[Shanghai] Terroir Parisien

Terroir Parisien

Add: 1/F Raffles City Changning, 1195 Chang Ning Road, Shanghai 长宁路1195号长宁来福士广场1楼
Tel: +86 (21) 6088 1677
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30-22:00, Sat-Sun 11:30-23:00
Price: [lunch] 128 / 2-course, 158 / 3-course; [dinner] 350-600
Visited: December 2017
Will return: Yes

Yet another big-name French chef has landed in Shanghai. Yannick Alléno, whose restaurants Pavillon Ledoyen in Paris and Le 1947 in Courchevel both hold three Michelin stars, has brought his casual bistro concept Terroir Parisien to Shanghai, after an eponymous restaurant debuted in Hong Kong in September.

Although it sits in the sprawling complex of Raffles City Changning, Terroir Parisien doesn’t feel like your typical mall restaurant. The restaurant occupies a small, two-story brick mansion. The first floor serves mostly as a bar. The spacious dining area on the second floor is decorated in warm, earthy tones, but on a quiet night the room can feel a little too sparse and generic. Luckily, an expansive set of windows on one side shows off the bustling activity in the kitchen and provides some visual interest.

Unlike the refined creations at Mr. Alleno’s Michelin-starred establishments, Terroir Parisien’s menu is a collection of Parisian bistro classics, from rillettes and terrines to steaks and stews. The French charcuteries platter is a good way to explore their excellent cold cuts, all made in house. Our favorites include a beautiful mosaic of pig snout terrine packed with flavors, rich, sumptuous country pâté, fragrant chicken rillette, and delicate Parisian ham. The small jar of house-made pickles on the side is a wonderful and necessary accompaniment.

French charcuteries (248)

An unexpected standout is the butternut squash velouté, whose sweetness is enriched with hazelnut cream. A handful of chopped hazelnuts adds texture to the velvety soup.

Butternut squash velouté and hazelnut cream (68)

A fillet of expertly grilled mackerel is made vibrant by a tangy mustard dressing with a gentle underpinning of tarragon, while florets of pickled cauliflower and romanesco bring the dish alive with their brightness and crunch. In comparison, the steamed sea bass, offered as a main course, is somewhat one-dimensional. The vinaigrette charcutière is too timid to get its voice across over the sweet potato purée, but the fried potato strings on top are a nice touch.

Grilled line-caught mackerel with cauliflower, tarragon and mustard vinaigrette (98)

Steamed sea bass with sweet potato purée, vinaigrette charcutière (208)

A Parisian bistro wouldn’t be complete without steak. Terroir Parisien offers two. The ribeye is served with a Béarnaise that crackles with black pepper, and the fillet comes with a classic “Café de Paris” sauce. Both steaks are nice, but the sides are marvelous. Green beans are sautéed to the crunchy-tender threshold, potato purée is whipped with just enough butter that the potato’s earthiness can still peek through, and the fries are as good as any we’ve had.

Pan seared Black Angus ribeye, Béarnaise sauce and French fries (388)

Beef tenderloin “Café de Paris” with green beans and potatoes purée (488)

Other mains include a hearty chicken thigh fricassée. The chicken could be just a little more moist, but the sauce impresses with its wonderfully well-rounded depth. The accompanying puffs of Dauphine potatoes are fried to golden perfection but sadly in need of seasoning.

Chicken thigh fricassée with baby carrots, Dauphine potatoes (158)

Dessert is where Terroir Parisien shines. The Saint Honoré comes to the table in a veritable tower of chantilly cream flecked with vanilla seeds, sitting on a fragrant orange-flavored crème chiboust and topped with caramel-dipped choux puffs. The French toast ticks all the right boxes. The warm, soft brioche center is encased in crunchy caramel, served with house-made vanilla ice-cream for a delicious contrast in temperatures, and comes very close to Mr & Mrs Bund’s version, which remains our favorite in Shanghai.

Saint Honoré (78)

Brioche French toast with vanilla ice cream (78)

Not quite so classic but just as delicious is the “frozen lemon”, filled with icy lemon sorbet, lemon marmalade, mint caramel, lemongrass jelly, and whipped cream. We love that we can taste every single component in each bite.

“Frozen lemon” with lemon marmalade, mint caramel, and lemongrass jelly (88)

Terroir Parisien is a generous and approachable celebration of appetite, with an abundance of well-executed bistro classics. For lunch, a weekly changing set menu is offered alongside the regular menu, very reasonably priced at RMB128 for two courses and RMB158 for three. Service is just as warm and unpretentious as the food, making this a nice choice for a casual lunch or a relaxed dinner.