M on Bund - Shanghai
 

There have been a number of positive FlyerTalk reviews on the wildly popular M on Bund fusion restaurant in Shanghai over the past year and having just arrived in PVG, I was looking forward to having lunch or dinner at Michelle Garnaut's restaurant, as I've read a number of reviews over the past few years about the wonderful North African meets Mediterranean food offered here.

As we settled into our hotel room and checking my area map, I realized that the restaurant was just 2 blocks away from my hotel, the Westin, I was really getting excitied. I started to thumb through the complimentary issue of The Asian Wall Street Journal and noticed that the "Personal Journal" section had an entire series titled "Fare to Remember", which lasted 3 1/2 years and covered 24 Asian cities, however, this particular article, which was the closing story for the series, was about the worst meals that the two reviewers had ever had.

Front page: M on Bund.

Everyone should try a place out, regardless of what a reviewer might write, we all have different tastes, however, since I'm only here for 5 full days, I'm limited to a total of 5 dinners and 5-10 lunches, assuming that I dine at a restaurant or nosh here and there at food stalls. I want these meals to be memorable, I actually get quite disappointed when I have a bad meal and while I will be the first one to argue in favor of trying a restaurant regardless of what a reviewer said, I'm really leaning towards skipping this restaurant now, as I don't want to waste a precious meal.

Were the other positive reviews tainted by the fantastic Shanghai skyline views overlooking the Bund and the Huangpu River and the diners wanted the meal to be great even though it was mediocre? Perhaps they justified the bland food as being good because of the price? I don't know, but the reviewer in the article slammed this restaurant while Conde Nast Traveler magazine called M on Bund "Shanghai's top dining experience". He even went as far to say that they push liquor sales so hard so that "the more you drink, the less attention you'll pay to the food".

So, would you skip this place or give it a try?

imo, m is ok. i don't eat there, but their mid-range champagne prices are ok enough.

new heights, at 3 on the bund, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired.

all that said, bar rouge at bund 18 is the current hip spot; eat somewhere else, but try to get there before 10.

Someone PMed me about M on the Bund a couple of weeks ago. Here's my reply:

"Menu is almost exactly the same as M at the Fringe in Hong Kong. Food is good, but not spectacular. Some menu items sing (at least to me), like the lamb and the suckling pig (if available). Both restaurants are full of ex-pats and Western tourists; I think maybe only one or two Asian couples in Shanghai, none in Hong Kong. I like the Hong Kong venue much better; it's funkier and the Aussie host is a real hoot. But the view over the Bund is great. Enjoy!"

And I'll add: We had a very good meal when we were there. There was absolutely no pressure to consume a lot of alcohol, so not sure where that comment is coming from. Check if there are any events going on around lunch time and do that if you don't want to drop the dollars. They host all sorts of musical events, talks, etc. But then you miss the view at night.

I pretty much agree with the WSJ review -- and I have personal reasons for really wanting to like it there, but I think the food is way below average (border line bad). I had the suckling pig and it was very dry and though -- sorry. If you are looking to buy an experience in glamorous surroundings and you don’t care about the food go for it, but if you are looking for quality dining, Skip it.

That said it is one of my favorite places to go for a late night drink -- out on the patio -- just be sure to eat somewhere else.

I've only had the suckling pig at M at the Fringe in Hong Kong and it was superb--tender and juicy. The lamb I had at M on the Bund was excellent. My son had some sort of tuna dish (can't recall the details) that he enjoyed.

A lot of high-end restaurants seem to get widely-divergent reviews. La Pergola in the Hilton Cavalieri comes to mind; ate there once, big bucks, never again. Others rave about it. I currently have a reservation at the 3 Michelin star Comme Chez Soi in Brussels that I may or may not cancel. Half the reviews I've read say it's fabulous, while the other half think food and sevice are nothing special--and of course it is very pricey.

De gustibus non est disputandum. ;)

We went there for dinner and enjoyed it but I can't remember what exactly we ate. I had fish of some sort I think.

However I do remember that I only had mineral water to drink and my husband had only one glass of wine. There was absolutely no pressure to drink anything more.

A group of us ate there at the Shanghai DO in Februaryfor brunch.

We were offered 3 dishes and I had the roast pig which was quite good. Other two offerings were Eggs Benedict/Florentine & Pumpkin Pesto and Pine Nut Risotto which my sample taste from Jerrie's plate was also very good. The highlight of a meal for me which is different for a great number of other posters in this forum is desert and although it is not the same quality as the same as you and I had at the last meal where we sat at the same table, M is not Masa's, it was quite satisfactory. (offerings included M very famous pavlova, warm apricot and blackberry crostata or chocolate expresso torte)

One of the things about having a meal with about 15 other FTers is that sometimes whom you are having the meal with overwhelms the meal itself. This was not the case for me. To quote GK (who just might be part hobbitt when it come to eating) the brunch was 'yummy'. And he posted his quote after he crossed the river to have high tea at the shangrila and then recrossed the river to have canapes at the lounge at the westin before dinner that evening. :eek:

Not sure what other meals you have lined up but overall do not think you will be disappointed by M's offering even if the meal is the only reason to go. Our menu follows:

T8
 

Just lunched at T8 in the Xintiandi District, fantastic meal. This of course was only after we nibbled on Dim Sum earlier in the day.

My most unfavourite restaurant, T8. We had a totally bad experience here - wrong food, badly cooked, poor service, attitude.....

QED. ;)

LOL!

Yes, as I mentioned in my original post, we should each, regardless of reviewers comments and tastes, give these restaurants a try as we all have different opinions and expectations. Perhaps I'll be heading over to M on Bund afterall on this trip, though the dim sum offerings are very difficult to pass up.

Lunched at Whampoa Club at Three on The Bund today and had dinner at Sens & Bund. Whampoa was delish while Sens & Bund was tasty.

Is Club Jin Mao in Grand Hyatt in Pudong on your agenda? Food was very good and view is spectacular (assuming smog is not bad).

Couple quotes from Zagat's Shanghai Restaurants: "excellent", "creative" Shanghainese and Pan-Chinese cusine and service "that can't be beat".

Of course someone will probably chime in with a remark about what a dump it is.
:D

Today's Food Agenda
 

Actually, we were planning on having lunch at Jean-Georges and dinner at Shanghai Uncle today. Shanghai Uncle has received so-so reviews, but I don't want to overwhelm our meal itinerary with too much French food, as this quality of food I can have at home, but I still wanted to try Sens and Bund yesterday and Jean-Georges today. We only have a couple more days left here in Shanghai and have not decided on a dinner restaurant for Friday, so perhaps we will go with your recommendation, thank you.

I agree 100%!! Dined there in May. My wife had the suckling pig and it was very dry, tasteless, and tough. Skin was not crisp at all, just rubbery. I had the leg of lamb and it was also dry and tasteless. The accompanying sauce couldn't save it at all. We got there after 8:30 PM so maybe the meats were in the oven too long so they got dry. Wouldn't try the place again for the food!