that crispy. The Michelin Guide praises how they hand pick the best specimens for their dishes.
Well… some vegetables…
This should be fried goose heads. Nicely presented, but not a lot of meat to sink your teeth into.
More meat, but this time char siu pork. I recommend this dish, even if was not anything out of the ordinary.
We also tried their dim sum. The shrimp dumplings were simple but good.
Finally, we had an instagrammable dim sum filled with nut paste (or pork, honestly not sure!). Also very good (but of course dim sum is not their focus).
The check
In two, we spent 382 CNY (56 USD, or 28 USD per person). The main goose dish was 108 CNY. This makes Madam Goose one of the cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant in Shanghai along with Lao Zheng Xing (it is in the range of a Bib Gourmand).
The restaurant is great value for money and if you like this kind of cuisine may be worth the ride on the metro. However, why this restaurant got a star is not entirely clear. Was the affiliation with Wang’s Steak group a factor? Is really their goose so superior to others? The jury is still out, I guess I will have clearer ideas when I finish the scramble.
Where in Shanghai: Suite 422, 4/F, 5001 Dushi Lu, near Xinzhu Lu In Chinese: 都市路5001号仲盛世界商城4层422号, 近莘朱路 Nearest metro station: Xinzhuang (take the South Exit to Skymall).
Lei Garden is a Hong Kong based restaurant chain. Established in 1973, the brand has become synonymous of Cantonese fine dining in Hong Kong, Macau, Mainland China and Singapore. Their restaurant are regularly awarded stars by the Asian editions of the Michelin Guide. In Shanghai they have two branches and both of them were awarded one star in the 2019 edition of the Shanghai Michelin Guide. This review is based on a visit to the IFC branch in Pudong and part of my Shanghai Michelin Guide Scramble. (IFC is a luxury mall in Shanghai.)
Before delving into the review, it is worth noting the story of the founder, from their website:
Mr. Chan Shu Kit, founder and chairman of the Lei Garden Restaurant Group, was born in Guangzhou, China. His father was the famous Kuomintang military general Mr. Chan Ji Tang, who governed the Guangdong and Guangxi provinces of China in the 1930s… When Mr. S.K. Chan was young, his family residence was frequented by social dignitaries and he had the rare opportunity to taste the exquisite cuisines prepared by master chefs. These experiences have engendered in him a refined sense for gourmet food and a cultivated knowledge for what it means to be served.
The visit
I had made a phone reservation for a Saturday evening. They tried to reach me for a confirmation in the morning (but the caller did not speak English). Anyway, they had my reservation when I arrived. Thanks. By the way, all the service was impeccable.
One good thing of Lei Garden is that they are organized to cater to solo diners or couples. They have small tables and not all of their dishes come in huge platters to share.
Unfortunately most of the dishes I was interested in (crispy pork, prawns, a type of scallop) were already sold out (but it was only 7pm!).
I ordered some aged pur’er tea that was replenished throughout the dinner.
Then I decided to have a little splurge and try a bird’s nest soup. I believe it was the first time I tried it. It tasted as glass noodles (the bird’s nest is the jelly-like substance on top of the soup pictured above). I do not think I am going to have it again. This particular soup came with 50 grams of bird’s nest (quantities are indicated in the menu), some small bits of crab meat, minced chicken and egg white.
Then I had a dish with sauteed scallops and vegetables (the vegetables included yellow fungi). This was quite good value considering that there were at least 8 scallops (150 grams) and it also tasted good, but nothing exceptional.
Finally I had a noodle soup with rice vermicelli and some pieces of grouper fish. It was quite good.
The check
Final check was 840 CNY (122 USD). Not a cheap meal by any stretch of the imagination. It should be mentioned that almost half of the bill paid for the bird’s nest extravaganza. So you can definitely eat for a little less, but not that much considering the quantity of attractive and expensive dishes on the menu (a lot of expensive seafood).
I need to try more Cantonese restaurants before making up my mind about Lei Garden.
Where in Shanghai: IFC Pudong, 3/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao, near Lujiazui Huan Lu In Chinese: 世纪大道8号， 国金中心IFC商场3楼， 近陆家嘴环路 Nearest metro station: Lujiazui (one exit is connected directly to a lower level of the IFC mall).
