Renowned chef Pierre Gagnaire speaks through flavour and his expressive culinary legacy is at the heart of this famed French restaurant in Puxi, Shanghai and this is the one and only in Mainland China, so you know it is going to be special. Chef Gagnaire curates menus that focus on quality, local ingredients and the reinterpretation of traditional French cooking, but leave it up to the Capella Shanghai’s hospitality to create an experience that will envelop you in the timeless elegance of the French living lifestyle that had influenced Shanghai in the past and present.
Strategically situated in a quiet area of the French Concession area on Jiangou (W) Road, this friendly and elegant French restaurant is located in an urban sanctuary where you least expected. As it is not immediately noticeable while you stroll along the quiet street and stand in front of one of Xuhui District’s last remaining clusters of Shikumen architecture.
Approaching on foot you become aware of an elegant facade and it takes a moment to realize that you have arrived at the Capella Shanghai - a luxury designed boutique hotel, as there are no large screaming hotel logos, but rather a discreet signage that is in keeping with the culture ethos of this unique neighbourhood. On the left off the main pedestrian thoroughfare that leads you through a public courtyard to the hotel’s main lobby entrance, you become aware that Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire’s entrance is the first step into the Capella’s brick street frontage that embraces the city’s cultural legacy.
It is an intimate arrival lobby for a restaurant, as all the culinary beauty is one floor above, so you are escorted to the next floor and what unfolds is a sleek airy bar and restaurant whose interiors are inspired by the old-world glamour of Shanghai during the 1930’s.
Your first sight are the vaulted ceilings and an elegant and large oval shaped bar taking up the length of this first vestibule space in the centre, which then opens up onto one long dining space running the length of the rear of the building. But, it is in fact the ‘front’ of the restaurant where all the culinary magic happens, with a wall of windows offering views of the elegant public courtyard and historic architecture that embodies the Capella Shanghai. The view overlooking the courtyard and historic buildings is very attractive and all the windows allowed the dining and bar to be flooded with natural light and give life to the elegant floral displays and objet d’art.
There is a warmth in the interior design with elegant touches and you are immediately transported to a private salon which envelops you with subtlety and grace. The ambience is fabulous, with a mix of flooring that soaks up any extraneous noise, so conversations could be had very easily without any reverberance.
Alexey, the Restaurant Manager greeted us, introduced himself and we were escorted to our table, which was elegance personified. We were asked which water we preferred and menus appeared to introduce us to the essence of Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire, the brand image and standard immediately recognized.
Lunch is either a prix fixe 3 course menu at a price that seems unbelievably affordable or an a-la-carte menu that is incredibly tempting. As a meal in this eponymous restaurant cannot go without a superb wine or two and at this point in time Thomas, the sommelier presented us to with the wine list, his attentive approach was rather engaging. With his wide knowledge of wines, Thomas was quite keen to encourage us to experience some wines that we were not familiar with, based on his reassurance and we knew we were in good hands with any of his recommendations.
We eventually settled on a special bottle of Soutiran 2012 Grand Cru Millesimé Brut Champagne that we had never had the pleasure of enjoying and Thomas assured us that it was very special – as the annual allocation to the entire mainland of China are only 100 bottles and this is the 9/12 that we are enjoying from this allocation to Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire. A very special treat indeed and it turned out to be a SENSATIONAL choice and the best value on the wine list that did not hit your hip pocket.
The Millesimé is an exceptional champagne and elegantly expresses the wealth of its terroir with the aroma of honey, mashed pear, quince and red fruits, combined with an intense saline minerality. Ripe and mature fruit with an harmonious and rounded palate that lingers and the tensions and freshness of the vintage structure in its evolution in the mouth matches so well with what’s to follow on our order.
The service team on the whole were gracious and attentive and made you feel at home. We were introduced to our server Xiao Xiao while the order was taken and set the culinary journey in motion. The sequence of food delivery was always on point, as if they knew instinctively when we were ready for the next dish. The well spoken Xiao Xiao displayed so much passion and her very good command of English expertly described each morsel and dish fluently and with a big smile, so we were won over by her personality.
Naturally it was a given that there would be an Amuse Bouche and Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire did not disappoint with some delectable bites finely honed and simply presented, although there is a lot of work in the simplicity to create such beauty on the palate. A duck confit with beetroot jelly, celery mousse with chicken are the stand out and words fail us as every small bite was heavenly!
True to Gagnaire’s honest approach, the menu is a means of expression and words can’t express enough with his dishes creations, complemented by innovative textures and bold flavours that touch the heart and soul.
