/ Reviews / French
Mr. and Mrs. Bund
by Jaki Faulkner
on Monday, May 25, 2009 12:00 AM
The latest restaurant creation by Chef Paul Pairet, Mr. and Mrs. Bund is a massive undertaking and probably one of the most obnoxious yet, amazing creations to enter the Shanghai dining scene.
Chef Paul has a reputation for the dramatic. In his first Shanghai restaurant, Jade on 36 in the Shangri-La Pudong, he features innovative food preparation techniques, playing with color, temperature, and any other inspired method he could dream up to produce sophisticated, avant-garde cuisine. At Mr. and Mrs. Bund, the food may seem more typical, but the concept is just as inspired. This time instead of modifying the cooking techniques, it is the menu that received all of the attention. It's as thick as this magazine, featuring selections that can be prepared in any manner imagined. The underlying factor: choice, all of the food preparation decisions are left to the customer.
We started our evening with two appetizer selections: the delicious Norwegian Smoked Salmon (120RMB), freshly cut at the table and seasoned with our choice of condiment selections (egg yolk, lemon and a pinch of salt) and the Picnic Chicken Ailloli (95RMB), equally divine in presentation and taste, served with a mixed-herb salad. For the main course we selected their succulent Beef Ribs (250RMB) with Bordelaise Caps (Porcini mushrooms) and Marrow. The Black Cod in a Cantonese Sauce (200RMB) was steamed in its own bag and opened at our table, which helps to preserve the juiciness and tenderness of the fish. For our side, we selected one of the Charred Eggplant dishes (2 kinds) with Tahini (50RMB). It came with a Shanghai twist - the local breaded delicacy yóu tiáo, more commonly referred to as a Chinese doughnut. For desserts we sampled both the lemon and orange tartlets (100RMB). They were flawlessly presented, each with a lemon or orange fruit on the side and filled with an irresistible tangy sorbet, sable and cream. This was a difficult decision since there are 9 desert choices on the menu, not including the extensive ice cream and sorbet list.
The Bottom Line: This venue focuses on the customer offering numerous menu choices featuring Global French cuisine, and an upscale Bund dining experience.
