Sugared & Spiced

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Maison Pourcel

Address: 8/F, 35 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Changle Lu / 陕西南路35号8楼, 近长乐路
Tel: 6215 8777
Hours: [La Table] 5:30-10:30pm, [Studio Bar] 11:30am-11:00pm
Website: www.maisonpourcel.com
Price: [La Table] 700 RMB+/person, [Studio Bar] 300 RMB/person

Please note that this is an arranged tasting, so my experience is possibly more positive than a regular visit.

Jacques and Laurent Pourcel’s newest venture, Maison Pourcel, is a sleek, starkly elegant restaurant with spectacular vista of the French Concession area in Shanghai. The setting is luxurious, the service is smooth, but there is one major problem with this place, and that is deciding what to eat. When faced with a choice between “compressed lobster and vegetable terrine with duck ham and mango” and “duck liver and cepes ravioli with puree of baby pumpkin and foamy porcini mushroom soup”, ordering can take a very, very long time.

Jacques & Laurent Pourcel greet guests with a whimsical video on the 8th floor of Maison Pourcel

But before I get started on the food, let’s talk about the twins and their newest venue choice. After launching the 3 Michelin starred Le Jardin des Sens back in France at the age of 24, the Pourcel twins have since expanded their culinary empire to Bangkok, Tokyo, Casablanca, Geneva, Marrakech, Algiers and Dubai. For the recent opening in Shanghai, they chose the historical Red House, which was home to the most celebrated Western restaurant back in the 1930s. The refurbished dining room is posh, elegant, delightful during the day with ample natural light, and equally charming after dark with sparkling French Concession as its backdrop.

Maison Pourcel in day light

Maison Pourcel in day light

Maison Pourcel

Christofle silverware, naturally

Maison Pourcel as the sun sets

Maison Pourcel as the sun sets

Maison Pourcel after dark

Maison Pourcel after dark

View out of the window

The ladies’ room – spacious and discreet – is also thoughtfully designed.

Ladies’ room

Ladies’ and men’s room

The outdoor patio would be enchanting on a balmy day, but was too windy on the evening we visited.

Outdoor patio

Now back to the dining table. Two flutes of champagne to start.

Right: Moët & Chandon Rosé, 198 RMB/glass
Left: Bollinger Spéciale Cuvée, 128 RMB/glass

First came the bread basket (fine but not as lovely as what I had at Jean Georges) accompanied by some delicious Philippe Olivier butter.

Bread and butter

Then, a flurry of delightful (if not too memorable) amuse bouche descended upon us.

Smoke salmon perched atop a “cake”

Fried pork and cheese ball with herb mustard cream

Tomato sorbet, seared tuna, tomatoes, watermelon

After perusing the menu for a very, very long time and agonizing over tantalizing descriptions of each dish, I looked to our waiter for help. His first recommendation was the compressed lobster and vegetables terrine with duck ham and mango, melon, and marinated oil in vanilla seeds (308 RMB), a classic from Le Jardin des Sens.

Compressed lobster and vegetables terrine with duck ham and mango, melon, and marinated oil in vanilla seeds

Compressed lobster and vegetables terrine with duck ham and mango, melon, and marinated oil in vanilla seeds

Compressed lobster and vegetables terrine with duck ham and mango, melon, and marinated oil in vanilla seeds

We also tried the crisp egg stuffed with slightly scrambled egg, mashed green peas and its jus, toast bread in truffles and duck liver (188 RMB). The idea of an egg inside an egg was well-executed, and I loved the contrast between the crisp egg shell and the soft, velvety scrambled eggs, not to mention the pleasant surprise of an egg yolk hidden at the center. The accompanying toast bread in truffles and duck liver, on the other hand, was not as intensely flavorful as I had imagined.

Crisp egg stuffed with slightly scrambled egg, mashed green peas and its jus

Toast bread in truffles and duck liver

Next came the pan-fried beef fillet with bone marrow, pan-fried French duck liver, braised silver beet served with truffle potato gnocchi (298 RMB). Beef fillet, bone marrow, foie gras, truffle potato gnocchi – can this dish get any more decadent? It’s also worth mentioning that the foam was made from butter, and we all know that a little butter goes a long way.

Pan-fried beef fillet

Pan-fried beef fillet with bone marrow, pan-fried French duck liver, braised silver beet served with truffle potato gnocchi

Then there was the suckling pig, caramelized and roasted chops, pear-quince compote, crispy skin and spiced juice (268 RMB). The crisp fatty skin and succulent meat create a chorus of aroma and taste that was quite overwhelming, but the flavor was nicely balanced by the accompanying quince-pear compote.

Around the suckling pig, caramelized and roasted chops, pear-quince compote, crispy skin and spiced juice

Around the suckling pig, caramelized and roasted chops, pear-quince compote, crispy skin and spiced juice

Around the suckling pig, caramelized and roasted chops, pear-quince compote, crispy skin and spiced juice

Given how impressive the first and main courses were, I was very excited about the wonderful sugary caprices that were about to come pouring out of the pastry kitchen. But first, we were served a strawberry basil sorbet as the palate cleanser, followed by a few pre-desserts, including a white chocolate “lollipop” with peach sorbet, as well as a plate of cinnamon chocolate, pistachio macaron, and chocolate praline.

Strawberry basil sorbet

White chocolate with peach sorbet

Cinnamon chocolate, pistachio macarons, and praline

Then came the “real” desserts. The hot chocolate with black Guanaja chocolate, vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce (158 RMB) was very generous in portion and tasted extra rich and intense compared to the typical chocolate desserts. This was a bit too overwhelming for me and I recommend sharing this between two people, but I can’t speak for the chocoholics.

Hot chocolate with black Guanaja chocolate, vanilla ice-cream and chocolate sauce

Chocolate sauce

We also tried strawberry in four ways (188 RMB), which was a plate of strawberry medley in the forms of salad, sorbet, tart, and mousse. The idea is fun, but I actually didn’t find each individual piece very memorable in itself.

Strawberry in four ways: salad, sorbet, tart, and mousse

Strawberry salad

Despite the somewhat disappointing desserts, I was happy with the dishes at Maison Pourcel. Maison Pourcel is currently offering a more affordable tasting menu at 488 RMB (four courses plus a glass of wine), or, if you feeling especially indulgent, try the 988 RMB tasting menu (ten courses, no wine). See menu here.

Maison Pourcel

After dinner, we were given a tour of the Studio Bar on the 6th floor, which houses a French tapas bar, private rooms, a balcony, and a wine room with over 3000 bottles of wine. For those interested in trying Maison Pourcel without breaking the bank, the Studio Bar offers lunch and casual tapas that cost less than 300 RMB/person, but I imagine the experience to be quite different from dining at La Table.

Private room

Wine cellar

Outdoor patio

Lastly, for those interested in the art of cooking, try one of executive chef Christophe Lerouy’s cooking classes, which is offered twice a month with changing themes. I’m especially interested in the July lessons on different ways for doughs (raviolis, lasagnes, cannellonis and tagliatelles), and also the August lessons for sunny Provence cooking. See full schedule here.

Maison Pourcel