One of New York's most popular cult eateries, gourmet dessert bar Chikalicious has landed in Xintiandi. Famous for serving a $16 three-course menu of just sweets, Chikalicious, so named after founder Chika Tillman, gained a loyal following and frequently sees lines snaking out around the block.
Walking in you'd be forgiven for thinking Chikalicious Shanghai is just another expensive Xintiandi café, but don't be fooled – the real action is happening upstairs, where a preposterously immaculate kitchen bar gives service to just 10 seats plus a few tables at the back.
It is at this bar that you most certainly want to be seated, affording full view of two meticulous executive pastry chefs – the genetically blessed Manunya Sittisuntorn and Eugenio Pompili – as they ply their craft with a seriousness that wouldn't be out of place at an omakase sushi bar.
The three-course set menu costs a rather steep RMB188 (plus 10 percent) and changes on the daily, but always begins with a small amuse bouche. On our visit it was bruléed pineapple with a luxuriously silky yoghurt panna cotta that was good enough to make us wonder why anybody bothers making the stuff with cream in the first place.
For the 'main course' diners choose from a number of options, which includes what Chikalicious New York is famous for: the fromage blanc island "cheese cake."
Served on a plate of chipped ice, the fromage blanc is a cheese cake like you've never had before, and is paired with a delicately pure cream sauce. Texturally, it is light and fluffy; rich rather than cloying or sweet. Hands down the best cheese cake we've tried in Shanghai, albeit not traditional.
Another main we tried was the warm chocolate tart with pink peppercorn ice cream and red wine sauce. We felt this was too small compared to the showstopping fromage blanc, but it is nonetheless tasty with its center of molten chocolate.
Sounding boring on the menu, the 'fruit, flowers and herbs of chef's choice' main is a visual treat for the eyes. Note how thin those apples are sliced!
Finally the Chikalicious experience ends with a plate of six petit fours, which on our visit were coconut marshmallow squares, miniature cookies and chocolate brownies with Maldon sea salt.
Downstairs the experience focuses on more cakey options, such as a very well done mille crêpe cake (RMB68), which more than stands up to closest competitor Lady M. We counted 20 thin, even layers on this bad boy.
The price might be more than the New York original, but Chikalicious Shanghai is undoubtedly worth it for special occasions, or those who take their dessert very, very seriously. Our advice is to insist on a seat at the bar to get the full experience and see first hand all the work that goes into making the sweet stuff taste so good.
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