M ON THE BUND
7F, No5 The Bund
Shanghai 200002
The Peoples Republic of China
W www.m–onthebund.com
E reservations@m-onthebund.com
T +86 21 6350 9988
F +86 21 6322 0099
OPEN Lunch and dinner 7 days 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and 6.00 pm to 10.30 pm respectively, Bunch Saturday and Sunday 11.30 am to 3.00 pm, Afternoon tea Sundays 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm

FOOD Michelle Garnaut is the darling of the Shanghai dining for good reason. She arrived before anyone else, took all the risks and basically single handedly put Shanghai back on the map. At M on the Bund and her more recent Glamour Room (on the fifth floor of the same building) she captures the essence of style and luxury in Shanghai. Garnaut has a talent to combine exquisite old architecture and antiques with quirky and dramatic touches that take full advantage of their divine casement windows and stunning views.
General manager Bruno van der Burg and restaurant manager Marcus Ford have an eye for detail. Well trained long–term local staff, very good international wine list and a raft of interesting events driven by Garnaut’s personal interest in the arts and theatre have always meant the restaurant reeked with style, but the food never quite met the experience. The leap in quality of cooking since Australian chef Hamish Pollitt took control of the kitchen is very obvious. M on the Bund is no longer just a destination, it is a dining destination. Hamish Pollitt’s cooking is clearly driven by produce and the food he serves is no longer cluttered with garnishes designed to more to disguise the lack of skill than improve the taste. Pollitt’s food has freshness, flavour and clean elegance on the plate placing the food at M on the Bund in a tight little group of three at the top of Shanghai dining offering the total experience of food, wine, service accoutrements and location.
Truffles by Western standards are cheap and more common on menus in China. What they lack in flavour is generally made up for by the generosity of portion. The Asparagus with truffled egg was utterly gorgeous. Thick asparagus, a little crunch and taste of crispy crumbs and a perfectly fried egg with a luxurious truffle flavour the dish vanished in a flash. The Crab omelette, was yet another good example of Pollitt’s pared back cooking with a light omelette generously filled with a succulent crab, the dish embellished with a small (and properly dressed) salad of parsley and dill. The disappointment of mash can be measured by it’s colour. Yellow generally means glug or glue and white and fluffy, as it should be hard to find. The Ox cheek on potato and celeriac mash was a masterpiece. Rich but balanced with tiny onions and a sauce that whilst very rich did have a long finish that was restrained with acid.
Brunch on the weekend remains exceptional value for money and Sunday’s High Tea generous and fun. There remains no better location on a beautiful day than the terrace at ‘M’ for lunch. M on the Bund also offers a range of dining experiences and charges, some of which are exceedingly modest given the venue and the quality – if you are on a budget check out their website to see the options of set menus etc.

SPECIAL EVENTS Michaelle Garnaut is a fabulous supporter of a diverse range arts events that range from cabaret to literary conversations and meeting artists. Visit the M on the Bund website for details of special events during your stay in Shanghai. These events are not just stimulating but a great way of taking part in the art and literary conversation of Shanghai.

THE GLAMOUR ROOM is a must for pre–dinner or late night drinks. A fabulous venue and just another example of Michelle Garnaut’s brilliance.

WINE Marcus Ford has a passion for wine that is apparent in their wine list and has compiled an interesting list of old and new world wines with an excellent number of wines by the glass. French and Italian wine consumption is well– developed in the China market and there is considerable depth when it comes to back vintages that is very appealing.
As the old and new world’s of wine watch the growth of the Chinese and Indian wine industries with fear and trepidation Ford has long since stayed abreast of those developments including the first really good Chinese wine to be noted by Jancis Robinson on his list (before she favourably reviewed it). The 04 Grace Vineyards Chairman’s Reserve Cabernet, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and 04 Reserve Chardonnay are interesting examples of the future of the Chinese wine industry.
Ford’s list is full of French Champagnes, Alsatian Rieslings, Gewürtstraminers and steely French Chardonnays and this is just the start of the excitement.

OWNER — Michelle Garnaut
CHEF — Hamish Pollitt
GENERAL MANAGER — Bruno van der Burg
RESTAURANT MANAGER AND SOMMELIER — Marcus Ford