Mr & Mrs Bund is the alter-ego of Paul Pairet. It’s been dubbed as Alternative French cuisine as Chef Pairet moves away from classic French presentations and traditions. The restaurant sits on the Bund with a view of the Huangpu River and the Shanghai skyline. Here are Mr And Mrs Bund’s awards:
- #43 on the 2013 World’s Best Restaurant
- #16 on the 2015 Asia’s Best Restaurant
- #26 on the 2014 Asia’s Best Restaurant
- #40 on the 2013 Asia’s Best Restaurant
Mr & Mrs Bund provides a very casual dining environment in a large banquet style dining room. The large room has a very old Victoria feel to it and the chairs are lined with velvet as waiters/waitresses serve you in jeans and a pair of Converse. The casual vibe is a lot more welcoming than his avant-garde theatrics at Ultraviolet costing diners close to 1,000 USD for the experience. Yes, you read that right. 1,000 USD.
However, Mr & Mrs Bund provides a creative and contemporary dining experience with close to 200 items on the menu. The internationally dishes draws from classic French to American influence with ingredients from Spain to Australia. There are several items consisting of Australian Wagyu and Joselito Iberico.
The service was wonderful. The wait staff was extremely bubbling, spoke near perfect English and very helpful during the whole experience. In addition, they were very knowledgeable about the ingredients and preparation of the dishes. Each course was fully explained in detail with instructions on how to eat it.
Now, the food.
- Iberico De Bellota “Joselito” – The finest Spanish Iberico aged ham in the world that’s 100% acorn fed. The particular breed has been aged since 2010. I fell in love with Joselito Iberico when I was in Spain and dined at Tickets Bar. It’s definitely the finest Iberico in the world and the Kobe Beef of ham. The perfect umami flavor on your palate. It’s salty, fatty and robust in flavor. The texture is firm and chewy yet it falls apart easily as you chew away to palate bliss.
Iberico Joselito - Bone Marrow – The smoked beef bone marrow was served with ceps, parsley, and jerez vinegar. The presentation was wonderful as they laid it on a black slate to resemble breadcrumbs in a forest. The ceps (i.e., mushrooms) had a very earthy flavor to it and the onions gave it a very sharp taste. The parsley balanced out the buttery texture of the bone marrow very well. The dish was very rich.
Bone Marrow - Jumbo Shrimp – Steamed jumbo shrimp served in a glass jar with citrus, lemon grass and vanilla. When I opened the jar, the aroma of the citrus consumed my nostrils along with the warm milkiness of the vanilla. The shrimp itself was a bit overcooked and dry. It didn’t have the bite to it and the sauce didn’t help recover it being overcooked. The dish reminded me of Spring time with its citrus ingredients and the vanilla acting as sunshine to bring the warm feeling of the sun.
Shrimp in a jar - Chicken Nuggets – The American classic food served at many fast food restaurants in the United States. Mr & Mrs Bund takes it up a notch by using pieces of chicken thighs breaded to a golden color. The salt & pepper fried chicken come out piping hot and served with wasabi mayo for a dipping sauce. It laid in a bowl of onions and parsley to balance out the deep fried flavors of the chicken nuggets. It was a good translation of an American classic.
Chicken Nuggets
Overall, Mr & Mrs Bund provided a great dining experience in a classy Victorian inspired dining room. The classy environment didn’t come with a stuffy atmosphere as the restaurant was lively and casual. In addition, Mr & Mrs Bund had amazing views of Shanghai like how Port Campbell had amazing view of nature.
Check out our other Shanghai articles here.
- Service - 8/108/10
- Presentation - 7.5/107.5/10
- Flavors - 7/107/10
- Decor - 8/108/10
- Ambiance - 7.5/107.5/10
Summary
Mr & Mrs Bund provided a great dining experience in a classy Victorian inspired dining room. The classy environment didn’t come with a stuffy atmosphere as the restaurant was lively with music blaring from the speakers and the wait staff in jeans and Converse. With close to 200 items on the menu, there is something for everyone.
