Marseille boy begins his food journey in France, expands his training and talents in Spain and Italy. He then moves to Sao Paolo, Brazil, and studies under Alex Atala, a brash, creative Brazilian master chef whose restaurant notched up a number nine rank on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list.
You get the idea. A plucky, jovial French nomad hits Futian and food sparks fly. But that’s only half the story, or only 35 percent, as Denis puts it. He met and fell in love with the other 65 percent, a Chinese girl named Hana, in Tokyo.
Hana greets you as you enter the brightly polished, cast concrete room. Her hotel management training and work experience in Japanese five-star hotels shines through, making diners feel welcome immediately.
Since the restaurant has been in the pre-opening phase since December 10, there is still plenty of testing and experimenting with the menu to see what will best suit his customers. However it evolves, Denis assures us that his faultless commitment to fresh, high-quality, local organic ingredients will never waiver.
Get ready for world-class burgers (gourmet burgers are an Atala trademark). That means only the finest imported Australian beef, always chilled and wet-aged – NEVER frozen. Denis can go on for a long time telling you why this is vital. (It’s a bit above me, but I know it’s essential by his Gallic enthusiasm.)
The same obsession shows throughout his kitchen, even down to the magnificent french fries, cooked only in peanut oil. A total ban on MSG is in effect, replaced with Denis's own natural concoction of roasted coriander seeds blended with white and black pepper.
Bread is superb, sourced exclusively from the famed Shekou French bakery, L’Epicerie.
How to choose between six appealing burgers? I finally settled on the Cala Brian (RMB98). Like all the patties, this one’s served medium rare and is unlike anything this American guy has ever tasted! It wasn’t just the prime quality beef, not just the bun. It wasn’t even just the nduja, a cured, spicy, spreadable salami from Italy that’s the perfect dressing for the burger. Then there’s the red cheddar cheese and Dijonnaise.
There’s no one part that makes the burger great. Like Mash Gastropub as a whole, it’s the combination of elements that makes for a superb meal – one that may soon be a waiting line experience.
Price: Approx. RMB150
Who’s going: Burgerholics
Good for: Gourmet snacks, fancy brews
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