/ Reviews / Fusion
BinJiang One: Round Two
by Tom Lee
on Friday, July 15, 2011 12:00 AM
Having shut for a few months in order to rebrand, redesign and generally reboot, The BinJiang One has been reborn. Maintaining its effortless sophistication, it has built even more character into its beautiful surroundings.
The behemoth restaurant has joined - in name at least - with Käfer, a restaurant, delicatessen and catering empire from Munich, to reinforce the Bavarian style and flavors inherent in this Paulaner-owned establishment. In addition to their already unique Snow Bar - one of the few places in Shanghai one can drink in sub-zero temperatures - the first floor features a cozy "hunting lodge", with antlers on the walls and a fireplace embedded in the whitewashed bricks. At the very peak of the building perches a loft dining room reminiscent of the typical rural home featured in Country Life, while below ground hides a wine cellar; both these rooms are used for private dinners.
But upstairs is where the romance is. A dazzlingly white main dining area during the day, it is designed with wooden bookshelves and stone archways to maintain a rustic tenor, with floor-to-ceiling windows along the façade providing glorious views. In the evening, the lights of the Bund glint off the glass while smooth jazz music fills the room.
The menu has been concocted by a chef nabbed from The Savoy in London, mixing general Western dishes with specifically German fare - no one could mistake the Champagne Choucroute Consommé, despite its French influences, for anything other than a broth of that infamous pickled vegetable, sauerkraut, with a couple of sausages thrown in.
Braised Beef Tenderloin on the Bone (RMB388) is undoubtedly one of the highlights here. The tender chunk of meat is carefully arranged in the center of three baked baby potatoes, each nestling in a neat pool of lightly smoky sour cream. Alongside, a bean cassoulet is artfully arranged.
Elegance pervades Käfer by The BinJiang One: not a snooty, overbearing elegance that looks down on you with frightening condescension, but an elegance that is softly voiced through the universal sense of excellence that permeates through the food, the décor and the service. Not everything may agree with you - the Pan-seared Beef Tartar "Käfer Style" (RMB98) will never sit right with anybody who expects their tartare straight from the cow - but it's nigh on impossible not to feel enchanted by the polished refinement that imbues every aspect of the experience.
Romance, relaxation: there's room for it all at this four-level eatery. A beautiful achievement, from the décor to the dishes.
