It was a cold and rainy evening in early March, winter was still in the air in Shanghai. I put on my iPod earphones to keep my ears warm and headed out to the Bund at near freezing temperatures. Ten minutes of brisk walking later, I was standing in front of Three On The Bund.
The last time I had dined here was at least three years ago, also on a rainy night like this, sitting by the window of the cozy bar at Jean Georges, watching the lightning show brighten up the stormy Shanghai skyline. And the time before that was during my dad's birthday dinner celebration back in 2006.
Even though Jean Georges has changed much over the last few years, the restaurant has still retained a refined and cosy atmosphere that was rife with French sophistication. But gone were the beautiful ladies working the bar section in cheong sams, who, only a few years back, set the standard for sullty sex appeal on the Bund strip. Alas, there were only three waiters serving the room tonight, and only 3 tables taken up. Must be a slow Saturday night for this venerable institution of French culinary excellence. The fine dining room appeared to be buzzing with activity, but I was here for some quiet reminiscing and nostalgia, so I picked the same table I had sat in three years ago and ordered a cocktail.
The prix fixe menu looked attractive at 250RMB, so I settled for that and selected my courses. Service seemed a bit slow that night, but I was in no hurry to leave. The waiter kept offering me their warm raisin bread, which was delightful. My first course finally arrived after a long wait - Wild Mushroom Soup, Parmesan, Chili and Thyme. The mushroom broth was full flavored, very tasty and the thyme was a nice herby contrast to the parmesan, and the chili slices added a bit of kick to the clear soup. Next up, I had the Slowly Cooked Salmon, Red Cabbage, Parsnips and Horseradish. Salmon always tasted wonderful when they're competently cooked - juicy, flaky and with a rich unique buttery flavor. The red cabbage was sweet and tart, while the parsnips was a little crunchy and contrasted well with the other ingredients, and created a very well balanced taste. For dessert, I picked the JG chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream. This was their signature dessert that have been winning rave reviews over the past few years. I was heartened to find out that this was still the best chocolate cake in this part of Shanghai. A lot of restaurants try their hand at creating this dessert, but few can get the serving temperature perfect, and the chocolate cake texture to a consistency close to pudding, yet still remaining a cake.
While Jean Georges still serves up classy, delectable French cuisine, the restaurant is starting to show its age in the worn out armchairs, frayed curtains and as well as some of the fixtures around the room. The dimly lit bar still retains a Parisian air of sophistication and dignity, but perhaps it's time to kick off a complete makeover to compete with the new kids on the block like Mr& Mrs Bund. Nonetheless, Jean Georges never disappoints when it comes to excellent French cuisine.
Jean Georges is located at Three On The Bund, 4/F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Shanghai.
Tel: +86-6321-7733
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