The Snapshot

Famed French chef, Johnny Pham (previously of Taian Table) has officially opened his first restaurant, Vivant, in the historic century-old Far Eastern hotel in Huangpu. An eight-course modern French fine dining menu is on offer (for 1,188 yuan per person + 10% service charge), with hints of Vietnamese elements that represent Pham’s heritage. 

The wine and champagne selections are equally curated, led by Head Sommelier Felix Zhang, boasting one of the largest champagne lineups in all of China. A six-glass wine pairing is available at 1,188 yuan.

The Menu

Hailing from Lyon, but with familial roots in Vietnam coupled with a decade of experience working in China, Pham’s seasonal menu embodies this amalgamation of culinary cultures.

Diners begin with a trio of Canapés: 

A blini adorned with salty beads of Sichuan Baerii caviar; 

A ‘mille crepe’ (or mille-feuille of thin crepes) layered with Yunnan black truffle, 18-month Comte cheese, and a touch of Vin Jaune (an acidic, aged yellow wine with sherry-like qualities from Eastern France); 

And a squid ink bread crumb-dusted Lyonnaise-style pâté de tête (pork head terrine) that combines elements of Shanghainese zhu tou rou (猪头肉), exemplifying the crossover between these two gastronomic traditions.

True to Chinese custom, a warming bowl of Pho arrives next to open the appetite, seemingly simple in its translucence yet exploding with umami richness. A twist on Pham’s grandma’s original pho recipe, the concentrated flavor is laced with fresh herbs, citrus acidity and bovine undertones owed to springy cubes of tendon, a slurp-worthy surprise found at the bottom of the bowl.

Dalian scallop in all forms (scallop soufflé, scallop mayonnaise made entirely from scallop protein, crispy scallop crumble, and scallop milk foam) is sheathed by julienned Yunnan black truffle, dubbed Blanc de Noir (meaning ‘white of black’ in French) – a reference to the dish’s color palette.

A nod to the Mediterranean, the Symphony of Tuna showcases Spanish bluefin tuna. The choicest fatty cut (otoro) is chopped into an Asian-influenced tartare (with pickled ginger, garlic, and shallots) and wrapped into the leaner belly part (akami) like a stuffed envelope, all topped with Perseus No. 2 Superior Oscietra caviar. A spoonful of whipped vitello-tonnato like sauce rests on the side, tempered by the sweet addition of PX sherry vinegar, another tip of the hat to the Spanish coastline.

One of Pham’s signature dishes since his days at Taian Table, the Unisotto has officially made a comeback. A play on a classic risotto, the unisotto swaps all dairy and cheese for luscious Dalian sea urchin, with the rice is simmered in a miso sake beurre blanc sauce.

Blue Lobster

As for the mains, diners can choose one amongst three seafood options and another between three separate meat entrées. For those with a larger appetite, the option to add on an extra main course goes for an additional 388 yuan.

Seafood offerings include: Ikejime-prepared Daily Catch of Fish (sea bream on the day of our visit) swimming in a mariniere-style seafood ragu spiked with Burgundy Chardonnay and a side of clams, razor clams, and whelk; St. Tropez-style Bouillabaisse (owed to Pham’s time working in the region) filled out with fish maw for added creaminess, Ningbo red mullet rockfish, and homemade crystal bread for sopping up more of the concentrated broth; and Blue Lobster in curry essence.

Onto the main event, the meats, the Pigeon represents exactly what Vivant is all about. Prepared in two ways, the first half of the breast is marinated in miso and pan-fried French style, resulting in taut skin that puckers and crisps while the flesh pulls away with the mere nudge or a fork. Meanwhile, the other half is poached in Chinese huangjiu (aged yellow wine) and folded into a ravioli, with a dribble of pigeon jus bridging the two preparations.

For a Taste of Provence, Lumina lamb (previously called Te Mana lamb) is the focus, recognized as the world’s most succulent lamb. Naturally raised, free-range and grass-fed lamb are cultivated on chicory herb pastures in New Zealand’s hill and high country translating to the utmost succulent and tender game. Served astride eggplant and tomato ragu wrapped in zucchini triangles, the lamb saddle is grilled before being coated in a lamb fat crumble while the rest of the meat is rolled into a roasted merguez sausage.

Dessert brings another ‘Sophie’s Choice’ between the decadent Profitelove – an “inside out” rendition of a warm Vietnamese chocolate soufflé perched atop a pastry choux base that encircles a juxtaposing cold scoop of vanilla bean ice cream...

...And the Peach Romance – an airy peach melba featuring a quartet of peach varieties (fresh yellow peach, flat/donut peach, peach caramel, and peach gum) all in a peach consommé with shards of almond and raspberry dusted meringue.

Petite Four

The extensive wine and champagne list sees over 600 unique labels, categorized by region, with a large emphasis placed on Old World, and particularly French, varietals. To encourage guests to sample even more, most wines are also available by the half bottle. Wine is such a focus that Romanée-St. Vivant – a Grand Cru region of Burgundy, France that just so happens to be Pham’s favorite – is what earned the restaurant its name. Meaning lively in French, Pham aims to share that same vibrant sentiment in all aspects of the venue.

The Space

The space is split evenly between a customized Italian Maronne open kitchen setup and seating for 30 people (plus a bonus 10 people in a VIP private room). Twenty of those seats are spread across four semi-private alcove tables with half-moon-shaped sofa seating, each with a direct view of what’s cooking up (literally) at the various adaptable kitchen island stations for a chef’s table feel. The other seats encircle a rectangular table plus some kitchen counter spots.

The vaulted church-like ceiling allows the curated jazzified music covers (ranging from Red Hot Chili Peppers to Nirvana) to echo throughout while still providing privacy within the alcoves.

Coveted seats are hard to come by since the establishment’s official opening date of November 26. Moral of the story: snag that reservation ASAP.

 Vivant, 279 Beihai Lu, 北海路279号