Three on the Bund, Shanghai's self-proclaimed "finest epicurean destination," has added another restaurant to its layer cake of eateries, and this one’s right on top. But is it a crowning glory or a casual little sister to its powerhouse neighbors Jean Georges, Mercato, Chi-Q, Nougatine, Whampoa Club and Unico?
Replacing ailing predecessor New Heights, POP is styled as an ‘American brasserie,’ a seemingly new invention by the hand of Three on the Bund. This term apparently alludes to a somewhat all-encompassing cuisine, touching base with more than a few French and Mediterranean traditions. However, given the propensity of Americans who refer to their land as a ‘cultural melting pot,’ perhaps this level of diversity is apt. At any rate, diners at POP are sure to find something to suit their tastes, no doubt a calculated effort from management.
First things first: starters. We opened with a fabulous tomato burrata salad with pine nuts, pesto and balsamic vinegar (below, RMB118), featuring fine sliced orange, green, yellow and red heirloom tomatoes around a whole Solo Latte burrata – the same as used downstairs in Mercato.
Second, a shrimp and avocado cocktail with citrus dressing (below) for its size perhaps slightly overpriced at RMB98. Note that this is a shrimp cocktail as the English know it – with a creamy Marie rose sauce (tomatoes, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and pepper) rather than the mayonnaise-free American variety. Fresh and flavorsome with sweet and tasty little shrimp.
Finally, a true American champion: the Caesar salad (below, RMB68), with poached egg, bacon, parmesan, golf ball-sized croutons and anchovies. Good value for money, the poached egg was an ingenious touch; after mixing, it imbued the sauce with extra depth and boldness, escaping the cloying creaminess of an over-dressed Caesar salad.
For mains we moved onto spiced, seared tuna with puy lentils, chorizo and piquillo peppers (below, RMB178). Healthy, well-sized and packed with flavor, a great choice for anyone seeking a diet-conscious entrée. Not sure how it fits the ‘American brasserie,’ but hey, we’re not ones to knock good food.
Next a braised beef short-rib with risotto and mushrooms (RMB228), which we paired with incredibly light truffle pureed potato (RMB38). It’s a generous portion, but we preferred the glazed Iberico pork belly, sweet potato and kale (RMB158) since we prefer our meat fatty. If lean is more your thing, go for the beef.
Above: beef. Below: pork belly
You might notice that few of the things we’ve talked about seem particularly American. Indeed, POP’s menu doesn’t have many of the things one might associate with Americana: no ribs, pizza, hot dogs or wings here. They do, however, have steaks and burgers, which can be ‘surfed’ with a half lobster for RMB340, or embellished à la ‘Rossini’ with a slab of seared foie gras and shaved truffle for RMB90. Steaks start at RMB200 for flank and round off at RMB1080 for 850g bone-in ribeye (2 people). The wagyu beef burger with bacon, cheese, onion and fries comes in at RMB128.
Lastly, desserts at POP proved to be a fun, retro and pretense-free highlight of our meal. Arguably one of the most ‘American’ items on the menu, the ice cream sundae (below, RMB108) topped with bananas, chocolate sauce, brownie, caramel popcorn and biscuit took us straight back to childhood, while quality homemade ice cream (we chose coconut sorbet, pistachio and coffee) kept it classy. For those with monster appetites (or post-breakup blues) go supersize with the jumbo sundae (eight flavors of ice cream, marshmallow, berry compote, brownie, chocolate sauce, Oreos and caramel popcorn, RMB288).
A slice of warm fresh-made pecan pie with vanilla ice cream (below, RMB75) proved a homey slice of USA, whilst ‘white chocolate mousse dream’ (RMB65) was whimsical and sweet, topped with a cloud of cotton candy and fresh citrus. A selection of doughnuts (banana cream, chocolate cream and pistachio, RMB65) was an excellent accompaniment to our coffee.
We’re sure there will be some critics of POP, who might call it out for not being ‘American enough’ to warrant its elaborate marketing campaign, but overall, with its fun retro artworks and laid back atmosphere, POP is a place exceptionally hard to dislike. A little bit like Katy Perry. Above all, POP owes the majority of its success to its Gallic Head Chef David Chauveau, who previously worked at Sir Elly’s in The Peninsula Hotel. Mr. Chauveau is a chef you can trust, whose ability to send out high quality, correctly executed dishes is at once consistent and formidable. And for that, we give kudos, POP.
The Rock Star (bourbon, chambord, mint leaves, gomme syrup, lemon, RMB88)
Price: RMB4-500 per person, more with cocktails/steak. Plus 10 percent service charge.
Who’s going: Mix of locals, French businessmen, out-of-towners.
Good for: Dates, casual dinner, business dinner/lunch, city views.
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