Maison Lameloise

French fare does exceptionally well in Shanghai, which is home to a high number of French expats as well as Chinese Francophiles, who revere and romanticise anything and everything to do with the culture. For this reason, few blinked an eye when Maison Lameloise, Eric Pras' 5-Michelin-star temple to gastronomy in Burgundy, announced its first Asian outpost in China’s most populous city in 2018. Perched on the 68th floor of the Shanghai Tower, the space is a foodfluencer’s wet dream, what with its floor-to-ceiling windows and bird’s-eye view of Shanghai's scintillating skyline.

2024 marks Maison Lameloise Shanghai’s 5th consecutive year maintaining the 1 Michelin star that it earned in 2020, and our recent visit made us see why. From the four toothsome bites that mark the start of the meal to the final mignardises (bite-sized desserts) served with strong espresso at the end, every morsel was perfectly orchestrated, every component carefully considered.

While my plus one was full of praise for the unctuous savoy cabbage caillette (a kind of French meatball) accompanying the ‘Sunflower Chicken,’ some standouts for me include the vibrant ‘Sichuan Salmon’ (sourced from a fish farmer called Ari, said Klein) served in a beetroot sauce more vibrant than the set of Barbie, and the wine pairings, oh the wine pairings… The house fortified wine, in particular, cannot be missed, and I mean this in a literal sense — the inky liquid is proudly put on display in a hand-painted vessel at the very front of the restaurant.

“It’s a 1985 Maury (fortified wine from Languedoc) made of 100% Grenache. In mainland China, no one has it but us,” commented restaurant director Kevin Chatain, one Maison Lameloise’s frontmen.

The other face of the restaurant, Chef de Cuisine Yann Klein makes it a point to check in on customers, share the provenance of his produce and, when called for it, pose for pictures with tables of tai tais with the patience of Buddha.

My final take on Maison Lameloise: It’s a place that makes you realise what’s been missing all your life, be it a bread butler, a personal sommelier or both, and to treasure them while they’re at your disposal for three tranquil hours.