Had dinner at Fu He Hui, a vegetarian restaurant occupying a renovated mansion in the old French Concession of Shanghai. 12 courses total (menu in both English and Chinese posted in slideshow). Vibe was unpretentious and relaxed. Food was excellent, service was impeccable. Thoughtful explanations were given as each course was served, including where every ingredient was sourced (our waitress spoke to us in Mandarin, but I believe they have one dedicated English-speaking staff member to cater to tourists).
My favourite course had to be the wild mushroom, cooked in a bed of hairy figs in a claypot and dusted with a blend of spices before serving (picture 11). But the highlight of the meal for me was the winter melon tea (infused with star anise, cinnamon, and some other spices) served midway through the meal as part of the tea pairing. I’m still thinking about it now, almost a week later.
Overall, this was one of the few truly enlightening meals I’ve had this year. Hopefully Fu He Hui’s success will encourage more fine dining-y vegetarian restaurants will pop up in the next few years.
by Stunning-Outcome-412
6 Comments
Looks amazing
Thanks for sharing OP. Invoking a [memorable comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/finedining/comments/15978pp/comment/jtdomky/) on this sub last year… “Chinese fine dining is completely slept on”.
What a truly phenomenal restaurant, it’s the most exciting and memorable vegan food I’ve ever had. The tea pairing was exceptional and a must have imo.
And yes to confirm, we had a great English speaking waiter who was delightful
Went there in 2018, and totally agree with you, hope there’s more vegetarian fine dining that comes along that’s as creative and tasty as what they’re doing.
The service was a bit spotty though for us non-Chinese tourists but still a great meal.
These look exquisite. Veg fine dining really has a lot of potential.
That looks great! Thank you for the review.
I am wondering, can western palates really appreciate the dishes? Some more refined cuisine can be lost without some references or prior experience of the dishes.
Thanks!