Verdant is a Taiwanese fusion bistro tucked into the 272 Wuxing Road lane in Xuhui, directly across from The Weave.
The space feels like a cross between a cafe and a bistro — which makes sense, because during the day, it’s a completely different concept and crew serving brunch. Verdant takes the night shift, turning Taiwanese staples into shareable small plates.
Behind the menu is Chef Dante, a Taipei native who took his Basque Culinary Center degree to acclaimed restaurants Frantzén (stage) and Enigma (CDP). The food plays with “Eastern flavors, Western techniques,” a formula that seems to be the criteria for any modern bistro opening in Shanghai these days.
The Food
Start with the Tofu with Century Egg (¥68), a deconstructed version of the classic cold dish. Silken tofu and funky century egg are combined with charred and smoky Hunan chili sauce, which leaves a mild but lingering heat. As for seasoning, it’s in the form of molecular gastronomy: little balls of soy sauce and salted egg yolk cornflakes.
I would totally return for the Wild Jiaobai Shoots (¥48). Jiaobai (water bamboo) and king oyster mushrooms are sliced thin like noodles, dressed in a spicy sesame-soy dressing with walnuts. It’s a warm salad with character.
Just as satisfying, the Mushrooms Tempura (¥58) is like salt and pepper chicken, but with mushrooms. Simple, easily paired with drinks, and highly addictive.
A dish that impressed was the Oyster Omelet (¥68), a modern take on oh chien, the Taiwanese street food classic. This version uses the gooier, cornstarch-heavy style that wraps around each large-sized oyster, not the tiny ones, topped with furikake and served with Haitian sauce. I’ve seen quite a few iterations on fancy oh chien, and this is by far my favorite rendition.
Another well-executed dish is the Black Cod (¥128). The fish is pre-marinated with a scallion-ginger-wine paste, then paired with stir-fried Taiwanese water lotus for crunch. The sauce is pòbùzǐ (破布子), a savory-sweet Taiwanese seasoning, combined with beurre blanc. It sounds like there’s a lot going on, but it comes across as well balanced and very enjoyable.
For the main, the Poached Rice in Taro Duck Broth (¥158) is the one to share. It’s pào fàn — Cantonese soup rice — inspired by Taiwanese ginger duck soup and Japanese chazuke. The broth is rich and savory, with waxy taro, dried cherry shrimp, garlic, and fried sakura ebi, finished with white pepper. A whole confit duck leg sits over the rice; shred it in to complete the dish. Rich and comforting.
To close, the Peanuts Basque (¥68) comes with a cilantro lemon granita. This one is for the cilantro lovers, but also the cilantro haters’ worst nightmare. The Basque cheesecake itself is gooey, peanutty, and enjoyable, while the granita is cilantro-forward, bringing a burst of fresh grassiness. It challenges the senses. I respect the creativity, but it’s not for everyone.
That said, a few dishes didn’t quite impress. The Pork Ear Carpaccio (¥68) fell flat on flavor, essentially a fancier version of the Chinese cold appetizer. And the Beef Tartare (¥78) suffered from its sous vide preparation, which gave it an odd texture similar to boiled ham — it just didn’t work for me.
For drinks, they have a number of signature cocktails and creative low-sugar mocktails, and a small but well-curated wine selection.
Not everything works, and that’s fine. Verdant is still finding its rhythm. But the oyster omelet, wild jiaobai shoots, black cod, and poached rice are good enough reasons to show up.
Verdant
View the listing here.
