Mr. & Mrs. Bund

Mr & Mrs Bund, a self-proclaimed “Modern Eatery” by Paul Pairet, is located at 18 on the Bund, an architecturally elegant building right on the Huangpu River, overlooking the skyline on the Pudong side of Shanghai. The elevator shaft had a very cool bicycle art display (see pictures below) and each floor of the building had a different venue to chose from – restaurants, bars, clubs, etc. We got off on the sixth floor for the restaurant and were met with old French-style double doors – one side painted a bright red, and one a neon green. The restaurant décor is furnished in a modern red, green and black theme with a very cool vibe. The amuse-bouche quickly arrived at our table – a can of homemade tuna mousse served with crispy French bread, and a basket of fresh bread on the side. The mousse was light and elegant. The massive wine-list was presented on an iPad, with great detail and organization. We even had wine cards to go around, taste different wines, and choose our selection. I started with a cocktail instead, called a Fizzy Forte Rita (tequila, Grand Marnier, Lavender Citrus Infuser), which I didn’t really enjoy. Instead, I opted for a Shanghai Mojito (Rum, Lychee, Lime and Lemongrass). The menu was one of the most extensive I have ever seen. A huge booklet, with highlights on the first few pages (called a “Rookie Menu”), followed by pages and pages of everything you could imagine broken down by food groups – meat, chicken, poultry, vegetables, seafood, etc. in a variety of preparations. The dessert section alone had 47 options!!!

 View from the restaurant 

 Fizzy Forte Rita (not a fan)

modern & bright chairs

 Wine & Bar Selection

Tasty Shanghai Mojito

The kitchen had orange panels for us to peak in

We started with an Arugula Mushroom Truffle Salad (Arugula, Soy Dressing, Truffle & Paris Mushrooms, Parmigiano Flakes) and a Dauphinois Prosciutto Truffle Brie (Creamy Sliced Potato Gratin, Prosciutto Crudo Di Parma, Truffles & Brie Cheese).

The scent of the truffle was so appetizing as the waiter tossed the salad at our table. We loved it so much we ended up ordering a second one to enjoy with our main course – Turbot Meuniere for two. This fish was nice and tender but lacking in flavor when compared to my black cod at M1NT the night before.

We finished our meal with a chocolate nut tart that had three perfect layers – a thin chocolate crust at the bottom, a cakey layer in the middle, and a crispy sugar to top it off; Served with a side of toffee ice cream.

We were warned before attending that this place was expensive, so we had an idea of what to expect. I would actually say that the menu does include several mid-range options if you don’t want to spend a fortune. More shocking to us was the price of the drinks. Even the price of a Coca-Cola here was shockingly expensive! Exactly half of our bill was spent on drinks – so diners be warned!

We went to their top floor bar at the end of the night, called Bar Rouge, which had this awesome view. The night was chilly but I could definitely envision an enjoyable night on their deck on a summer evening.

Dad

I am going to take a break from talking about all the wonderful food I ate abroad to talk about my dad, who I was blessed to have join me in Vietnam & China. Anyone who knows my dad knows how full of life he is. He is always up for an adventure and having fun. He is the epitome of a person who lives his life to the fullest, and believes in the saying, “Work hard, Play hard.” I especially enjoyed watching his thirst for knowledge throughout this trip, something that I get from both him and my mom. Often our tour guides would share with us facts about their country, and he would be ready with follow-up questions to make sure he fully understood the local economy and culture, and why things are the way they are in that specific city. He didn’t let the language barrier be a deterrent. He would ask about anything from the economy to family life, expecting in-depth answers. We would even come back to the hotel after a day of sight-seeing and do some research together on what we learned. Spending these two weeks with him reiterated a few lessons that he has taught me growing up.

My dad reminded me to embrace every moment. Who knows if we will ever get a chance to go back to the places we visited, or even have another father-daughter vacation. As my countdown started to the end of my 5-week trip, I followed his lead and made the most of every day. For my dad, sleep is secondary to living life. He doesn’t mind cutting back on his sleep to stay out a little later and even squeeze in some work on the computer before another adventurous day. At M1NT in Shanghai, my dad wanted to party the night away longer than me or chef Grant did! He was enjoying meeting new people and experiencing a new atmosphere. He makes the most of any situation and I am glad I had him along with me to remind me of all the fun to be had. Another one of his qualities that shone during this trip was his love of meeting new people. It doesn’t matter where we are, he will strike up a conversation with people around us. He wants to learn from and about other people. He reminded me that who you know in life really matters, and there are a million opportunities to meet new people. Whether it was in the bar at Maison Boulud or waiting to board our plane in Hanoi, he was starting conversations. Though this isn’t in my innate nature, I am learning how to make connections with strangers and enjoy the funny and interesting conversations that arise out of nowhere.