<Duck Foie Gras from Beijing>
Who could go past duck foie gras in an eponymous restaurant like this? Firstly the arty presentation on a plate certainly delivered on the palate and was not overly wrought. Suffice to say that the duck foie gras fondant au naturel was incredibly smooth and rich, each additional ingredient added a little something extra on the tongue that created a delight in every bite. The fermented persimmon was a perfect companion to create a slightly sour counterpoint with the duck foie gras. The veil of Cognac with Saint-Germain liqour, lily bulb and brioche feuilleteé all added elements that surprised the taste buds in a subtle way. This is such an incredible rendition of the French classic that we couldn’t imagine could ever be better than this!
<Blue lobster from Bretagne>
It was a very large chunk of lobster tail which was redolent of the sea. The tail à la nacre thinly-sliced, mango velvety soup with coconut milk, grated lime. Modest pieces with olive oil, natural jelly, herbs young leaves sits on a bed of fermented pears, stracciatella cheese ice cream, beautifully presented to please your palate.
<Tiger Grouper from Hainan>
A well pan-seared chunky fillet poached in clarified butter with parsley served with delectable mussels soup with watercress. The mussels en escabèche can be enjoyed in endless ways with tender potatoes coated with orange thick juice. Such a masterful combination of ingredients and execution to deliver such distinctive delights!
<Cuisses de Grenouille>
This garlic butter frog legs is an added bonus during our visit and shall we say that it is a preview for the new feature on the next season menu instead. Such a traditional dish being enjoyed and eaten for over a thousand years that has been part of the national diet of France particularly found in the region of the Dombes. Its buttery and creamy garlic sauce was impeccably well-blended with the fresh and tender frog legs topped with a bed of lightly tossed watercress which was simply to die for. A lucky day for another recommended dish from the service team.
<Wild Duck from Beijing>
Wild roasted duck was selectively chosen from Beijing in a very hot oven and thinly sliced en salmis served on a bed of slow-simmered Chicory rouge, red beetroot sorbet, mole negro sauce, autumn broth & broccoli with potatoes is an homage to the ancient French dish. A classic and flavoursome dish within classical French cuisine that was cooked to perfection and so tender on the touch of the knife.
<Poultry from L Élysée>
It is essential that Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire can highlight such local produce and it comes with a story. Pierre Gangaire was one of the chosen few chefs to cook for an important dinner in Paris between President Macron and President Xi Jinping, so naturally they cooked a French and Chinese version to impress and this was the Chinese half of the dish and we can understand why it is a menu favourite. The roasted juicy Tournesol poulet from Guangdong was well marinated in a yellow wine from Jura region and accompanied by morel mushrooms cream, stuffed caramelized onions and spinach leaves. It looked like a heavy dish when viewing the plate delivery, but in fact was not, as the vegetable creations juxtaposed lightness and biting flavours with the richness of the specially bred tender chicken. The food speaks by itself and was simply divine!
<Pierre Gagnaire’s Grand Dessert>
Segment of poached pear flavoured with hibiscus, whipped cream perfumed with pistachio, nougatine / Frozen croquant & water of vanilla from Bali, pomegranate / Buddha’s hand macaronade, panna-cotta flavoured with lemon / Roasted Victoria pineapple spiced with Sichuan pepper, passion fruits sorbet, sweet wine veil / Chocloates: Cuba chocolate mouse, cocoa water, pampelune, caramelized nuts, cognac X.O. Pearl and black sesame seeds opaline.
This grand dessert consists of five different styles and flavours that is perfectly catered for those who claimed that they are full, yet they have room for dessert’s kind of dessert fanatics. Who doesn’t love sweets especially when it is delicately executed with blissful presentation and irresistible taste.Each of the five was a complete contrast in texture, flavour, subtle and strong, crunchy and soft and every morsel was so delectable and memorable and visually stunning. The menu description was not kidding when it said a “Grand Dessert” and there was an immense amount of work and effort that had been put in to tantalize your dessert craving for sure, each dessert differing from each other with their delicate ingredients used and applied to the culinary by bringing out such gastronimique exploration.
Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire is a community, a fine chic venue (haven) with an unpretentious and welcoming menu for generous and authentic French flavours that you miss and they aim to please. In our estimation you felt an intimacy, but at the same time completely relaxed, which is not always a given in fine dining restaurants. Nothing could be faulted and so we can’t help to think when we can return.
After seven years of operation they have closed for a renovation (mostly in the kitchen) with a little refreshing front of house, so we look forward to the next chapter of Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire, Capella Shanghai and coming back to dine into the distinctive elegant French cuisine.
Tried & Tested:
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5
Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire
Location: 5/5
Design & Decor: 5/5
Food & Beverage: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value For Money: 5/5
Experience: 5/5
480, Jianguo Road (W), Xuhui District,
Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 5466 9928
Shanghai, China
Tel: +86 21 5466 9928
Reviews are based on actual day of visit and experience. mylifestylenews reserves the right of final decision in case of any disputes. All images are photographed by mylifestylenews team without any photoshop enhancement and are the property owned by mylifestylenews unless otherwise stated.
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