The Bottom Line
- A delicious take on classic French cuisine with a hint of China.
- Downstairs ideal for a business lunch or a romantic dinner.
- Chef Quek available to entertain corporate clients upstairs with a live cooking demo.
- Can't decide what to have for dinner? Ask your waiter to give you a tasting menu.
- This is French with a Chinese twist (not really a "con", more a warning...)
Description
- Le Platane
- Address: 373 Huangpi Nan Road, near Xingye Road
- Telephone: +86 21 5383 2998 (reservations recommended)
- Email: reservations@leplatane.com
- Opening hours: daily 11:30am-2:30pm for lunch, 5:30-10:30pm (11:30 on weekends) for dinner
Guide Review - Le Platane Restaurant Review
I didn't know much about Mr. Quek before lunch but I was quickly educated by attentive and helpful staff. Having been trained in some of France's top kitchens, he returned to Singapore to become the personal chef of the French embassy there. Moving on to open his own restaurants, first in Taipei and now in Shanghai, he has created a signature gourmet menu. Le Platane's cuisine is indubitably French, but he has added some wonderful touches of the best of Chinese cuisine to create some truly exceptional dishes.
A case in point: our first course on the lunch tasting menu was truffle-infused foie gras xiaolongbao. As a self-proclaimed xiaolongbao connoisseur, I was doubtful. But the classic Shanghai dish was delightful with just a hint of foie gras not overpowering the rest of the flavors. Next came a light tagliatelle tossed with crab meat and tarragon. The main course was a taste of Mr. Quek's signature roasted crackling suckling pig coupled with a small cut of sirloin steak cooked to perfection. Our tasting ended with an apple tart that was crisp and not overly sweet.
Named for the French platane trees that were brought over in the 1920s, Le Platane is housed in one of the renovated shikumen houses that make up the dining and entertainment area Xintiandi. The brasserie is downstairs, but inquire to see the exquisitely outfitted upstairs for private events. Organize a cocktail party on their private terrace or dinner for the bosses with Chef Quek himself in the kitchen.