I couldn’t have asked for a better father, friend, mentor, and someone to share the last two weeks of my trip with. Dad, I don’t have the words to describe my love and admiration for you. All I can say is thank you. Thank you for this trip, for being you, for teaching me these life lessons, and for both giving me and showing me the world. I love you.

Dumplings a la Shanghai

Din Tai Fung

After visiting both Hong Kong and mainland China, I have learned that in America what we call “Chinese” food (think PF Chang’s) is actually Cantonese food, from Hong Kong. Actual Chinese food, always served with Long Jin green tea, is centered more around a variety of dumplings and buns (with the occasional Kung Pao Chicken and noodle soup tucked in there of course). Our tour guide in Shanghai, Melody, took us to Din Tai Fung for lunch, a “fast food” chain with a Michelin one star honor as of this year.

We started with a “cold dish” of seaweed and bean curd in Vinegar Dressing followed by a Hot and Sour Soup. I unfortunately found some hair in my soup and was quickly turned off by that :-/.

Next we had two types of dumplings served in the bamboo baskets they were steamed in. One was a pork and shrimp dumpling. And my favorite was called Xiaolongbao, a Shanghai specialty. It is a pork dumpling that comes with a set of eating instructions. First they bring ginger to the table which you must soak in vinegar and soy sauce as an optional sauce. I didn’t use this sauce as the dumplings were very juicy and flavorful on their own. You take the dumpling, dip it in the sauce if you wish, and place it on a flat-bottomed spoon. Next you take a chop stick and gently poke the dumpling. The dumpling has a juicy broth that oozes out onto the spoon as you pop it straight into your mouth. It was delightful. Finally, we ended our meal with egg fried rice (a little too eggy for my taste), drinking lots of green tea throughout the meal. This chain also has a few locations in California that I know I will visit whenever I am feeling nostalgic about my Asian adventures.

 Instructions for eating the dumplings in English and Mandarin

 Ginger & Soy sauce for the dumplings

 Poking the dumpling on my spoon 

M1NT

Fresh off the plane from Hanoi, we barely made it to our reservations at M1NT, a restaurant and nightclub that has been one of the hottest nightlife destinations in China since its opening four and a half years ago. I had communicated with the chef earlier in the week to ask him a few questions that I could post here and he offered to meet us for a drink in the lounge before dinner. He came to meet us in his chef’s clothing fresh from the kitchen, wearing no shoes! He was funny and sarcastic right off the bat and we enjoyed his company until the wee hours of the night (or morning?). Grant Brundsen is originally from Great Britain, and has had stints in London (for a time he was the chef at one of my favorite Japanese restaurants, Zuma) and New Delhi. He is currently the executive chef at M1NT, and has created a wonderful Western menu with Asian accents most notably seen in the sauces (yuzu, soy, wasabi, etc) and style of preparation. His dishes are meant to be shared Asian-style, and he caters to a variety of tastes. Diners can enjoy a one-kilo steak, his new scallop dish, or a foie gras chutney – not all of which can be readily found in Chinese markets. The concept of dining he created here wasn’t available in Shanghai five years ago and it is as hip and happening a spot as you would find in Las Vegas. The meal was top-notch, with the freshness and attention to detail apparent in each dish (details below). After stuffing ourselves full, and Grant changing into normal clothing (including putting some shoes on!), we moved to the bar/lounge area. The restaurant and club has a very contemporary feel, with white, black and red accents, a marble bar, and colorful graphics of women on the wall. The view of the Bund and the city skyline was just an added bonus. The drinks didn’t stop – Espresso Martinis, Passion fruit Martinis (on fire below), The Rand (tequila, cucumber, passion fruit – refreshing & awesome), Bellinis… At about midnight the entire place was packed, with house music bumping at just the right volume to add to the seductive atmosphere but allow for light conversation. A wonderful evening from the food to the company, and an evening so memorable that I was planning my return before I even left the place. Grant, thank you for a perfect meal as well as your generous hospitality. Now for the food and Grant’s interview:

Us with chef Grant

Starters:

Angus beef carpaccio, white truffle, yuzu dressing – Truffle was a perfect addition to the thinly cut beef.

