Well, this is surprising news. Chef Alvin Leung of Hong Kong's three-Michelin-starred 'X-treme Chinese' restaurant, Bo Innovation, is opening – well, actually already has pretty much opened – a Shanghai outpost.
Did anyone know that? Where was all the fanfare? Shanghai's a town that likes loves to shout about Michelin this and that – especially with the Guide coming to Shanghai this year – but Leung and his crew seem to have pulled a fast one and just, well, opened.
Leung is, in fact, opening two venues: Daimon Bistro (pictured above) and Bo Shanghai. Named for his self-appointed moniker as the 'The Demon Chef' (with double meaning as, in Greek mythology, a 'daimon' is a benevolent spirit) and inspired by Kowloon Walled City, the bistro will be a casual joint, serving Cantonese dishes with a focus on cocktails. The idea is that it'll be open until 2am, 'a nice place for pre-drink and the first round of party' said a representative. A 'first round of party' at 2am sounds alright to us.
Hidden behind Daimon Bistro is Leung's speakeasy-style, 26-seater fine-dining spot, Bo Shanghai. Unlike the bistro, the restaurant requires advance booking and the café maître d' needs to lead you there, pressing whatever secret buttons the sliding wall requires. If there's anything Shanghai loves as much as a Michelin star, it's a speakeasy, so you've got us figured out, Alvin.
As with Bo Innovation in Hong Kong, Bo Shanghai is serving a tasting menu only – comprised of roughly 12 course and priced at 1,500RMB, plus 10 percent service, per person. It's a touch cheaper than Innovation, but still some serious dough.
Instead of a Hong Kong knock-off, Bo Shanghai will have its completely own menu, outside of Leung's signature molecular xiaolongbao – which really is just finally coming home, if you ask us. The new menu 'combines the spirit of the traditional eight silos of Chinese cuisine with Alvin’s innovative and personal touch'.
What that looks like in practice is a menu of courses each inspired by a regional cuisine. On the preliminary menu we sneaked a peek of there is everything from zongzi with black truffle, salted duck egg and ham (categorised as 'Guangdong') to duck foie with fresh Sichuan pepper, duck kidney confit, pickled duck tongue and lavender jelly ('Sichuan'). Who knows what that list of ingredients will look like on the plate, but Mr Demon Chef, we'll trust ya.
Bo Shanghai is already in soft-opening for friends and family, and while an exact opening date for the general public hasn't yet been confirmed, we expect it'll be just around the corner. Leung will be in town this weekend and, if everything's up to snuff, they'll be announcing Bo's full launch. Daimon Bistro's opening date is yet to be determined.
Oh and if you don't know what The Demon Chef in all his pensive, blue-tinted glasses glory looks like, here you are:
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