Louboutin is strictly French. There’s no obligatory fried rice or shawarmas tacked on the menu to comfort unadventurous passersby. Those who saunter in are coming for fine cuisine with a presentation capable of wooing even the haughtiest of Frenchmen.
Touno Laureti, a pastry chef and co-founder of Louboutin, is all about promoting the classic recipes he relished as a child. But he also knows it’s smart to select French dishes that have a shot at impressing locals.
“We held a soft opening a month ago, but have already changed our menu since then,” Laureti tells us. “Some of it was just too French. We reduced the sugar in many dishes, because Chinese don’t like things too sweet… but they love our macaroons.”
The restaurant is named after Antoine Louboutin, who founded the original branch in Angers, France. It is divided into two sections: a lavish dining room and bar, accessed from the circular walkway within Canton Place, and an attached bakery that faces the street. The space is exceptional enough to hold a celebratory dinner, but casual enough where laughing out loud won’t breach etiquette.
And the food is, well, pure bliss. We start with a trio of foie gras – pan-seared, apple-flavored and poached with thyme – presented on a slab of black stone delicately adorned with apples, figs, roasted tomatoes and edible flowers over two slices of wafer-thin toast (RMB168). The diverse textures, taken together, are a symphonic feast. Just as visually appealing, the creamy cucumber and mint salad with salmon and prawns (RMB88) arrives in a cocktail glass topped with caviar. Though the dressing is too mild for our liking, the salad is fresh and incorporates chopped celery and arugula for a bitter, crunchy effect.
Our main, confit of duck leg and grilled duck breast with mashed potatoes and nut salad (RMB168), outdoes the appetizers. Cooked for six hours to counter natural toughness, the duck is silkily tender, complementing its crisp, lightly fried skin. A bed of partially mashed spuds lies underneath, generously infused with butter. Everything tastes fantastically rich without being too salty.
Laureti prefaces dessert with a passionate introduction, his eyes widening upon mention of Valrhona chocolate, one of the finest brands in the world, which he imports to create the dreamy chocolate mousse with homemade raspberry sorbet (RMB48). Portions are large, but we had no problem licking the last remains of bittersweet, whipped goodness from the bowl.
Open at 8am, Louboutin greets morning birds with a breakfast set of coffee, a pastry, homemade jam and fresh juice for RMB58. There’s also afternoon tea for two (RMB88), which includes two cups of tea or coffee and a tower of sweets. And happy hour, from 6-8pm, is a solid deal, with two glasses of house wine for RMB60, instead of the usual RMB45 each.
Specials or not, this newcomer is worth a trip. The prices may seem steep now, but when you’re staring into a bowl of luscious dark chocolate mousse with a hint of raspberry on the tongue, nothing else really matters. Trust us.
Price: RMB58 for breakfast, RMB200 for dinner
Who’s going: French couples in Guangzhou, food critics
Good for: Fine dining, homemade ice cream and pastries
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