Mr Viral
The Place Back in 2020, Xibo founder Atina Kuo met Chef Sean Bai, and discovered a shared passion for the cuisine of Western China.
Four years of culinary exploration later – from Xinjiang to Yunnan, Guizhou to Gansu – and the result is Cilan.
Image by That’s
Image by That’s
Situated in new complex Gate M on the West Bund, the modern space exudes a refined atmosphere, with servers in smart linen shirts, a relaxed jazz soundtrack, and a river view of boats gently cruising by on the Huangpu.
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Image by That’s
Reflecting the local, seasonal ingredient ethos, the decor in the bright dining room is all about greens and browns – marble, wood, and plants.
The Food
Chef Sean Bai. Image by That’s
Hailing from Xi’an, Chef Sean Bai comes with pedigree, from French restaurant STAY by (three-star Michelin chef) Yannick Alleno at the Shangri-la Beijing, to the Michelin-starred L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon and Chinese fine dining restaurant Xin Rong Ji 新荣记 in Shanghai.
In his latest venture Cilan, he is on a mission to show people something new, exploring both Eastern and Western cooking techniques, while championing high-quality Chinese produce.
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An early example comes in appetizer form as the Abalone Salad (RMB68), featuring river abalone and an in-house dressing made with wild tarragon, both from Xinjiang.
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The citrus dressing sees the Xinjiang wild tarragon subtly combine with olive oil and lemon juice, elevating the rocket leaves and fennel.
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The in-house made Buckwheat Tacos (RMB78) are an homage to roujiamo, a street food favorite from Chef Sean Bai’s native Xi’an.
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Beef brisket is slow-cooked with dried spices – star anise, Sichuan pepper, dried chili, bay leaves, ginger and leeks – for a clean taste with a moreish kick of heat.
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Highly recommended is the Rosemary Smoked Qingyuan Crispy Skinned Chicken (RMB328), a Guangdong breed famed for its tender meat.
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At Cilan, the free range bird is seasoned with spices, air-dried for 10 hours, then deep-fried, before being finished over charcoal and rosemary-smoked.
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Carved up to serve two to four people, the result is a chicken crispy on the outside, juicy and succulent on inside.
It comes with a side of Hainan-sourced dragon beans, pan-fried with soy bean and button mushrooms, and finished with Japanese soy sauce.
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As good as the Qingyuan chicken is, it is the Charcoal Grilled Threadfin (RMB298) that we found to be Chef Sean Bai’s most interesting ‘crossover’ dish. The Fujian fish is first whole-grilled over binchotan charcoal…
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… before being served in a fermented tomato sauce with lemongrass and pickled chili salt.
Topped with olives, basil, and Huizhou cherry tomatoes, it has strong China-meets-the-Med vibes we can really get behind.
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Another top-notch ‘Chinese ingredient, Western style’ dish is the Agnolotti with Xinjiang Morels (RMB88).
Al dente fresh egg pasta pockets are filled with ricotta and morel mushrooms foraged from the pastures of Yunnan, and served in a house-made celery sauce.
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Salt and pepper seasoned, the Embroidery Fungus (RMB58) is then grilled over the binchotan grill with chicken fat, imbuing it with a rich smokiness.
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It is then served in a roasted almond and Parmesan sauce, with shreds of crispy Guizhou bacon.
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For something a bit different to finish your meal on, try the Lily Bulb and Peach Gum (RMB48).
Lily bulb from Lanzhou, Gansu is puréed and chilled into a smooth and sticky ‘ice cream’ that, rather than sweet, goes in for the creaminess.
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It floats in a sea of natural Yunnanese peach gum – the sap of the peach tree – which has been poached with brown sugar. Certainly not a dessert you try every day.
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Cilan has a short cocktail selection that also lets the Chinese ingredients shine, such as the Steppe Milk (RMB68), featuring Eastern Folklore Whisky Folklore Edition (a Shandong Peninsula dram aged in Mongolian Oak), Inner Mongolian kumis milk spirit, Yunnan Puer tea, lemon juice and simple syrup.
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The Silent River (RMB68) sees Hunan produced Crimson Pangolin Gin, tamarind juice, tamarind candy, lime juice and simple syrup – light and sour, it makes for a finely balanced, refreshing sip.
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The Vibe
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While not quite fine dining, Cilan certainly feels ‘elevated,’ and is – fittingly – located in museum territory, just a short walk from both the West Bund Museum and Long Museum.
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Overlooking the river on the second floor, the bright and airy dining room and natural colors all feel well-thought out, matching Chef Sean Bai’s culinary vision.
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And while it is a ‘vision,’ like its sister restaurant Xibo, Cilan remains casually approachable, both in terms of atmosphere and price point.
Price: RMB150-400
Who’s Going: The culinary curious, West Bund visitors, Xibo fans
Good For: Riverside dining, impressing friends or family, date nights
Cilan, No. 203, Building 6, Gate M, 2266 Longteng Dadao 龙腾大道2266号Gate M西岸梦中心6号楼203
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