Franck
Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Lu,
French Concession
near Hunan Lu
武康路376号
近湖南路
158-2167-6767
Open Tues-Sun 6pm-10:30pm, Sat-Sun noon-2:30pm
Price More than Y400 per couple
- Share with a friend
- Add a review
- Add an event here
- Report corrections or abuse
- Is this your business?
Claim it!
- City Weekend says
A charming location on Ferguson Lane and a menu du jour of brasserie eats presented on a chalkboard makes this restaurant a favorite choice for casual French cuisine. The melt-in-your-mouth confit de canard and sleek dark wood-trimmed interior is perfect on a leisurely Sunday.
- Contributor Description
An air of quaintness and cozy surprise pervades both food and space at Franck, a brasserie serving a menu du jour of hearty French cuisine at charming Ferguson Lane. Quality ingredients rendered skillfully elevate the simple fare to delightful. Service is friendly and knowledgeable.
Reviews
Been there? Add a review!
cityweekend
Most Recent Reviews
Disappointed... Although the environment and overall atmosphere is really, really good... The food and wine was not on the level of price! This time, I tried the feasan, a new dish there replacing the roast chicken and I was disappointed. In my preview life of baker, it was said: "if you want to do better bread than your neighbor, put more salt in the dough..." that was my feeling about the just tender feasan. The sauce was too liquid, an the presentation really, really childish! ( a shame) Foie GRAS was good, but side bread was too, or not enough something. Desert : i ordered the fondant au chocolat, and it was really nothing special both in term of taste as in term of presentation, disappointing as I love fine pastry.... Butter and breads were good. The wine list is rich, but no one was there to provide advice, so I decided to order a gauby,vieilles vignes, as I had a wonderful memory of this wine at the same place some time ago, unfortunately it was not available... It happens. Then I was advised by a said to be similar wine, which was not once in my glass, my nose and my mouth. In term of service... There is a protocol in french restaurant: - first you seat and order l'aperitif, - then you check the menu and order food then wine, - then you drink l'apero, taste the wine, start to eat, drink some wine, take digest, be happy... This time the waiter mixed all this... - we seated, - then order food, order apero, start to eat, drink apero, order wine, finish eating, tast the wine, get up and go.... I would say that Franck knows what are the good simple products as cheese, coldcuts, pates, wine, but when it's time to process food, it's out of control... Disappointing when you spend more than 2000rmb per head. Luckily I was invited by a supplier but I lost my face while trying to promote my French pride in such an average place...! I'm glad that at least no one was arrogant, i would have not accepted... I'm French too and I know well how to complain...
Used to be a long time customer of this place, going at least 2 times a week for the delicious food. We developed a great rapport with some of the Chinese wait staff and even the tall blond French guy. The owner, Franck, however never once came over and even said hi to us. Every night we'd see him chat it up with all the Francophones in the place but we'd notice he would never engage either the Chinese or other non-French speaking people, preferring to imagine we didn't exist I guess. Eventually I got tired of dropping a grand there twice a week and not having the dude even acknowledge us so I stopped going. I miss the food, which is the best French cuisine in Shanghai, but I don't miss Franck. All the same I'm sure they are still doing well so I'm sure he doesn't miss me either!
Dear, me being a laowai has been discriminated there even more. 2 times....Eating in Fr. is a SM experience, some people call it Xing Nue (dai) and do enjoy it.
Our first visit to Franck was several years back. While we did not recall the food to be strikingly good, we did remember very well the “stuck up” attitude of our server. Hence, we never went back again. 1+ month ago, I reluctantly went to Franck again with two friends who love the food there. Surprisingly, our waiter (French I presume) was very friendly. Food was very good – the roasted pork was excellent and the chicken dish I ordered was juicy & flavorful. With this recent pleasant dining experience, we decided to go back on Sept 3 and we regretted it. We arrived at 6:30 p.m., our reservation was at 7:00 p.m. At that time, their “main” dining hall - where the candle-lit tables are laid out spaciously - was completely empty. But the small dining section - which is right next to the waiting area (i.e. the entrance) and where the tables are packed close to each other, was already quite filled with only 2-3 tables left. We were very surprised when the greeter, an oriental-looking female snob who spoke English, seated us at possibly the worst table in the entire restaurant – a table closest to the waiting area where you see all the people coming in & going out, and we were only separated by a decorative partition from the area where they slice the ham so one could imagine the constant hustle & bustle around us. We would understand if we were walk-ins but in fact we booked via their website more than 1 week before. Then we thought maybe the restaurant was fully booked, but no, by the time we left at 8:30 p.m., the main dining room was still not filled. While I was grouching about our table and the less-than-12 inches distance to the neighboring patrons, I was even more bothered when suddenly it dawned on me that all those seated in this crowded section of the restaurant were ASIANS! After I noticed this “peculiar” seating arrangement, I spent most of my time watching the greeter seat Asians & non-Asians throughout the night, and my suspicion was confirmed over & over again - the greeter was seating all Asians in this less desirable dining section of the restaurant irrespective of the empty tables in the “main” dining room, while all foreigners were shown to the “main” dining hall despite there were empty tables in my crowded section. I was appalled. I just can’t find a reason to come back to this restaurant where they seat you by the color of your skin.
