A peacock on the Bund

Intriguing art, comfort food and clever cocktails combine in a welcome resurrection, as Glam becomes a hot newcomer, Xu Junqian reports in Shanghai.

If you've still been mourning last year's closure of Shanghai's Glamour Bar, take heart: the comfort food and hip alcohol at its "grown-up" successor, Glam, is ready to drown any lingering sorrow.

By cutting off the three letters of one of her once most iconic works, cuisine and culture pioneer Michelle Garnaut is hoping that the recently opened bar could carry on the genes of its "father": setting the tone of the nightlife scene of the Bund, if not Shanghai, with its nice selection of eats.

"I would like the place to be more inclusive, participating and interactive. It's a grown-up's place," says Garnaut, who famously foresaw the potential of Shanghai's much famed but far less visited Bund as a destination for entertainment and dining when she opened her restaurant M on the Bund in 1999.

At Glam, however, the latest addition to what has become the M restaurant group, the excitement of being a first has been replaced by a more subtle and sophisticated style. A whopping collection of contemporary artworks, from Garnaut's private collection, is displayed against a rich palette of blue, inspired by the color of peacock feathers. To pay a tribute to this muse, a life-size taxidermy of the bird is enshrined at the entrance, behind a curtain of crystal beads that brings more light to the room.

"If there is a color to define the glam of Shanghai, it's the warm, modern and sensuous blue," says Garnaut.

To define the flavor of Shanghai, Garnaut and chef Hamish Pollitt, who is also running the kitchen at M on the Bund the next door, do lots of traveling.

The sweet-and-sour beef tartar with chili, pomelo and lemongrass is a culinary souvenir from Thailand; the airy and juicy tonkastu (Japanese fried pork loin) sandwich is inspired by a hasty meal before leaving Japan; the simple yet satiating "truffle'd cheesey toasties" makes us wonder which of the many destinations might have fired the imaginations of its creator and produced its divine taste.

For the more substantial choices, the Angus beef topped with Parisian butter is sure to gratify any carnivore. It's a beauty and the beast pairing on the table: While the tender but firm steak reflects masculinity, the creamy melting Parisian butter is reminiscent of the sensuous beauties like Marilyn Monroe.

Although the new Glam is shifting towards being a gastro lounge instead of a nightlife club, the drink menu isn't getting skimpy. Featuring more than 100 choices, the drinks list might be the most inclusive one can find in Shanghai. The much delayed opening allowed manager David Wang more time for selection and choice additions. Expect a lot of fun reading while ordering: Sex on the Bund ... not allowed (vodka and cranberry juice), Death of Hemingway (absinthe and Champagne), to name just two intriguing entries.

A total of 32 types of wine are available by the glass, or even half-glass, thanks to the sleek and state-of-the-art wine dispensers. For cocktails, Ooh La La tastes as French as it sounds, with Champagne, Lillet Blanc and Dubonnet. The Ginger Mojito is perfect for the holiday season: a spicy surprise gift for the palate after a year of hard work.

The Pick'n'Mix Fancy Pantsy Gin and Tonic represents a candy store for adults. Guests can choose a gin from the likes of Monkey 47, Beefeater and Dodd's, and from the three flavors of Thomas Henry's tonics - and then add "something special": cucumber ice or homemade chamomile bitters. One can hardly go wrong with all the choices.

Sweet treats are as delightful to contemplate as they are to eat. A Folly Trolley, like those running around at old-fashioned Cantonese tea-drinking restaurants serving dim sums, brings all the guilty pleasures to your fingertips.

Contact the writer at xujunqian@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 01/25/2016 page10)