‘Avante-garde’ culinary adventure awaits
Print Edition
Chef Paul Pairet reaches deep into his bag of culinary tricks to serve a variety of authentic French flavors in Mr and Mrs Bund.
Pairet refers to his style as “avant-garde cuisine,” transforming the food physically. This includes making sauce into steam so diners can enjoy a variety of smells and turning meat into a mousse.
Mr and Mrs Bund, named one of the world’s 50 best restaurants by the British magazine Restaurant, has reopened recently after closing for renovations. Gone is the modern black and red décor and in its place are elegant green walls with a grey and white floor. They also have added some round tables, which is unusual in a Western restaurant, to highlight the restaurant’s food sharing concept and embrace local dining customs.
The background music is a mixture of soothing Shanghai jazz, Chinese folk and French chanson. There’s also great views of the Huangpu River and Lujiazui skyline on the terrace.
Few diners will be surprised that Mr and Mrs Bund serves up an excellent selection of truffle dishes. The arugula truffle salad is especially recommended with the dressing releasing an intensely pleasant truffle aroma. Pairet, also the owner of Ultra Violet, the most expensive restaurant in Shanghai with the longest waiting list in Asia, adds Parmesan cheese to the salad, providing more fragrance and a creamy texture while balancing the herbal taste of arugula.
The truffle toast has layers of textures. The thick toast has a crispy bottom, smooth middle-part soaked in truffle sauce. The airy top is foam made from the truffle sauce.
Pairet shows off his culinary skills with his foie gras. Layers of sweet and fatty goose liver is alternated with a layer of apple jelly, topped with a mix of crushed caramel, raisin, hazelnut and dried apricot. The rich textures combine splendidly while the acid from the fruits cuts through the fatty foie gras. The restaurant manager recommends pairing it with a bottle of an Alsace white wine, a blend made from Riesling and Gewurztraminer grapes. It’s round and slightly sweet.
Seafood lovers will likely be tempted by the tuna mousse and shrimp in a jar. The tuna mousse is an appetizer. It’s mixed with sour cream and then transformed into a mousse, which is spread over a crispy and thin bread cracker.
A large shrimp is presented in a glass jar with herbs as a main course. The waiter opens the jar when serving it so diners can get a good whiff of the aromas. The shrimp is steamed in a lemongrass, lemon, orange and yuzu sauce for hours. It’s juicy with a natural sweetness and a slight burst of citrus that adds life to the dish.
Last but not least, the signature lemon tart dessert is strongly recommended. It takes a whopping 72 hours to prepare. It looks like a lemon and the skin certainly has the zest of the citrus fruit, however, the inside is a sweet and slightly chilled cream. Combined it is wonderfully balanced.
Although the homemade table breads are free and delicious, don’t eat too much as it’s worth saving some space for the main course and dessert. Doggy bags are available upon request.
Add it all up and Mr and Mrs Bund is an interesting dining option for those looking to try something different, yet familiar at the same time.
Mr and MRS Bund
Tel: 6323-9898
Address: 6/F, Zhongshan Rd E1
Average check: 750 yuan
Opening hours: Dinner, Daily, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Late night supper, Thu-Sat, 11pm-2am
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