I found out about Franck before even coming to SH, a few months ago I finally had the chance to lunch at Franck, and I happened to love it. Since I was living in France during the past year, I felt that the lovely bistro really lived up to the memories of the authentic French cuisine in France. The style is traditional French cooking...don't really remember what my friend and I had, but it was delicious. Funny thing is I've read many reviews on the typical "French" service before visiting but I was surprised by their friendly attitude! The Chinese waiters were really pros at introducing their menu; the French guy was rather arrogant but better when I spoke in French. Must admit the pricing was a tad bit expensive, but overall I enjoyed very much the experience, will definitely be back for more visits (maybe after receiving my paycheck)
Background: Chinese-Canadian couple celebrating a birthday
Restaurant experience is comprised of food quality and service quality. Commensurate with its pricing, the food at Franck is good...but not great. But commensurate with its pricing, the service quality must be rated one-star. And sorry to say, but I felt discriminated.
- Brought our own birthday cake - told cake-cutting fee is RMB50/person. Understand, no problem.
- Reserved for 3 people, one couldn't make it. Hostess forced us to move to smaller table. Understand, no problem.
- Waiter didn't serve us until we frantically got their attention; after we ordered, they didn't bring bread until we asked for it. No bread plates...until we asked for it.
- Owner was there and chatted with foreigners around us but ignored even a basic hello to us
- Waiter asked table next to us if dinner was fine and if they wanted dessert - didn't extend the same courtesy to us after our meal...or is that service reserved for foreigners only
- No goodbye/thank you from either waitress or hostess; and certainly no Happy Birthday...or is that service reserved for foreigners only
If the gimmick is to offer a dining experience reflective of the early 1900s colonial times, then Franck got it down pat!
I must say.. if i were to leave my first mark on City Weekend.. why not start with a little review for a neighborhood gem like Franck. I apologize for butchering the dishes name in advance.
Food/Drinks: (+2) on the freshness of the ingredients and the abundant flavor put in the mains. - appetizer: "tomatoes and mozzarella" drizzled with olive oil. cant really go wrong with this dish.. but u can definitely taste the freshness of the ingredients - main: "beef stew in red wine" was definitely worth the wait...its a pretty big portion and.. men, just a warning.. u must be prepared to loosen a notch or two after you are done. -dessert: "caramel and sea salt ice cream"..oh la la~ what a awesome way to end the night.. it is a bit heavy on the taste buds.. so i would recommend it for those who arent looking for something light after the meal.
Ambience: (+1) Tucked away in what seems to be a courtyard home this restaurant is definitely worth going. I love the dark ebony furnishing that compliments so nicely with their menus (handwritten on blackboard stands) and lifestyle photography displayed around the walls.
Service: (+0.5) I had to give props to our waiter who gave the recommendation on our selections as well as providing my friend with a constant freeflow of bread due to his strickened hunger state I put him in. I was quite dissappointed that although my reservation was at 9, my friend was not seated till I arrived around 9:30.
Price: (+0.5) It is slightly on the pricey side, however, its fair to say that they made up for it with their dedication to their food
Recommendations: Romantic date? intimate group gathering? this is where you should go. its a good place to give an excuse to get a little dressy and have a good time.
This is one of the most typical french brasserie-bistrot spirit and I like it. OK, it is true, prices are not cheap and I only go there when I need to eat some generous frenchstyle food with friends. The service could be improved but the food is good and the wine list is quite interesting. Just try it by yourself and make your opinion about the place.
