For a little more than a year we were hearing rumors about a new restaurant below Mint, a lounge, champagne bar with fine food... I have never been a great fan of Mint but it is more of a question of taste, I've always admired their marketing, great service and the way they have survived successfully through Shanghai's endless competition.

Full of curiosity, I headed to Maneo, the art of casual dining.

Maneo has achieved a great balance, creating a unique place in Shanghai where you can have a romantic dinner or a gathering with friends before going out. The lounge is designed with style and character, in a minimalist yet warm way. Hanging out there is a really nice experience. Sofas are great, the predominance of white is harmoniously balanced by touches of wood, the lighting softens the hard lines and the music choice completes the experience perfectly.

The champagne selection is promising, an emphasis is made on small producers, and introductions to wine and champagne are made during Shanghai Champagne Club's meeting at Maneo every Tuesday. The lounge made me feel so at home I almost forgot what I was there for ... Dinner!

The main dining room is large but cozy in its set up - including a private room, a chic bar with a sofa circling it, a great view of the garden and its fountain -all accentuating the relaxed feeling.

Maneo's food concept emphasizes on modern French cuisine, the articulation of the menu clearly shows it. As for my picks, cold starters: choice of House-cured Salmon with Fennel, Dill Salad and Herb Oil or the Foie Gras Terrine with Fig Compote and Brioche, are all very typical of what you could find in any good French restaurant. Mains are on the same line. Mustard Crusted Black Cod with caramelized apples and asparagus, the Confit Duck Leg with saut¨¦ed mushroom, Brussels sprouts and sherry vinegar glaze or the usual piece of beef ... Desserts complete the consistency of the composition offering a chocolate fondant with vanilla hazelnut praline ice cream or a Caramelized Apple Tart Cinnamon Ice Cream ...

It looked good on paper, so let's see how good it was on the taste buds ...

Maneo's providers are excellent, all elements from the menu are great quality, the salmon is healthy, foie gras is fresh, perfect color, served not cold enough to my taste but the melting in the mouth was delightful with the fig compote. Red meat was also of great quality, tender and tasty, as it would be expected from such a place, and the chocolate is imported from Europe, ice cream home made... A mouth-watering experience!

Overall, the food was well prepared, and very creative.

Service was fast and reliable, dedicated to the diner's needs and discreet, which is always appreciated in Shanghai where I often have the feeling that someone is standing behind my back during dinner at upper range restaurants. The best service is the kind you don't see.

Starters vary from 48rmb for a Roasted Tomato soup with Garlic, Aioli and Basil to 78rmb for the foie gras. Mains are a bit pricey but the quality and the ambiance make it well worth it. Mustard Crusted Black Cod is 172rmb, Winter Truffle and Oriental Mushroom Risotto are 158rmb.

Charles Belin, the man behind the project, known for the success of Mint, has put a lot of energy into this place. Kylie will warmly welcome you, Charles will check if you are doing alright... Maneo is a soulful place with a great future, even more now that the rumor has been confirmed: Brad Turley, former chef of 239 will join the team...indulge!

Maneo
Address:333 Tongren Road near West Beijing Road
Tel: 021-6247 9666 / 13818659496 (Kylee)