The Place
Yannick Alléno: venerated custodian of French haute cuisine, recipient of six Michelin Stars and now patron to a third branch of bistro concept Terroir Parisien, situated in one of the rebuilt 'heritage' buildings of newly opened outdoor shopping complex Raffles City Changning.
With a palate formed by experience in Parisian bistros owned by his family, Alléno knows better than most the secret ingredients that make this kind of restaurant so appealing. Strange then, that the remarkably cold and drab interiors of Terroir Parisien Shanghai have all the invitation of a highway service station.
The Food
Stranger still that the menu is to the contrary, reading like a warm hug from the holy trinity of French comfort food: cheese, charcuterie, and butter. Their French onion soup (RMB108), is a starter on steroids, a savory, sweet onion broth with gratinéed Comté cheese and baguette slices.
Like a drunken uncle at a Christmas party, it has a faint whiff of cognac on its breath that is the hallmark of a properly Parisian recipe.
Warm artichoke salad with mustard and shallot vinegar is an interesting contrast; piquant but creamy, toothsome and crunchy but still light. It’s also interesting why such a simple dish managed to cost RMB158. Another downside: you must use your front teeth to scrape the flesh from artichoke leaves in a way that is not très chic.
A Main course of black pudding sausage (RMB128) might look like a hockey puck plonked on a bed of mashed potato, but tastes delicious and still has a lovely tender texture.
If you’re squeamish about eating blood, have a stab at Alléno’s French-ified hamburger, l’hambourgeoise (RMB128), which has the curious innovation of a skylight cut from its top layer to showcase an interior egg yolk. Though, sadly this remains its most memorable attribute.
Neither of the two desserts, a standard issue Grand Marnier baba (RMB58) or the ‘frozen lemon’ (RMB88) pose threat to the superior counterparts you’ll find at Mr & Mrs Bund, Villa Le Bec or even le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire.
And with a total spend of RMB979 for two people, including one glass of house wine and bottled water, that’s who we’re comparing them to.
Food verdict: 2/3
The Vibe
Frankly, Terroir Parisien's food deserves to be in a better restaurant. We’re not expecting singing candlesticks, but the personality-devoid Terroir Parisien, with its functional hard furniture and sad little IKEA-framed photos of the Eiffel Tower, shocked us. It’s a restaurant designed by somebody who hates restaurants, and the last place you’d want to spend four figures on food.
Say what you want about the French, but they’re never boring. And that’s exactly what Terroir Parisien is.
Vibe verdict: 0.5/2
Total Verdict: 2.5/5
Price: RMB350-500 per persopn
Who’s going: a smattering of locals and French expats
Good for: hiding from humanity
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