Was it a fine dining event? Or was it a movie? Or an ASMR experience? Or an artistic performance? A dinner at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet is all of this and more. It is difficult to label Ultraviolet because Paul Pairet created a new genre by fusing innovative food and multi-sensory cues.
Ultraviolet is the only triple-starred restaurant in the 2018 and 2019 Shanghai edition of the Michelin Guide (oddly it had only two stars in the 2017 inaugural Shanghai edition). Three stars, in the Guide’s jargon, mean “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey”. Is Ultraviolet worth a special journey? Absolutely. If you were to travel to Shanghai just for this, it would make perfect sense.
I have dined at Ultraviolet in December 2018 as part of the ongoing Shanghai Michelin Guide scramble, and I have given a lot of thought on how to put together this write-up. Initially I thought to provide a very detailed account of the experience, but I will not do that. It would be like writing a review full of spoilers. Rather, I will focus on the dishes and give a general idea of what I experienced.
The visit
I had been eyeing the Ultraviolet calendar since early 2017… it took me a while before I could find an available slot in a day fitting my schedule. The website worked well and I was able to make my reservation and pay the 50% deposit.
Ultraviolet only seats 10 diners per evening from Tuesday to Saturday and spots at the table are booked quickly.
Since my booking, I was contacted by email a couple of times to confirm the menu and to be reminded the time for the meeting. At the time of my booking, Ultraviolet was sporting 3 multi-course menus, mine was B (the second in chronological order to be introduced… the first one is A and the latest one is C). Menus come with drink pairings, including an option for a non-alcoholic pairing that I chose
The meeting point for the guests is the other Pairet’s restaurant in Shanghai, Mr and Ms Bund. The exact address of the dining room is a well-kept secret and I will not disclose it. Before leaving, the two hosts (Ms Kim and Mr Colin) briefed the group both in English and Chinese.
By 7pm our group was on the mini-bus heading to the secret dining room and by 7.30 we were seated. Not only the address is secret, but to step into the dining room a secret door had to be revealed.
I will say upfront that the pictures that I will include in this write-up do not do justice to the experience.
By the time the first dish was served, the tone of the evening became clear: every second of the dinner was perfectly choreographed in terms of lights, sounds, music, movements by the staff, images projected on the walls and the table. And everything had the quality of a high value movie production: it was not a flimsy video projector; every image and sequence had been meticulously edited to seamlessly fuse with the surroundings.
The first dish, pictured above, was made of bits of pomelo and grapefruit fused together by using dry ice or some similar component: the fruit was immersed in the cooling agent in front of the table and the dish was literally created on the spot. I must confess that I do not crazy about the outcome of this process, but the creativity and the showmanship was mind-blowing.
The next two dishes were inspired by Pairet’s early years in France where, like in many Southern European countries, children were entitled an afternoon snack before dinner. Specifically, the dishes were inspired by yogurt and a chocolate tartine (but with foie gras).
Next, the scene moved in a busy fish market with some seafood dishes. The first was a delicious oyster with caviar, pepper and lemon, then a dish based on crab and finally an homage to France and Japan fusion: a piece of tuna steak and deep fried whitebait. For all the dishes we received instructions on how to eat them to taste them better; usually, the suggestion was to eat all the ingredients together.
Then we had a slice of meunière truffle bread. The dish is also available from Mr and Ms Bund and is one of my favorite dishes in Shanghai. It is a slice of toasted bread soaked in meunière sauce, a very traditional French sauce made of brown butter, chopped parsley, and lemon (usually used for the sole fish). Then the bread is covered with truffle flakes. However, there was a twist. The bread was served under a glass cover containing some cigar smoke. The cigar odor was distinctive and added to the tasting experience of this great dish. Around us the images of a foggy forest completed the experience (I swear I could smell the fog… not sure if something was released in the air or if the sensory component was just so good to activate some memories of this kind of environment).
Then we were served a delicious egg with truffle and taleggio.
The last dish before the break was clearly designed to play with the audience. We were asked to prepare our own noodles using a set of surgical-like instruments. The noodles were made of coconut paste and obtaining them was part of the fun of this dish.