A can of coke here (yes, the coke you buy at kedi for about 3rmb) is 40rmb here. 40. highway robbery.
Absolutely horrible service and overrated food! The waiters could not be more arrogant! We went there last week and asked whether they served breakfast. The Chinese looking however very French acting waiter said 'no' and when we pointed at the cheese and jam and bread, he mockingly said "Oh!that is breakfast for you!hahahaha!" We were still patient. And then he brought the menu which is in french and when we wanted him to translate, he mocked us again! And when I asked him whether they have no cheese platter (given the fact that there were different types of cheese fridge window and that it is a French bistrot), he said NO, laughing at me... Well, we could not stand him any longer. We just got up and left. We had been here one moer time before and the attitute was exactly the same. The food was absolutely terrible too! (The meat couldnt be harder to chew and the soup was like a ready made one) We are definitely not going back there! Or maybe we will, just to pay back the arrogance and rude attitute of the waiters:-) What is wrong with these people??? Somebody better tell them we are not in France!
This is my second time at Franck and was equally impressed as the first time I was there. Their butter, as most reviewers have commented, is very tasty and addictive. We had a poached fish and duck confit for appetizer. The poached fish with fennel root salad and cream sauce was excellent. A very refreshing start to our meal. The duck confit was a bit too heavy and portion too large. I would rather have a smaller portion at a reduced price. For entree, we had the beef tartare and bowl of mixed seafood. Beef tartare came with an under-seasoned salad, but crispy fries that were seasoned just right. The highlight of our evening was the bowl of mixed seafood (half lobster, 1 scallop, a piece of fish and mashed potatoes. The jus and sauce that came with the seafood was flavorful and enhanced flavors of the seafood, but the fish had scales and bones, which I find unacceptable when being charged RMB 250 for the dish.
The baguette sandwiches here are far too tiny for the price (upwards of RMB60) each. Each half is less than the size of a small hand. I got the salami sandwich, accompanied by a small pot of salt and vinegar chips and a tiny side salad. Everything was fine, although I've had much better, and for much less money.
Easily my favorite french restaurant. Menu is created daily based on availability of fresh ingredients, plus lots of other ingredients imported directly from France...down to the salt! Personal favorites include the homemade pate and duck confit. Had the skate once and wasn't too impressed.
Also love the ambiance with the little lounge by the bar. Also enjoy the two guys who play classical guitar there occasionally. Great for a romantic evening for two without the pretentiousness of the bund.
Very over rated place! We had a very bad experience, with a food quality not worth the price, waitress mistaken 2 times with the bill, and Franck, the boss, very rude.
Located in a nice backyard, the design of restaurant is already a highlight. The food was excellent with some reservations: the foie veau was a bit stringy, the beef tartar just too much (it even appeared too big on the plate). Other than that, the poulpe marine (a kind of octopus salad) and the beef tartar - a recommendation of the waiter - were excellent. Talking about the service: as long as the restaurant was relatively empty, the service was excellent. All dishes were enthusiastically explained, obviously with good knowledge about the details. When we left, the restaurant was full and the waiters were rushing up and down in order to serve all guests - we felt a little bit like sitting in the middle of pedestrians in a rush hour. The idea with having the menu on chalkboard easels is really nice, but the tables are too close to each other. When new guests were coming in, the other ones were hampered by the boards. I really feel, the layout of the restaurant should be reconsidered. Anyway, a beautiful place to go to.
Great butter which you can eat like cheese! The duck confit is very delicious. Apple tart is a must-order. The smoked salmon is very enjoyable.
The service has improved and it is getting harder to get a table...
Terrible service and bad food! I haven't seen worse service. The waiters were not trying to hide but rather proud to show how arrogant and rude they can be. When we ask to translate some items on their precious French memu into English, the waiter seems couldn't bear people who do not speak their language. Then another waiter poured the very last bit of the wine and we have to drunk the dregs of the overpriced wine. When we showed him all these dregs in the glass, the waiter walked away and said he had nothing to say to that without evening looking at us. Two of our friends got sick after the dinner and ended up volmiting the whole night because they had a dish with some questionable raw meat in it. If you are not planning to ruin your evening, read some of the complain about this place on all major websites.
