Booking a Qixi dinner in Shanghai feels like scoring concert tickets? Skip the hype and head to LUNETTE, where substance trumps flash.
🍽️ No Meal Kits, Just Mastery
After a London-based friend raved about their Qixi menu, I had to investigate. In a city drowning in gimmicky “trendy” spots, LUNETTE’s refusal to use pre-made ingredients is a revelation.
Standout Dishes:
- Foie Gras “Cloud”
Molecular-style duck liver with brandy air, cherry-pineapple compote
Chef Pan (ex-Ultraviolet R&D) nails slow-cooked luxury. - Dongshan Squid in Bone Broth
*Daily-simmered, limited to 30 servings—book 3 days ahead!*
🥩 Main Event: Ocean-to-Table Theatre
- Blue Lobster from Brittany
*Live-frozen, arrives in Shanghai within 48 hours—texture so springy it “dances” on the fork.* - M9 Wagyu Salt-Crust
Crusted in coarse Sichuan well salt, wrapped in kombu. That crack-open moment? Pure food ASMR.
🍚 Grand Finale: Luxury You Didn’t See Coming
- Uni Fried Rice
Topped with Dalian sea urchin (pricier than gold these days) - Dessert Duo
*Including wild-yeast ice cream—a $60 value elsewhere, included here.*
🌹 Vibe: Moody Romance, No Extra Charge
- Upstairs crimson crystal wall by Bvlgari Hotel’s design team
- 7 PM laser-light show transforms the room
- Sommeliers with blind-tasting superpowers (they’ll ID your Bordeaux’s bank blindfolded)
🤔 The Catch? They’re Terrible at Marketing
- No “Must-Try” badges on Dianping
- Instagram feed? Just handwritten menus
- Zero influencer collabs
But maybe that’s why the lobster tastes like it just left France.
Qixi Menu: ~$200/person
Worth every cent for craftsmanship this obsessive.