At this point we were invited outside the dining room for a break. Needless to say, even during the break something happened…
Upon our re-entering the main dining room, we found that the table and the imagery had been reset to look like a meadow ready for a pic nic. We were presented the next dishes including cod, chicken and veal.
We were given a chance to look at the main ingredients of the next dishes before they were finalized in the kitchen. They were presented with the right theatrics and they were not just cod, chicken, and veal, but cod cooked with a jelly cover, chicken in a jar with aromas, and “beggar’s veal” cooked in a clay container full of herbs.
The final dishes were the cod with rice and condiments; a piece of chicken with foie gras; and a glorious piece of veal with sauces. These were substantial dishes.
Next was a very creative dish called “mozza and again”: mozzarella with condiments in two seemingly identical dishes. I will not disclose more, but this dish was clearly meant to engage not only with the palate but also with the brain of the guests.
The truffle bread was presented again, this time in a “sweet” version with peanut butter. I prefer the original one, but it was a nice variation.
At this point the dinner was starting to come to an end. The last dish on the menu was a “Montblanc snowball” dominated by a scoop of Yakult ice cream. It came with orange blossom water with a polar bear on an ice cube.
But no, actually the dinner was not finished yet… there was a “coda”: we were invited to have an American breakfast! With eggs, bread, frozen passion fruit and more.
By this time I could see I was full… I enjoyed every single dish throughout the dinner and, even if I am not a chef, I could appreciate the sophisticated techniques used to prepare the dishes in which not the slightest detail was overlooked.
I also appreciated the non-alcoholic pairings that came in the form of various delicate infusions. But of course, the food was only one component of a sophisticated multimedia performance where the guests were both users and actors.
Before leaving, a final coup the theater was the opportunity to meet the kitchen staff and Paul Pairet in person. It was nice to have a chance to interact with the staff because all the staff showed an incredible degree of professionalism. In the kitchen Paired welcomed us with a final delight and some champagne. Time to celebrate.
At the very end we were asked to pay the check and the shuttle bus brought (part of) the group back to the Bund (others chose to take a cab).
We were back by 11.45. Overall, the dinner lasted around 4 hours. I cannot say that I was bored for a single instant. Every second there was something happening absorbing my attention and filling my senses.
The check
Dining at Ultraviolet cost me 4,000 RMB (around 580 USD). This is the price for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. the other days usually cost 6,000 (with a more prestigious wine pairing). They also have some special evenings priced 8,888 or 10,000 RMB.
Clearly, at this price level it not just about the food. The dishes are masterpieces and the ingredients are top-shelf, but you pay for the whole experience and for being part of a unique performance. Is it worth? Personally I think so, especially if you consider that in China you could easily end up spending that sum of money for some lobster and abalone. The creative investment behind the performance in my opinion justifies the price point.
As I wrote at the beginning, Pairet created a new genre and enriched Shanghai’s food scene with an unique experience that is well worth the trip.
I am not really a fan of vegetarian cuisine, but the Michelin Guide for Shanghai lists two vegetarian restaurants. As I am trying to visit ALL Michelin-starred restaurants in Shanghai, I had a good excuse to try one. I must say that I was not disappointed.
The restaurant is called Wujie. It has three locations in Shanghai, but only the one on the Bund is starred (one star). It is located on the fourth floor of Bund 22 (in the Southern part of the Bund). It is a very prestigious location shared with wedding venues and some other popular restaurants like El Willy.
I found my way easily, but oddly there were no indications outside the elevators. Go on the left inside.
The young staff, all dressed in immaculate linen uniforms, did not speak much English but was super nice and accommodated my quirks.
It was possible to order from the menu on a ipad or one of their set menus. Eventually I opted for one of their set menus called Timeless (the most affordable by the way).
Before getting started with the selection I was offered an amuse bouche: beetroot, some green beans and what looked like corn flakes. Probably the least interesting dish, but definitely what followed was worth the visit.
The first dish of the set menu was a splendid composition of contrasting flavors dominated by the cream cheese. It was fun to play with the ingredients.
Next was a delicate soup with a piece of bamboo fungus.
