The place
As proprietor of one of the city’s longest-running running restaurants, M on the Bund, Michelle Garnaut commands a level of reverence amongst Shanghai restaurateurs, and many mourned the closure of Glamour Bar in 2014 – lost to soaring rent prices. But now, the M Restaurant Group is back with a lushly decorated, streamlined new concept in the space opposite M on the Bund: Glam.
Part lounge bar, part restaurant, and all glamour, Glam is a destination made in Garnaut’s image – she even shares art from her personal collection on the walls.
The food
Meals at Glam are designed for sharing and consist of small, eclectic dishes by M on the Bund’s head chef Hamish Pollitt, who’s clearly enjoyed putting items on the menu ill-fitted for the formality of Glam’s sister restaurant across the hall – dishes like Indian veggie pakoras (RMB36), (RMB46 fennel, feta, grilled peach and sumac salad), and lamb-filled ‘zongzi’ (粽子, grape leaf-wrapped sticky rice parcels, RMB36). Our favorite was the black pudding pinxos (RMB48).
These smaller plates are where value for money is to be found; it’s the ‘filler’ section of the menu where you’ll need to have a few more reds in your wallet. ‘Radical Onglet,’ Canadian grass-fed beef with Paris butter, is tasty, but a slightly smaller portion than we’d like for RMB188.
The ‘Duck Dome Pie’ with ginger glaze, five spice and shitake mushrooms (RMB108) tastes great but could do with more duck and fewer fungi.
For desserts, Glam embraces its fun side with a roving trolley of ‘sweet verrines,’ including a miniaturized version of M on the Bund’s signature Pavlova (RMB42) or île flottante (meringue with créme anglaise). Our favorite, however, was the soft-serve machine, the flavors of which (Nutella-esque on our visit) purportedly ‘change at the whim of the chef.’ One also has the option of dousing the ice cream with ‘dandies’ (popping candies) for a slightly steep RMB28.
Food verdict: 2/3
The vibe
Opulent, romantic and sophisticated without being stuffy, Glam lends itself to dates and medium to large-sized groups. On our visits, the clientele was a cool mishmash of mature expats and locals. Service is efficient, and especially friendly from David, the restaurant manager.
Vibe verdict: 1/1
Value for money
While there’s plenty of affordable dishes to fill up on, it’s easy to get carried away and end up with a steep bill. Cocktails start from around RMB68 and go upwards from there. Wine drinkers are particularly well catered for with a wide selection of reasonably priced wines by the glass (from RMB65) thanks to the installation of sophisticated Enomatic machines. The overall Glam experience is not cheap, but true to Garnaut’s spirit, it is, well, glamorous.
Value for money: 0.5/1
TOTAL VERDICT: 3.5/5
Price: RMB250-500 per person
Who’s going: sophisticated locals and expats
Good for: cocktails, groups, dates
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