Tipsy Sparrow

Overall Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Dickson's Fooday Commentary #278
This time, I visited a relatively new bistro in the Xinyi District.
It’s worth mentioning that this establishment is opened by the Le Meridien brand—
and they have Michelin chefs serving here.
With such a grand setup, it was definitely worth a try!

This place differs from typical bistros in the Eastern or Xinyi districts as
its layout resembles a combination of a restaurant and bar.
As soon as you enter, you see the bar area,
where bartenders are available to serve you.
If you're looking to order drinks, you can be well taken care of here.

Moving further inside leads to the dining area,
which features decor and structure similar to high-end restaurants,
creating a very atmospheric and classy vibe.

Since the restaurant is located in the bustling Xinyi District shopping center,
the surroundings are quite lively,
and access is very convenient!

Overall, I found this bistro to have a very high quality,
making it great for outings with friends or dates with partners.
It’s a perfect spot to enjoy drinks and delicious food!

The menu also offers a diverse range of dishes,
and it’s quite straightforward,
listing the ingredients and cooking methods,
many of which do not have whimsical names,
making it easy to know what to order.

Food: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Service: 🌕🌕🌕🌘🌑
Price: 🌕🌕🌕🌘🌑

⭐️ Food section
👉 Gillardeau Oysters with Cocktail Sauce and Tabasco Sorbet $420
As someone who loves oysters, I had to order them when I saw them on the menu.
What makes these oysters special is that,
besides the basic oysters,
the accompanying cocktail sauce and sorbet are delightful.
Don’t just eat the oysters and miss out on these tasty sides!

However, it's a bit unfortunate that the price for a single oyster is on the higher side—
they are indeed tasty,
but the price is quite steep!

👉 Green Asparagus, Smoked Burrata, Green Tomato Salsa, Dukkah, Spiced Nuts $320
This dish is very vegetarian-friendly,
entirely green,
and packed with various nuts.
When you take a bite, you can taste the nuts' flavor.
It's a pretty unique dish,
and I think the nuts really elevate it!

This dish is a popular order among diners,
so definitely give it a try if you visit!

👉 Grilled Shrimp with Yuzu Pepper Yogurt and Pickled Vegetables $580
The grilled shrimp is also a must-order here.
The shrimp used are quite large,
so it's plentiful and generously portioned.
The grilled shrimp paired with the yuzu flavor enhances the dish significantly!
It's truly impressive!

👉 Fried Whole Chicken, Duck Fat Fries, Country Gravy $1080
I found the whole chicken to be just okay,
as the meat was a tad dry.
With so much chicken,
it can get a bit overwhelming after a few bites.

However, the fries and gravy on the side are fantastic!
I actually think the sides are tastier than the chicken itself 😂😂😂

👉 Squid Ink Risotto with Soft Squid, Chorizo, and Baby Squid $580
This risotto is considered a main course,
but the portion is rather small for the price.
On the day I dined with three friends,
each of us only managed to get two or three bites.

The squid ink risotto was okay but quite forgettable—
it felt a bit ordinary compared to the other dishes,
similar to what you might find at other bistros or restaurants.

👉 Clam Linguine with White Wine, Cherry Tomatoes, and Bacon $520
For another main dish, we ordered the pasta.
From the menu, it seems quite conventional.
The flavors of the tomatoes and bacon are pretty prominent,
but because of that, it doesn't stand out much from other pasta dishes outside.

So, I think this pasta might not be necessary to order here.

👉 Fried Pizza with Margherita Sauce $280
This fried pizza is something I didn’t quite get.
When it arrived,
what they call fried pizza
is actually just a simple pizza dough that’s been fried and served.
Thus, the Margherita sauce plays a critical role.

It’s more like a basic fried dough with seasoning.
In my opinion, this dish isn't worthy of ordering.

The so-called fried pizza is just fried starch,
lacking in unique features.

Though the Margherita sauce was handled quite well,
in the end, it's merely dough paired with sauce.
Considering the price, it’s a bit on the higher side,
so I don’t particularly recommend this dish.

👉 Lamb Burger Patty, Fried Chickpea Fritter, Curry $680
The lamb burger patty is my top recommendation of the day.
Typically, burgers don’t use lamb,
but this lamb patty doesn’t have an overpowering gamey taste,
and the texture is quite different.
Overall, the lamb patty is a fantastic choice!

Besides the burger patty,
it comes with some curry sauce for pairing,
creating an impressive and satisfying combination!

This is definitely a must-try dish when you come here!

👉 Desserts
The desserts served at the end are also a highlight of this place.
Both their appearance and taste are distinctive and delicious!

The food here is above standard,
but since a few dishes are exceptionally great and memorable,
the more ordinary ones might seem just alright,
which you could find at other places,
leaving you thinking they're not a must-try.

After all, the prices here are slightly high,
especially since the portions of each dish are not very generous.
With these prices, the portions can feel quite expensive.
So if you get the chance to visit,
I suggest choosing some key dishes to enjoy!

⭐️ Atmosphere section
The atmosphere of this restaurant is quite pleasant.
It has the decor and arrangement of a high-end restaurant.
Aside from regular tables and chairs,
one side includes a sofa area,
which is also great for gatherings with friends.

The overall decor and style are quite elegant,
setting it apart from typical bistros in the Eastern or Xinyi districts,
leaning towards a more upscale bistro vibe.

⭐️ Service section
I found the service quality to be really good.
In addition to the usual ordering and serving,
when each dish is delivered,
the staff provides detailed introductions to the special features and usage of each dish,
which adds a nice touch!

However, the restaurant has strict rules,
such as prohibiting outside food.
On that day, since my friend was returning to their home country,
I brought some snacks to share,
but the staff quickly stopped me and asked to either discard or put them away.
It seems their policies are quite firm!

Nonetheless, I think the overall service quality here is excellent,
and they are attentive to the customers' needs.

⭐️ Price section
The only downside is that the pricing here is somewhat high.
But given the nice lighting and atmosphere of this upscale Xinyi bistro,
the prices may be a bit steep as well,
and the quantity of each dish is quite small.

So, diners need to pay attention to portion sizes and the number of people eating
and match their orders with their budget.

We only ordered food without trying their cocktails,
so I can’t comment on the prices for those 😂😂😂

However, since I found the food appealing,
I can be somewhat forgiving of the prices.

⭐️ Overall
For this upscale bistro that excels in lighting and atmosphere,
I believe it’s a fantastic spot for multiple visits.
The quality of their menu and food is exceptional,
along with a pleasant dining environment,
it’s truly suitable for dates with significant others
or for those in the flirting stage.

On that day, I mostly saw groups of girlfriends dining together,
as well as gatherings in the sofa area,
so I think it’s also a perfect place for group dining!

This place has received pretty good reviews,
and I recommend giving it a try!