Shanghai Eats: Dinner at The Commune Social
The same day I went to Together for lunch, I decided to pay a visit to The Commune Social for dinner. There weren’t any reservations available through Dianping (大众点评, like Yelp, only more powerful), but when I called at 5:30pm to ask about coming in about half an hour, they said that there would most likely be a seat at the kitchen bar available, so I went over.
Indeed, I was taken to the kitchen bar, located in the very back of the restaurant. This was actually a very large seating area (maybe around 24 seats?), much larger than the other two areas on the lower level, one of which was kind of like a hallway. Upstairs there was a long bar, and opposite that, a room which could fit about 20 people.
I had actually tried coming here almost exactly 2 years ago on a business trip from Spain to Shanghai, but they were full then, so I was excited to finally be able to get a seat! And I loved my view of the busy kitchen.
I was presented a drinks menu, along with a “Daily Specials” menu (I wonder if it really change by the day?).
The regular menu was also the place mat.
From the regular menu, I ordered the “marinated scallops, avocado, yuzu, green apple, lime.” I wasn’t sure if I should order the scallops, given that I already had a disappointing scallops dish with almost the same ingredients (“scallop ceviche with fresh fennel, avocado, citrus, ponzu”) for lunch at Together. But I thought I’d give it a try to test the difference.
I’m so glad I did! Not only was this dish just visually beautiful, it was truly delicious: creamy, yet fresh and appropriately tart from the citrus, with the apple giving a nice crunch.
I have also had a strange craving for french fries. I had considered ordering some at Together for lunch, and then when I didn’t, I considered going to McDonald’s for a snack (I was feeling particularly indulgent for Chinese New Year). But here I ordered the fries, with “rosemary, garlic, tomato and chorizo brava.”
The way the menu described it with the word “brava,” I was kind of expecting a creamy aioli and paprika-based sauce. You know, kind of like patatas bravas. Instead, it was an enormous pile of french fries, with a rather sweet ketchup-like sauce on the side with bits of chorizo in it. The sauce was okay, but those fries were perfectly fried and quite delicious.
Finally, from the specials menu, I ordered the “Confit duck ‘bomba’, parsnip-mustard purée, carrots, chicken jus.” Basically, when I see confit duck on any menu, I must order it immediately. And this one didn’t disappoint! The bomba, essentially a big croqueta, was kind of tough to cut into at first, but it revealed an interior full of shredded duck meat. So comforting. The carrots on top appear deep fried, and they were (I could see the deep fry station from my seat), but they weren’t crunchy, basically just fried enough to cook. This was just a super yummy dish.
One comment I would have, though, is that the portion size was hard to guess for each dish. The scallops were 92 RMB, and was what I would consider a normal tapa size. The duck bomba was 78 RMB, and basically a four-bite affair. Basically a 1/2 tapa size. Meanwhile the fries at 38 RMB in the “Para Picar” (to snack on) section, was a huge mountain. Basically double a tapa size. And the vegetables on the menu, which I saw other people ordering, looked like small mountains as well. Some more consistency to the portion size would be helpful.
After I was finished, the waiter asked if I wanted to see the dessert menu. But of course.
I liked how they also gave the option of cheese as a last course.
Prior to the dessert arriving, they brought out a complimentary plate of caramel popcorn sitting on some smoke-spewing dry ice. This was so delicious! Each popcorn was decidedly crunchy with that deep caramel flavor on the outside, yielding to the airy interior.
For my actual dessert, I ordered the “Dark chocolate mousse, olive oil cake, coconut sorbet and blood orange jam.” The Chinese text was actually a bit more descriptive, saying that the cake was a corn and olive oil cake.
This was really meant for sharing! The dark chocolate mousse could have been even more “dark” in flavor, and the coconut sorbet even more coconutty (I’m thinking back to my dark chocolate and coconut gelato pairings I indulged in, in Milan and elsewhere in Italy). But still it was an enjoyable and pretty dessert, and I liked all of the flavors and textures, with the creaminess of the mousse and sorbet, the tartness of the blood orange, the moist cake, and the crispy shards poking up from the mousse.
I really enjoyed my meal at The Commune Social. The service was unobtrusive yet always there when I needed it, the food came at a good pace, and the menu was inventive and intriguing enough where I can already point out the dishes I would order on a next visit. And I do hope there will be a next visit!
___
The Commune Social
511 Jiangning Rd, Jing'an District
Shanghai
China
