Mr & Mrs Bund | Shanghai, CHINA
For
those of you who have been to Shanghai, you will no doubt agree that
it is a very exciting and happening city. And in a city like that,
you'll undoubtedly find good food. Not just Chinese cuisine, but
famous chefs from all around the world gather here to bring exquisite
flavours to this urban metropolis.
We
were very excited about our first night's dinner in Shanghai at Mr &
Mrs Bund, which was named as one of the San Pellegrino World's 50
Best Restaurants in 2013 and again in 2014. Located in a historical
building on the Bund, Mr & Mrs Bund is the brainchild of French
chef Paul Pairet, who is also the creator of Ultraviolet where you
can experience an ultra bold and exclusive, not to mention expensive,
culinary journey where the 20-course “avant-garde” set menu
starts at $3,000RMB per person.
There
was a touch of mysteriousness when we arrived at the door which has
been painted in red and green, and our journey started with a gentle
press on the doorbell. As the door opened, we were greeted by the
maître d' and it was as if we had stepped into a private members'
only club set in the older times. The restaurant was decorated with
beautiful chandeliers and heavy velvety curtains. We were led to a
table by the window overlooking the stunning views of the Bund at
night.
The
menu is a rather extensive French affair. We started the night with a
glass of Cosmo de Provence ($120), a pretty and delicious
cocktail made with vodka, lavender infuser, Grand Marnier and
cranberry juice, for me, and an Asahi ($55) for the other travel
bunnie.
When
we were presented with the amuse bouche, I was slightly intrigued...
a tin of tuna? I thought to myself that there had to be something
very special about it. I dipped one of the wafer thin croutons into
the tin to scoop up some tuna and put it in my mouth only to find
that the tuna mouse was as light as air and deliciously irresistible.
I
couldn't wait try the rest of the dishes that we had ordered.
The
next dish that followed was the beef tartare tradition ($140),
hand-cut beef fillet served with traditional dressing and French
fried cubes which we shared as an entree. The beef was tender and
tasty, but it had nothing on the other travel bunnie's main course,
pig's trotter béarnaise “Champs Élysées” ($150).
I am told that the crumbed pig's trotter had just the right about of
fattiness with a hint of smokiness to it, mouth-watering, yes but it
was also a rather heavy dish given that it was served with a generous
portion of béarnaise emulsion and French fries (and herb salad).
Let's just say that was difficult to get this dish away from the
other travel bunnie long enough for me to get a good taste.
I,
on the other hand, had the seared scallops lemon-ginger
($190) with a side of mushrooms
essential garlic ($90), for a
main. Both dishes were really lovely and extremely delicate in their
textures and presentations but I have to admit that I envied the
other travel bunnie for what he had ordered.
Both
of us were quite full after the dishes, but neither of us wanted to
leave without having sampled their desserts. So we decided to have
something light and fruity. A mango liquorice sablé ($80)
and a strawberry chantilly ($90)
and both did not disappoint.
Dinner
at Mr & Mrs Bund was definitely one of the most unforgettably
impressive meals we had in China. I also recommend popping out onto
their outdoor balcony that lets to stand above the crowds of people
strolling along the bund and take in the magnificent view in the open
air.
Total
Bunnie Dollars Spent: $1,010RMB (all
prices above were subject to 10% service charge)
