Fissal Oubida Proprietor of Chambar Belgian Bistro

by
on Friday, April 30, 2010

Out of all the cuisines you could have chosen, why Belgian?

It's very rare to find Belgian food in China. I think it's a great cuisine to attract both Westerners and Chinese. For instance, mussels really seem to appeal to the domestic population. The style of the pot, picking it up and eating with your hands, it's just not as forbidding as other European food.

Will mussels be a Chambar specialty?

It will be our signature dish. To get these European-style mussels, with big black shells, is impossible in Shanghai. We purchase them completely locked, with the sea water still inside. When they're cooked, the shells will open and contribute to the broth. Overall, Belgian food is more seafood oriented than meat oriented, so our menu is about forty percent fish, thirty percent meat and thirty percent salad.

Many venues tag on the word bistro without any apparent meaning, what does it mean for you personally?

Food without pretension. Country-style cuisine, with big portions, not like nouvelle cuisine. The moment you arrive, you're eating until you leave. At a bistro, you're meant to eat a lot and drink a lot for a reasonable amount. It's not like at Franck, where the quality and price are totally unbalanced.

With three floors, do you have individual plans for each level?

The first two floors are for dining but the third floor will consist of a pre-dinner and post-meal area, only for restaurant customers. They can enjoy our cigars, watch television on the forty-inch screen, drink some beers before eating or have a digestif. There's also a wine cellar for patrons to browse with a 400 bottle capacity and - guess what - a pool table with a few antiques and a wide open balcony.

Are you a big wine lover?

My idea about wine is a little bit old school. Only wine from France is wine. Everything else is New World. Grapes are taken from France, then moved elsewhere but they all originated in the same country. I truly believe that they have better wine.

When you're not wining and dining, what do you do to enjoy Shanghai?

I'm a party animal. Not in the sense of craziness. I don't get really drunk. I've been here a long time and have a circle of friends, like the managers of Dragon and Sin. We like to go out and meet new people. You have to party!