Fathom Shanghai: A Deep Dive Into Serious Seafood
Shanghai has no shortage of places to eat seafood, but few will let you call ahead to request a jumbo king crab or finish dinner with caviar on cherry ice cream.
Introducing Fathom
Enter Fathom, a seafood restaurant specializing in the premium stuff, located at Bund City Hall. It is the newly opened sister venue to Kirillitsa, the Russian fine-dining restaurant next door.
Fathom shares its chefs with Kirillitsa - founding chef Evgeny Vikentev and operations chef Ivan Agafonov - but make no mistake: this is not a Russian restaurant. Seafood is the foundation, and the menu ranges from Spanish carabinero prawns and Kamchatka king crab to Antarctic toothfish.
The name is a nod to the unit of ocean depth, and the menu lists the fathom depth of its seafood - a small detail that reflects their attention to star ingredients.
The seafood itself is pristine, meticulously sourced from around the world. The dishes are creative, drawing on global influences. Like Kirillitsa, Fathom also offers a tasting menu, priced at ¥780. However, I believe à la carte is where you can truly appreciate your preference in seafood.
Seafood Platters
Start with a seafood platter. They begin at ¥888, and the most luxe is the Fathom Royal Seafood Platter (¥2,688).
The Royal platter comes with 50g of 10-year-old sturgeon caviar, two Spanish carabinero prawns, two New Zealand scampi, four French Black Pearl oysters, two pieces of Kamchatka king crab phalanx and two Dalian sea urchins. It is the epitome of what the house has to offer.
The star of the Royal platter is the carabinero prawn. The flesh is so sweet you will want to savor every bite. And the head? Intoxicating. If you do not eat prawn heads, I am sorry, but you are really missing out.
Then there is the Kamchatka king crab: meaty and succulent, sea-fresh and delicately briny. Honestly, I would take it over lobster any day.
The 10-year caviar is crisp and briny, forward with sea-fresh notes.
For Caviar Connoisseurs
Speaking of caviar, Fathom has seven options to choose from, in case you're looking to upgrade.
The 20-year Russian Imperial Sturgeon Caviar (¥750/25g) is top-notch - rich and complex, with notes of browned butter, nuttiness and ocean spray. There's also seven-year Russian Albino Caviar (¥800/25g), which is more delicate: milky and creamy.
Creative Mains
Among the mains, the black cod (¥238) is unforgettable and by far my favorite course. It is baked in kombu seaweed, which seeps its deep, savory sea flavors into the fatty fish, and served with flaked Kamchatka crab, clams, little potatoes and a mussel sauce. Every bite is juicy, and the whole dish is umami at its finest.
The bouillabaisse (¥195) hits a more comforting note. It is a rich soup loaded with clams, cod, squid and Argentinian langoustines, with concentrated ocean flavor in every spoonful.
A newer dish is the salmon rigatoni (¥99), something I could happily eat as an everyday lunch. Thick-flaked salmon in a creamy tomato sauce, spiked with Lao Gan Ma chili crisp: comforting, with a light kick. Unfussy and delicious.
From the land, I recommend the Australian wagyu flap steak (¥325). It is truly beefy - the meat is aged with koji, which gives it a deep, almost funky complexity. It's served with a scallop sauce and spinach sautéed with blackcurrants.
Finally, dessert, where even caviar makes its way in. Cherry ice cream is paired with 10-year-old sturgeon caviar (¥99) over a bed of toasted flax seed. It totally works: briny, sweet, sour and rich all at once. It is out of this world.
The Vibe
As for the vibe, it's relaxed and unpretentious. As you enter, you're greeted by seafood tanks slotted into a centerpiece bar where cocktails are made and platters are assembled. Nautical and seafaring themes, from fish murals to trawlers, run throughout the space.
They also have a terrace with al fresco seating, boasting a spectacular view of a park and church below.
In Summary
Fathom is for seafood lovers who enjoy the premium stuff and want to know it is the real thing. The team clearly cares about sourcing, and you can taste it in the freshness, from the oysters to the crab.
The caviar selection has real range, and a champagne list of about a hundred labels gives you plenty to pair it with. If you are looking to step up your seafood game, head to Fathom.
Fathom
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About Rachel Gouk
Founder & Editor, Nomfluence
Rachel Gouk is a seasoned dining journalist based in Shanghai with over a decade of experience covering food culture, restaurant developments, and the Asian culinary landscape.
