By Morgan Short
5 Dishes is a That's Shanghai series where we introduce an eatery through five of its standout plates.
When one ponders the proud culinary heritage of Quebec—that's the French ("-ish," some would say) speaking part of Canada—a few regional delicacies come to mind.
There is poutine, of course, a heart-stopping miracle that comes about from the devil-may-care, helter-skelter combination of gravy, cheese curds, and French fries.
The other time-honored Quebecois dish, proudly passed down generations, is drinking about 18 Labatt Bleus and ripping a bunch of donuts in the Super C parking lot on a snowmobile before finally launching said snowmobile from the greatest height available.
That's a big one.
Also, maple syrup. It's a thing. Oh, you better believe je me souviens.
TING interior
It is with this critical knowledge of Quebecois food and culture that we confidently approach the table at TING, a prix fixe, fine dining restaurant in Xintiandi.
The chef is from Montreal, you see, and several of the dishes in their spring set menu take inspiration from his time and upbringing in la belle province.
TING is above Xintiandi bakery VERIE
Here's the restaurant background: TING is the secretive, speakeasy-style chef's table restaurant above the VERIE bakery in Xintiandi.
From the first floor of a posh but straightforward bakery, traverse up through a dramatically darkened, club-ish staircase into a private room with horseshoe seating around an open kitchen.
The TING 'stage'
This is the stage area for a meal that is a performance, that is a journey, that is a narrative story doled out in 12 or so courses.
After opening properly eight months ago, TING are on their third menu, with each lasting a season before disappearing forever back into the creative primordial ether.
The style is molecular fine dining and then some. Oceanic plates with great, dramatic, and carefree dashes of sauce, like fwaaaf!!
The First Flower in Spring—Rose Panna Cotta, Ground Cherry Jam, Apricot Foam
Culinary foam abounds. Liquid nitrogen made not one but two appearances in the course of an evening. Someone brought out a herb garden and pruned it in front of us.
Gorgeous! Love it! The pledge. The turn. The prestige!
"Maple Taffy"—Almond & Maple Syrup Foam, Miso Cream
The chef is Frederic Jaros and his wife/handler is Wu Xinxin. They combine to present your meal, your journey, your interactive culinary theatrical production with infectious energy and disarming passion.
His background is in the kitchens in Montreal and Italy. There are some requisite Michelin stars in there, twinkling away. His recent gig in Shanghai was as Pastry Chef of Da Vittorio Shanghai.
Xinxin, with a background in finance and fine dining hospitality, gives the thing narrative shape, poise, and class and transmits the story.
Frederic Jaros & Wu Xinxin
Their mandate is what they call "Symbiosis Cuisine," a "new genre of cuisine that combines the philosophy and techniques of both savory and pastry worlds," bringing elements of the latter back to your proper dining experience.
Fair enough. Let's get in it! Here are five dishes.
Wandering in Maple Forest
Wandering the Maple Forest—Smoked Salmon, Fennel, Horseradish; Pork, Ham Stock, Balsamic Vinegar; Hazelnut Tofu, Chickpea Chip
From the front of the can of Canada's most famous maple syrup brand to your table, here's 'Wandering in Maple Forest,' evoking the process of distilling maple syrup in spring in Quebec.
A 'sugar shack' is the workshop out in the woods where people hung out and boiled sap into maple syrup. Insert B-52s reference here. The sugar shack at TING is rendered in Valrhona chocolate by the Chef.
The trees are the edible bits. They are 10-hour-marinated salmon with salt, sugar, and fennel; pork neck sous vide, served on a chip tart made with phyllo dough; and Chinese old tofu mixed with hazelnut praline, served on a chickpea chip.
This one's emblematic of the themes throughout the menu. A whimsically wintry and ethereal Quebecois scene, a combination of far-flung ingredients and techniques, and morsels that evaporate into sense memory upon contact.
Enjoy "Crepe"—Nori Crepe, Scallop, Daikon, Shiso, Sabayon
The Long Table with Checkered Joy
The Long Table with Plaid Table Cloth—Scampi, Strawberry Foam, Dashi
This one continues the journey into the sugar sack to the dining table itself, which will invariably be covered with a red and white gingham fabric tablecloth.
Not pictured: your Quebecois grandma buzzing around the table in her apron, her hair tinted a deep, glorious, and timeless shade of magenta red.
Scampi is slow-cooked with dashi stock and strawberry juice. With the complex sauce, there are three different techniques (sauce, gelatin, and foam) to give multiple layers of texture.
Delish!
Boiling Maple Water
More maple syrup references. Did we mention that Quebec has the best maple syrup in the world? If anyone from Vermont tries to argue, you can tell them where to go: back to Vermont riding a wave of retaliatory tariffs.
Boiling Maple Water—Clams Ravioli, Fava Bean, Caviar Superior Oscietra
This is clam ravioli, fava bean, fish stock foam, and Superior Oscietra caviar with applewood smoke. The dish itself evokes the Quebecois spring terrain after the steam of the sugar stack clears.
Soil, foliage, and flowers. Very creative!
"Grands-pères dans le Sirop"—Blackcod, Yuzu, Spinach, Fish Stock
Sharing the "Tourtiere"
Tourtière is a French Canadian meat pie dish, which brings the "Symbiosis Cuisine" pastry mandate back into view.
Lumberjacks love it. It's a lumberjack thing—they sleep all night and eat tourtière all day.
Chef says he uses the technique of "feuilletage inversé" to create the layers inside—potato, celery root, and mushroom—which we observe with solemnity like as if we knew what that was.
Very earthy though!
Sharing the "Tourtiere"—Uruguay M9 Wagyu, Chocolate Sauce, Asparagus; Mushroom & Celery Root Puff Pie
The pan-seared wagyu is glazed with oxtail demi-glace. Super rich and full-blooded. Really amazing.
The asparagus, of which there is one, in its singularity, evoked themes of impermanence, the fleeting nature of all things, and cherishing all that one is given.
Follow the Deer—Foie Gras, Kumquat
Green Under the Snow
Green Under the Snow—Herbs & Bergamot Sorbet, Chocolate Salad, Tomato Foam
In Quebec, spring is a time of snow. Also, winter is a time of snow. And summer and autumn are also times of snow. But there is grass under there. Allegedly.
Lettuce dipped in tempered chocolate, freshly picked herbs—shiso, thyme, basil, and mint, harvested before our eyes—frozen and broken down in liquid nitrogen, mixed with bergamot sorbet, and covered with tomato foam.
Paired with a frosty Labatt Blue king can.
Not really, but can you imagine?
Reservations
TING is open Wednesday to Sunday with sittings at 6pm and 8.30pm. It's RMB1,588 for 12 courses, with optional six glass wine pairing at RMB688 and non-alcohol beverage pairing at RMB428.
By reservation only, details below.
TING 245 Madang Lu, by Fuxing Zhong Lu, Huangpu District 马当路245号, 近复兴中路
[All images courtesy of TING]
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