The Place
Conversely to the long and storied tradition of fine dining chefs opening restaurants inside hotels, le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire takes a different approach. Rather than offering multi-course degustation, prix fixe, the menu is strictly à la carte.
There are still luxuries like a caviar and egg for nearly RMB500, but the majority of the menu is a considerable step down in price from Gagnaire’s fine dining concepts around the world, especially since you can spend upwards of EUR1,000 at his signature restaurant in Paris' Hotel Balzac.
In the kitchen is Romain Chapel (below left), who has worked under Gagnaire (below right) previously, and the son of legendary French chef Alain Chapel, who served as inspiration for the young Gagnaire.
The Food
Starters at le Comptoir are whimsical and colorful, with most of them priced under RMB150. The menu doesn’t give away much about what ajo blanco/‘frosted fruits’ (RMB80) might entail, but it is realized as a bowl of chilled white soup topped with a gelatinous disc and assorted iced melon chunks and croutons. The icy textures are a playful surprise, though a better explanation might have helped us enjoy it more.
At the other end of the price spectrum is the RMB488 egg with Oscietra caviar and Champagne sauce, which curiously enough also comes with a miscellaneous gelatinous disc and beige sauce. Sadly, a bed of aggressively seasoned spinach and the confusing dark matter gel stole the spotlight away from the main ingredients.
Foie gras is usually a safe bet at French restaurants, and Le Comptoir plays it straight with their terrine (RMB178), we loved the rich ‘burnt’ onion jus and crunchy onion rings that accompany.
For main courses, the lobster fricassée (RMB408) shone through as the best dish we sampled. Cooked to absolute perfection both times we ordered it, the light and fragrant ginger sauce and cinnamon-spiced semolina with diced apple only highlighted the freshness of the lobster tails.
Lamb crepinette with fresh herbs, grilled cabbage and Manchego cheese ‘tchatchouka’ (shakshouka, RMB268), is also among the most rounded and balanced dishes on the menu. Not that it looks like much; its bizarre presentation of decorative salad leaves with sauce poured over them is a recurrent practice at le Comptoir, making them look more bog than bistro.
The savory food might be a little shaky, but the patisserie kitchen, presided over by Clement Ayache, is already firing on all cylinders. As such, it is essential to save room for at least one dessert per person. Particular standouts include the Montélimar (RMB80), a frozen nougat orb topped with crunchy praline toffee and served with apricot and rosemary syrup.
Crêpe Georges, a souffléd crêpe with Grand Marnier and caramelized orange syrup and star anise (RMB80), struck a great balance between buttery, boozy and fruity.
The 'Palet Guimet' (RMB70), a biscuit joconde with kirsch-flavored parasseuse cream, and marmalade was also worth its calories.
Food verdict: 2/3
The Vibe
Set inside the newly opened Capella Shanghai, Jian Ye Li hotel, which has been sypathetically adapted from pre-existing local lanehouse architecture, the ambiance of le Comptoir features tasteful neutral tones and restrained design decisions. There are none of the ostentatiously flashy chandeliers or gleaming marble floors that characterize luxury in Shanghai, in fact the place feels more like a living room than celebrity chef temple. It’s nearly gorgeous enough to make you forget that the kitchen is still finding its feet with Gagnaire’s recipes.
Vibe Verdict: 2/2
Total Verdict: 4/5
Price: RMB500-800 per person
Who’s going: well-heeled locals and expats
Good for: hot dates, impressing guests, small groups, special occasions
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