Next was a bar of tofu stuffed with pistachio and porcini mushrooms.
More zucchini and porcini in a South Asian inspired soup mildly spicy and tomato flavored.
The main dish was lion’s mane (a meaty mushroom) and a lily bulb on a zucchini mash. This was quite a filling dish with some strong flavors.
Before the dessert, a final substantial dish was served: hand made spinach noodles in a spicy soup. The noodles really reminded me of Italian tagliatelle. It was a good injection of starch and helped to fill full by the end of the dinner.
The chilled chocolate was delicious and was made more velvety by the addition of tofu.
The check
In the end, the set meny cost me 439 CNY (or 64 USD). Taking into account location and creativity in the preparation of the dishes, I can accept this price. If you order two or three dishes from the menu, probably you can dine with less than 300 CNY per person.
Trying this vegetarian restaurant was a refreshing experience. Actually, I would like to go back for more (they have a vegetarian tonkatsu that is now on my wish list). Overall, I would recommend this experience both to vegetarians and omnivorous.
Where in Shanghai: Fourth Floor, Bund 22, Zhongshan Dong Er Lu, near Xinyongan Lu Address in Chinese: 黄浦区中山东二路外滩22号4楼 Booking with Chope.
Update 2020: The Bund location is closed, pending renovations. It might re-open in 2021. However the restaurant has other locations. I would recommend the location in Xujiahui district that I have tested and serves the tasting menus. There is another location at Shanghai Tower (not tested) and one in Suzhou inside Eslite megastore (no tasting menus).
Address of Xujiahui location: 天平路392号(近肇嘉浜路) – 392 Tianping Rd near Zhaojiabang Rd (徐汇区 Xujiahui District).
To complete my Shanghai Michelin Guide Scrambled I made a reservation at Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire in Shanghai for a Sunday lunch. The restaurant was given a star in the 2019 editoon of the Shanghai Michelin Guide and is located in the exclusive Capella Hotel in the former French Concession.
Gagnaire is an iconoclastic chef at the forefront of the fusion cuisine movement. Beginning his career in St. Etienne where he won three Michelin Stars, Gagnaire tore at the conventions of classic French cooking by introducing jarring juxtapositions of flavours, tastes, textures, and ingredients.
Spoiler alert: nothing of this was apparent in the restaurant I visited.
The visit
My first attempt to make a reservation was weird. I called and was told that it was possible to join for lunch. But when I replied that I would come at noon, at the opening time, I was told that they could only accommodate me at 12.30. To me that does not make any sense. If you have a table at 12.30, then it must available also at half an hour earlier (since it is the opening time…).
I completed my reservation by email.
When I arrived I discovered that the menu that I had consulted on the website was only available for dinner! There was a less interesting brunch menu available. Later I complained about this with the manager and I see that now they published on the Capella’s page for the restaurant all the various menus. You are welcome.
I settled for their brunch package that included two courses, mineral water, juices, tea or coffee, bread basket, and desserts from a mini buffet. Then, I also added some eggs from la carte.
The bread basket was promptly served with butter and some confectioneries. Nice, but nothing spectacular.
Then I got their signature beef tartare. It is tartare with some additional ingredients, such as cheese, tuna and duck sashimi. Iconoclast? I was expecting a lot, but please give the Le Bec tartare every day of the week over this.
Next I got a sea bream seared fillet with a delicious condiment. This was a very good dish, but nothing new.
The Egg Benedict were perfectly executed.
Finally, I sampled some cakes from the dessert buffet. Again, very good, but nothing that left me with the crave to go back.
The check
Final charge was 644.60 CNY (94 USD). The basic package was 488 CNY plus 10% service charge.
What to say? For a brunch in Shanghai, this is a pretty bad value for money. For that money you can dine in a luxury buffet on the Bund (hint… check the Cathay Room).
Did I find anything exceptional about this French restaurant? Not really, I can have a good sea bream fillet in so many other establishments. If I could sample the full menu, who knows, maybe I would have had a better experience.
Why a place like this gets a star and Villa Le Bec does not will remain a mystery to me. Unfortunately, the Shanghai inspectors seem to be prone to award stars by default to the branches of renowned international powerhouses.
