/ Reviews / American
If it Ain't Broke...
by Raphael Seghin
on Friday, January 06, 2012 12:00 AM
If it aint broke, don’t fix it. Or so the phrase goes. Yet sometimes, even something that appears safe needs to be revamped in order to survive in an overcrowded market. There was nothing wrong with the old Pelham’s, with its chic décor, professional staff and East Coast, ‘New York’ cuisine. The main issue the management felt was preventing them from being truly successful was the perceived lack of focus envers the food. What is New York cuisine? Most would conjure images of hot dogs and greasy burgers, which, despite previous Chef Brian Tan’s extensive efforts, seem to be the perceived consensus of the general population. As you can imagine, this isn’t exactly the description the leading restaurant of a glamorous 5-star hotel wanted for itself.
Cue in the new Pelham’s. In comes Clement Pellerin, internally shifted from his previous position at Grand Brasserie. Out goes Brian Tan and his misunderstood high-end American cuisine. The fine dining aspect hasn’t changed. Actually, very little about the restaurant’s appearance, or its famed service, has been touched. Instead, the focus was solely concentrated on Chef Pellerin and his new, obviously French, conceptual menu. Another French restaurant on the Bund? Hold your sighs, as this one actually does bring something different to the table.
Diners are offered a two-paged menu with your expected starters, mains, and desserts. Prices are based according to the amount of courses each diner wants. RMB488 for a four course meal, RMB558 for five, RMB628 for six, with each extra course costing an additional RMB130. Where the restaurant differs is that it encourages diners to decide from any of the items available. You want to eat the same seared Waygu beef sirloin 4 times in a row? No problem. We were regaled with the story of a Pelham regular who would come in, pay for a 5 course meal, have her entrée then dedicate the rest of her meal strictly to desserts. This obviously offers some interesting possibilities.
As for the food offered, the penchant was expectedly French. The most visually appealing, Pelham’s famed Oyster Pearl, didn’t quite impress the palate as much as the eyes. A crystallized sugar ‘pearl’ atop an oyster shell, then cracked opened to reveal an oyster doused in a champagne-based foam. The Scallop, on the other hand, was a fresh, soft, buttery marvel, complimented perfectly by the accompanying caviar; the dark oil formed into a Chinese character was a nice end touch. The potato-scaled Codfish lathered with smoked tea sauce, offering a wonderful contrast between the soft fish and the salty sauce was another accomplished entrée. As for the mains, besides the Wagyu beef already mentioned, the Porcini Risoto and the Duck Breast stood out, both for their visual flair (mushroom mousse diced into little cubes) and their delectable taste.
Pelham’s isn’t looking to shift its target clientele, or change any of the core values that it had become known for. Instead, its goal was to consolidate its focus to more clearly portray its vision. In that, they have succeeded. Besides the new menu, you won’t find any surprises at Pelham’s, but then again, that’s probably what its returning patrons like about the place.
