Just a brief introduction, Restaurant Week is a cool concept of introducing up class restaurants with an affordable menu, compared to their regular menu.
Initially we wanted to go for Jean Georges but it was fully booked a few days after reservations open.
One fine day I decided to revisit the reservation website again and found a few slots opened up so we were up for a Tuesday dinner.
Nougatine was at 3 on the Bund, opposite M on the bund. A restaurant with dim light, even at the restrooms, the atmosphere were nice and cosy.
We were sitted by the side of the restaurant with a view of M on the bund,not facing the river.
The waiters carefully placed our fork and knife on our tables with a slab of butter. We were wondering what the butter was for without bread.
Our appetisers came first, Foie Gras Brûlé, Cherry-Yuzu Compote and Crispy Crab Beignets, Black Pepper Sauce and Pear Salad.
Foie Gras was quite good, melts in your month and I particularly love the Cherry-Yuzu compote which is full of flavours and the cherry tasted of a few months of soaking in Yuzu juice. The cripsy crab beignets were too small and forgetable.
The waiter then carried a basket of bread for us to choose from so we took sour dough and rasin and walnut bread. I love the way its bite-size, just enough for one person as compared to a whole bread (Mr. and Mrs. Bund). Both were absolutely delicious. When my friend tore the Sour Dough into half, the cracking of the shell of the bread so perfectly reflected the crispy outside and soft chewy inside of the bread with a hint of warm moisture in the air. Listening to that sound can make me so satisfied. I took a bit of butter with my warm raisin walnut bread. The raisins were not from those sunrise packet of raisin but it was so full and juicy. The lightly toasted walnut complemented the raisins with a crunchy bite. It was probably the best raisin walnut bread I've ever had.
The sour dough didn't fall behind too, paired with butter - sweet, salty, sour all in one bread.
Eating bread was good enough for this meal. But it wasn't the end!
Carmelised Onion soup was next. Dipped with melted cheese breadstick, it was just alright, not as good as we've expected it to be.
The patron at table right beside us had a cod fish. Being a lover of fish and not having good ocean fish for a while, I quickly changed my main to cod fish. Another added point for the restaurant for being able to adapt to my order change promptly.
Grilled Beef Striploin, 11 Flavor Condiment, Potato Purée and Herbal Spinach
The beef was medium cooked, a little bit overcooked for a few seconds (a little difference in texture for beef) I've had china beef for a while so I was so relieved having good quality imported grass-fed beef. The flavour of the steak proved to be grass-fed, but I can't tell which part of the cow it was. The best steak I had was Morton's in San Francisco, nothing could beat that but this was very close. The steak was seated in a bed of spinach and mashed potato by the side.
Slowly Cooked Cod with Aromatic Black Beans and Truffle Juice
The cod fish was well cooked, soft tender, just the right texture for the fish. Fish is one of the more difficult things to cook because of its exact timing - too short, raw; too long, too hard. The essence is beneath the fish, a sea of black beans with truffle juice. Like lemon to oysters, it perfectly complimented the cod fish. I particularly liked the bits of avocado.
Desserts were the famous Jean Georges Molten Cake with vanilla ice cream, which was kind of average. The best was, again, at Morton's, the heavenly molten chocolate cake which was the unbeatable best dessert I've ever had.
The waiter offered us coffee or tea after the meal but we were too full to take in anything. My friend asked for the regular menu and it was at least 800rmb so it was a real steal in restaurant week!
The service is excellent, the waiters were very attentive and professional. Water was filled regularly and our glasses were never empty. When a waitress broke a wine glass near our table, they offered to change our plates and water because there might be bits of broken glass. They even managed to change my main course one course before it was served.
I've planned to go for one more before the week ends!
