1929 by Guillaume Galliot (1929 by GG) is a fine French restaurant located in Shanghai’s historic Jinbei Building — part of the Jinjiang Hotel and originally the iconic Cathay Mansion built in 1929 by Sassoon & Co., hence the name.
It was previously home to The Chinoise Story (锦庐), an iconic Haipai destination.
The Space
The dining room is stunning. Lofty arched walls, teak floors, and vintage wooden armchairs sit beneath a curved wall of paned windows. It’s the kind of place where sunlight streaming in during lunch feels like a luxury. It’s not open for lunch (yet), but one hears afternoon tea is on the way.
Beyond the main dining area, there’s a chef’s table for eight inside the kitchen, a salon on the opposite side of the dining room, and a second-floor bar salon. The bar, by the way, deserves a bit more attention — more on that later.
Chefs In Question
At the helm is Guillaume Galliot, a culinary heavyweight with a résumé that includes three-starred Caprice at The Four Seasons Hong Kong and the now-closed two-starred Tasting Room in Macau.
In Shanghai, his protégé, Head Chef Marco Morandini, runs the kitchen, bringing his own Italian heritage and experience from stints at Caprice, Tasting Room, and Niko Romito in Tokyo and Beijing. Together, they’ve crafted a menu that marries French tradition with subtle Asian influences, a nod to Galliot’s two decades of cooking across France and Asia.
The Bar: An Underrated Gem
Let’s start with the bar, because it’s oddly under-hyped.
The cocktails are solid, with a signature menu inspired by cities along the Spice Road (¥118 each). The Singapore, made with Christian Drouin le Gin, coconut, pandan, and celery, is well-crafted.
The bar menu is equally appealing, offering everything from cold cuts and cheese to a Croque Monsieur with Yunnan black truffle and a wagyu burger with foie gras (¥128, plus ¥50 for the foie).
For a taste of the restaurant’s star dish, the Pâté en Croûte, you can order a smaller version here for ¥228 — handy info if you can’t get a reservation.
The Food: French Classics With a Twist
The restaurant’s menu is a love letter to refined French cuisine, with a few playful detours (see: Singapore Laksa).
The Pâté en Croûte is a must-order. It comes uncannily uniform, perfectly balanced, and rich without being overwhelming. It’s a more refined take compared to Le Bec’s decadent version, though the pastry could use a bit more buttery flakiness. Served with house-made pickles, it’s a strong opener, and a dish likely ordered by every table in the house.
The Singapore Laksa is divisive. While the curry leaf aroma is bold (some might say overpowering), the dish strays far from a traditional laksa, so keep your expectations in check. The king crab is served with a creamy coconut base and confit egg. It was pleasant, but the calamansi could be punchier to balance the curry leaf. It wasn’t my favorite.
I loved the Hot & Cold Onion Soup! This isn’t your typical rustic French onion soup — it’s a decadent and rather playful creation.
A scoop of onion ice cream sits atop a thick, piping hot onion soup. I don’t think you can even call it soup, it’s more like a purée. Within the bowl is caramelized onion, cooked down to a jam-like consistency with (I’m assuming) a spot of vinegar, giving it a light tanginess, along with a thin crisp of bread and parmesan cheese disks. The combination of hot and cold is masterful, and the richness is perfectly balanced.
At ¥188, it’s designed to share, so one order equals two servings, and it’s worth every kuai.
What does GG do with the humble Cordon Bleu? Why, make it fancy, of course! This is a Shanghai-exclusive dish that elevates the Swiss classic. Made with Longgang chicken, a tender, flavorful and prized breed from Guangdong, it’s rolled with ham and Comte cheese, breaded, and fried to perfection. According to my French partner, it is pretty nostalgic.
The Cordon Bleu is served with creamy mashed potatoes, which is also available as a side for ¥58.
For dishes with Morandini’s Italian touch, I’d recommend the Fregola Pasta. The Yunnan morels steal the show, lending deep, complex flavors to the chewy fregola pasta, finished in a creamy sauce of 36-month aged Comte, topped with mushroom jus and yellow wine foam.
Another dish of Morandini’s making is the Provencal-Style Beef Tripe with Polenta, a heavy and hearty serving of tender and richly stewed tripe with tomatoes and herbs. A thick layer of polenta catches the stewing sauces. The only downside is that this is a heavy dish that might not pair well with lighter options.
Cheese for Dessert
Skipping sweets for dessert, I was drawn towards the “Cheese Trolley” listed on the menu. Alas, there isn’t a trolley, so you’ll get a plate of selected cheeses. Though, rumor has it a trolley might be in the works, and given Caprice’s legendary cheese cellar, here’s hoping it becomes a reality.
Final Thoughts
1929 by GG is a polished addition to Shanghai’s dining scene. While it’s still fine-tuning some details post-soft opening, its merits are evident. It’s a solid choice for those who appreciate this style of cuisine, though it doesn’t quite dethrone Le Bec in my book. Still, it’s worth a visit — especially for that Hot & Cold Onion Soup, Pâté en Croûte, and Cordon Bleu.
Wines by the glass start from ¥120, bottles from ¥580.
1929 by Guillaume Galliot
Click here to view the venue listing.
