The Place
In the twisted world of fine dining and celebrity chefs, Alvin Leung cuts an unusual figure. Not only is the self-styled 'Demon Chef' and MasterChef Canada judge self-taught, he is also one of the few to give Chinese food the haute cuisine treatment.
Leung's 'X-treme' Chinese food has been good to him so far. His Hong Kong restaurant, Bo Innovation, has held three Michelin Stars since 2014, perhaps by virtue of being one of the first to apply trendy molecular gastronomy to Cantonese dishes.
Bo Shanghai marks Leung's first independent foray into Chinese mainland, and while it strikes a more formal tone than the HK counterpart, the ten-course, set menu only restaurant takes Chinese ingredients to places they've never been before.
The Food
French technique meets regional Chinese flavor in Bo Shanghai's current incarnation. After a few months, we hear the restaurant will change its menu completely and explore further afield, to other European and even Asian cuisines.
It all that sounds too ambitious to be good, rest assured Bo Shanghai's originality is rewarded in several of its dishes. Mini croissants spliced with scallions were fantastic, somehow capturing the flavor of congyoubing (scallion pancakes) while retaining a beautifully airy texture.
More high notes follow, including a gel capsule that explodes to reveal the full essence of a xiaolongbao, and oysters topped with preserved and fermented chili and cilantro.
Things become decidedly Gallic in the next course, 'Zhejiang L'oeuf,' a slow-cooked egg with traditional steamed river shrimp, caviar and longjing tea, enveloped by a thick crustacean velouté. I'm not usually one to ask for smaller portions, but the heavy cream and super-sized egg were enough to induce a slight panic for the ensuing nine courses.
Anhui is the next stop on the Bo Shanghai journey, and another slam dunk dish that cleverly brings into focus one of the similarities shared between Chinese and French cooking: frogs.
A symbol of traditional cuisine in France, staff tell us the significance of frogs in Anhui marks the province's heritage of hunting the wild amphibians from water-logged rice paddies.
Dressed up with mandrarin orange peel, matsutake mushroom and a Yunnan ham-infused cream sauce, the gamey flavor of the frog captured a certain 'country' flavor that will be familiar to anyone lucky enough to have eaten food outside of China's urban centres.
However, Bo Shanghai's biggest triumph is the 'Guangdong Zongzi.' Packed with Sarrade ham, porcini mushroom and black truffle, this is a dish that makes the usual fuckery of fusion cuisine look effortless.
Though not everything was success; 'Sichuan Foie Gras de Canard' with pickled duck tongue and kidney confit had plenty of promise, but could have done without an arbitrary interjection of lavender. Our soujourn to Shandong also proved unfruitful, putting two of the province's exports, millet and sea cucumber, together in unlikely and discordant partnership.
Food verdict: 2.5/3
The Vibe
Ten courses (excluding numerous amuse bouche and palate cleaners) is a lot to sit through, and for that reason we wish the chairs were more comfortable and the lights a little less glaring. Being such a small place, staff are able to wait on customers virtually hand and foot. They also do very well at explaining the complex stories behind each dish, in multiple languages where necessary. A six-part wine pairing is also available for those who can afford it.
Vibe verdict: 1/1
Value for Money
There's a lot to like about Bo Shanghai, from its daring ambition and pursuit of originality, not to mention the fact that its very existence is helping put oft overlooked Chinese cuisine on the fine dining map. The only thing to really dislike about the place is the price: RMB1,500 per person (plus 15 percent service!)
But if you've got the cash and a burning curiosity to see the future of Chinese fine dining, there's nowhere better than Bo Shanghai.
Value for Money: 0.5/1
TOTAL VERDICT: 4/5
Price: RMB1,500
Who's going: well-heeled locals
Good for: adventurous appetites, impress guests, fine dining, special occasions
See a listing for Bo Shanghai
Read more Shanghai Restaurant Reviews
0 User Comments