在Shanghai前法租界泰安路50号，一栋四层的红墙建筑在法国梧桐的衬映下显得格外突出。名为TaiAn50的这栋美食美酒体验中心，自2015年底开业以来，人气一直居高不下。位于三楼的Chez Maurice Wine Bar & Charcuterie是中国首家有机葡萄酒吧，四楼的Revive Bar为纯正的日式酒吧。而位于二楼的Chez Maurice便是今天要提的主角，沪上首家主打纯正法式牛排的餐厅。“Chez Maurice”是法语“在Maurice店里”的意思，以这种形式命名的餐馆在法国相当常见，显得朴素而亲切。
The founder of TaiAn50 is Owen Shen Sibei. Prior to founding TaiAn50, he worked at I-WAY Wine Education and Training School for 8 years, during which he led the school to expand to 13 branches across the country, and won the "Best Wine School in China" award in 2015. Owen hired renowned French chef Maurice as the head meat consultant for the steakhouse on the second floor. Maurice was born into a family of butchers in Champagne, France, and his family has followed the most traditional meat curing recipes for generations, and he is the only one in the family to inherit this craft, which can be called a "meat encyclopedia". In addition, the restaurant's consultant, Executive Chef Anna, also has a lot of background. As the only Michelin-starred chef in Shanghai, she served as the executive chef of Madera Restaurant, San Francisco's most famous restaurant. He then worked as a chef in Shanghai for both French and Italian Scarpetta, and in 2013 he helped make Coquille one of Conte Nast Travellor's 70 Most Popular Restaurants in the World. Chez Maurice, created by Maurice and Anna, has become a popular restaurant combining French steak and cuisine, and has been listed in the Michelin Guide Shanghai for two consecutive years in 2017-2018.
The main meat dishes of the restaurant are steak, French country-style cured meat, ham, duck aspic, pork aspic, etc. The variety is rich and diverse, and the flavor is authentic and unique. The Australian Angus Filet in the steak is only 288 yuan for a large portion of 250g. Although it is only an M3 grade, it is grilled with a high level of control, and the center is warm with oily juice, and the creamy texture of filet is still retained. If you want to try a high-quality steak, you can choose Australian Angus naked eye, up to the M5 level, and the price of 300g is 428 yuan, which is more cost-effective. The meat is second only to filet in tenderness, with marble-like oil flowers, and when baked, it is juicy and chewy, and can be shared by two people. There is also an M3 grade 1kg Australian Angus bone-in naked eye, the price is 998 yuan. The texture of the oil flower in the naked eye is sparse, and the meat is firmer, so the taste is lean and tougher. All steaks can be served with a salad, or chips and sauce. French fries are glutinous and sweet, and have a strong sense of satiety when eaten. There are four options for the sauce: secret black truffle sauce, Argentinian hot sauce, tomato beef gravy, and mayonnaise, each with its own flavor, and diners can choose according to their preferences.
Among the French country-style cured meats, the most iconic specialty dish is the "national cuisine" that is talked about by the French - Charcuterie French pig killing dish. This is a folk dish that has been passed down in France for a long time, mainly based on pork, duck and chicken, mixed with some marinated meat jelly, sausages and ham made from liver, and made with other ingredients. All the pig killing dishes in the restaurant are personally prepared by Chef Vincent Jardy, a famous pig killing artisan from the Bordeaux region of France. The meat is abundant, the pork head jelly has a smooth and not fatty taste, and the duck meat is fresh but not fishy, and the taste is peculiar and luxurious. It's definitely a huge satisfaction for meat-loving diners, but it's a bit heavy for diners who don't like too much meat. In addition, Chez Maurcie can also enjoy authentic French folk delicacies, such as classic Burgundy snails, carpaccio tartar, champagne white truffle, raw venison, slow-cooked beef tongue, pan-fried deer steak and many more. Each dish is very authentic and will be a great option for diners who prefer French home cuisine.
The décor of the restaurant is very authentic in the style of an old French bistro, making diners feel like they are in a small restaurant in Paris, free and comfortable without losing the romantic sophistication. The dining atmosphere at Chez Maurcie is very relaxed and pleasant, without the formality and fussiness of fine dining, suitable for couples and friends to get together. The service staff in the restaurant are relatively young, energetic and passionate, and their good looks are pleasing to the eye, and there is no additional service charge. There is a paid on-street parking space next to TaiAn50, but spaces are usually tight. The third and fourth floors are all well-served bars, so it's inevitable that you can't help but have a drink, so it's recommended that diners who want to try alcohol don't go by car.
