Bistro 321 impresses with authentic French cuisine
Print Edition
BISTRO 321 Le Bec has been offering high-quality, home-style fare since its opening on the leafy Xinhua Road two years ago. The arrival of this authentic French bistro marked the first high-end European restaurant on this villa-lined street, attracting Shanghai foodies to fill up the tiny yet cozy dining room almost every evening.
The gorgeous colonial garden villa itself is a main attraction. The outdoor area facing the street is beautifully arranged with green colored tables and chairs where people love to wine and dine in spring and autumn. The cozy interior is decked out with a rustic look, with jars of specialties and daily desserts on display.
Michelin-starred chef Nicolas le Bec from gastronomic city Lyon is the man behind the dining concept. He aims to stay true to the authentic home-style bistro French dishes at Le Bec.
On a recent winter evening, I had a craving for some hearty French dishes as this season is the best time to stock up on carbohydrates.
At the heart-warming bistro, I started off my dinner with some of the best sellers at Bistro 321 – Les Pots Sales.
There are seven kinds of jars available with different fillings; from marinated and smoked salmon, lemon leaf bistro style to five spices pork and duck rillettes (priced each from 110 to 280 yuan/US$15.90 to US$40.46). I picked avocado guacamole, tuna flakes with coriander and tomato (125 yuan) as well as the smoked soft herring Parisian bistro style (125 yuan).
As lovely as they’re presented, the tastes are equally impressive and genuine.
I was especially satisfied with the smoked herring as its rarely found in Shanghai.
A huge fan of herring, I enjoyed every bite paired with a glass of Pinot Blanc from the Alsace region.
Following the appetizers, I picked crispy frog legs (220 yuan/eight pieces) from the menu page “Les Incontournables,” which has some authentic dishes you don’t want to miss. The frog legs traditionally associated with France were perfectly done and looked inviting indeed: so delicious, crispy and tender.
The menu is expansive with mostly classic dishes you’d expect in a French bistro. A regular would not easily get bored as the choices are plenty. The wine list is largely French as well, with options from Alsace, Loire to Burgundy.
Bistro 321 gets it right almost down to the last crumb. The appealing desserts on display are superb, too.
VILLA LE BEC
Opening hours: 6pm-midnight (Tuesday); 12am-midnight (Wednesday-Sunday)
Average price: 350 yuan
Address: 321 Xinhua Rd
Tel: 6241-9100
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