 Tuna, avocado tartare, lime wasabi dressing – came as a stack and the waitress made sure to fully mix it for us. Very fresh tuna with quite a kick from the wasabi.

Octopus terrine, pickled shallots, lime dressing – Prepared in a uniquely Japanese manner with a dressing so good, we were licking it off the plate.

Mains:

Whole grilled sea-bass, burnt tomato salsa – The marinade on this fish was great - a little peppery and very succulent. I wasn’t a fan of the tomato salsa

 Bamboo-roasted pacific black cod, grilled lime – I always love an Asian-prepared black cod. This one was so flaky and buttery, I could have had another. We also enjoyed a wok-charred asparagus with wafu dressing as our side dish.

Desserts

Tiramisu, espresso ice cream, pickled cherries – the chocolate crumble on the tiramisu really hit the spot with the mascarpone cream

White chocolate, strawberry candy – the strawberry candy popped in your mouth as you ate it (for those of you who remember Pop Rox, similar to that)

 Modern decor

 Passionfruit martinis lit on fire!

If you had to cook a meal in 30 minutes, what would you cook? Grilled seabass or similar fish seasonal salad nice and simple 

If you could dress any way you want, what would you wear in the kitchen? Polo shirt lols

Do you do the cooking at home? It is shared between me and my wife.

What would you say is your best masterpiece in the kitchen? Miso marinated black cod, Korean spiced lamb cutlets with pickled cabbage, seared foie grass with mango chutney

As an executive chef, what is your management style? Pretty calm and firm. There is a time to get your head down and get the job done and a time to have some fun also, which is what it’s all about.

What is your favorite food/cuisine to eat? I love Japanese food and traditional British food

How involved are you in the beverage aspect? I do love my wine and my cocktails. I can attest to this after spending an evening with him ;-). I would say I am fairly involved

What is your go-to comfort food? Has to be a good pork pie or  Cornish pasties

If you were to die tomorrow, what would be your last meal? Good grilled sardines, a steak, and a big bowl of ice cream

What do you cook at home that you never cook at the restaurant? We cook a lot of broths, lasagna because of the kids  (He has two adorable daughters under the age of five)

Where do you go to eat when you want a good meal? Unico on the bund here in Shanghai; Back home (London) too many to mention - Maze, Zuma, St. John etc etc etc 

In your restaurant, who would be your ideal diner? Good question! I have cooked for many many guests over the years but for me, it’s the regulars which keep coming back time and time again. It has to mean we are doing something right J

Home Sweet Home

Following a week in China with limited Internet access due to all the governmental restrictions, and a nearly 24 hour journey, I'm home! Now that I'm unpacked and settled in, I can start to relax and reflect on all my adventures. I will be using the coming weeks to catch up on posts that I couldn't post in China since I didn't have access to the blog. I'm so thankful to have had this amazing opportunity and to be back in San Diego safe and sound.

"No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home, and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow."

Bobby Chinn's Home in Hanoi

On our last night in Hanoi, we had the pleasure of visiting Bobby Chinn's Home in Hanoi. He is a "celebrity chef" with multiple TV shows, and his restaurant is a must if you are in the Vietnam area. He just opened up another in Saigon that I would love to visit. The ambience of the restaurant is very romantic, with red lanterns hanging in the entrance, rose petals everywhere from the walkways to the tables and all over the bathrooms, and red draping on the ceilings. The food is pretty modern, with Asian influences, and every dish was superb. The main courses were especially wonderful, and my favorite appetizer was the duck confit salad. The service was top-notch and his personality came through in the quirky accents on the menu.

Entrance & Walkway

 The menu came with a magnifying glass and light!

 Silly first page of the drink menu - 10 Stages of Drunkenness

 Draped Ceiling and Walls

 Drink special of the night - Sangria

 Compliments of the chef - grapes (massive) coated with goat cheese and pistachios

 Squid "Fettucine" with wasabi cream

 Duck Confit Salad (my favorite starter) and Moroccan Beet Salad

 Giant (and I mean giant) prawns with curried vegetables and coconut sticky rice

Blackened Barramundi with Banana blossoms

 "I'm on a Diet"