The Place
Smartly kitted out with handsome marble accents, dove grey leather seating and a quaint entrance façade, Sel Bistro (French for ‘salt’) is molto Montmartre. Retractable floor-to-ceiling walls open up to give the place a chic semi-al fresco setting that takes in Found 158’s courtyard party atmosphere, though in many ways this upscale bistro still feels at odds with its nightlife oriented neighbors.
The Food
Smart bistro dishes abound at Sel Bistro, some of which are pleasantly affordable. The restaurant’s signature ‘foie gras ice cream’ (RMB68) is one of them, and having heard good thing about it we were not disappointed. A thick balsamic reduction and passion fruit coulis bring a burst of acidity and balance to the creamy chilled foie gras, flaked almonds give it a crunchy texture.
Another delicious dish is the sous-vide cod, served with sweet baby clams and a buttery hollandaise sauce with petit pois (RMB268). We loved that the gently cooked fish held on to its firm and flakey texture, but the addition of two squid ink slices of toast on top didn’t taste of anything.
Sel Bistro’s inspiration ends there. After bland sous-vide egg with ham (RMB48), undercooked striploin (RMB298), tough chicken breast (RMB108) and oily ‘truffled’ mushrooms, we concluded that much of Sel’s menu is actually pretty basic, with neither tradition nor creativity on its side.
Food verdict: 1/3
The Vibe
Like some other new restaurants that open in Shanghai, Sel Bistro is all style and no substance. They’ve nailed it in the design department, but the food just isn’t worth the splurge when there are cheaper and more vibrant places to eat so close by.
Vibe verdict: 1/2
Total verdict: 2/5
Price: RMB300-500 per person
Who’s going: locals and expats
Good for: RMB68 glasses of Prosecco
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