Loved the place and Ferguson Lane, a fairly pricey venue in general. Food was excellent and enjoyable EXCEPT for the frites which were dismal - waay too thick, not crisp, etc. Champagne overpriced (compared to better pour @ next door Globus). Franck is definitely EXPENSIVE i.e. decadent!
Good food but way overpriced for what it is....hence the 3 stars. Actually it's so overpriced, I have a problem going back and paying those prices for bistro food.
We went to Franck's for lunch yesterday. The food was good, and the place has a nice location in the French Concession. I found the prices rather steep, though (60 RMB for a soup and 150 RMB for the main dish, roasted chicken with mashed potatoes), and there was even a 20 RMB surcharge for butter! Also, they seem to have the menu only in French, which made it difficult for my non French-speaking friend to read. Though we really enjoyed the food, I still think it's a bit overpriced. Service and ambiance are not that outstanding to justify such prices (for lunch).
Overpriced and franckly quite mediocre. This is a place for pretentious people who are wannabe French.
Great!
Great food and quality ingredients,nice atmosphere with passionate french owner ..the must autenthic bistro in Shanghai
So, I went there week of August 10th and the place looked like it had closed down. The latest review was posted August 26th. Have they reopened?
It is pretty smart to squeeze most of the tables to the front of the restaurant to create a busy atmosphere, but I find the seating plan too tight. The tables should be further apart to give diners a bit more privacy.
The food is pretty good. The smoked salmon was well done and the tete de veau was very unique and tasty. The grilled cod was perfectly done well praised by my guests. The lamb was superb but the veal marengo was not so interesting. I think the flavors did not penetrate the veal enough.
The chocolate fondant could have a firmer crust and the filling was not fragrant enough. The roasted figs should be riper and lacked the honey taste of the fruits. It was a race to finish the ice cream before it melt into the red wine soup.
We were over charged with an extra portion of smoked salmon but it was my fault for not checking the bill carefully before paying.
The service staff spoke good english but I thought it was a little pretentious. Halfway through explaining the menu, he went off to serve the next table...
Why and when did Franck close the doors? Turned up there yesterday in anticipation of the seafood salad I always order, but the place had been stripped bare! I'm devastated. There was no notice posted about relocating or going out of business. I would like to think that the proprietor is simply on an extended vacation in his native land but it looks pretty permanent. A great loss for the former French concession and those who appreciated this very authentic restaurant.
great food, good service. Yes, Franck has his caracter, but as a french boy, and like what he said in a CW article, when you go to a french bistrot who have to deal with the owner mood. Anyways, i don't know any other places in Sh so focus on the details, what make the place a masterpiece and his owner an artist. Lovely japanese chef also. But expensive wine list
good food and ambience. prices were much higher than cityweekend reviews. my salad was rmb 90 and lamb was about rmb 200. i sat at bar so manager/staff were attentive. it was maybe half full.
i would come back
I've heard something good about this bistro by in fact it was a disaster....I went there with my girl friend at 19h00 while the dining room was still empty, but nobody welcomed us, I had to find a table myself. The guy(perhaps the manager) came to finger-pointed the wine my girlfriend who brought: "sorry your wine is not allowed to open here or you should pay the selling price here". Eh, it was the gift from her and I'm not even ask to open here...I said that shall you greet with us before saying anything? the guy narrowly said hello and left away through my dinner. I ordered a glass of martini dry but the waiter mistakenly brought me a dry martini, confit de canard is stark and non of tasty, also there's a little sand in the salad my girlfriend got, such a high range of menu and wine list, I don't think it matches a bistro concept. ok they made an effort on the location but nothing else to say positively, I'll never come back.
I've been there once and had an excellent time but the RMB 600 / pers bill kept me from going back. Food is great and tastes just like in France and the wine list is too tempting to say no. I'm quite sure you have really better dining experiences for that price in Shanghai, though.
After a good first impression of the place on my first dinner with my french GF, we went back for some of the same great cote de boeuf which if done right is amongst the best meats in town. Unfortunately this time Franck and his team did everything to make the experience a sour one. The meat served overdone was not an issue to concern Frank himself, not only he ignored the comment but our table for the rest of the nite. Had it not been because I wanted to make a formal complaint to him at the end regarding the poor customer service by him and his staff to which you have to remind several times what you ordered or do so in french (thanks to my GF) to his french supervisors, I would not have realised how arrogant and mistaken this guy is. His answer "next time go to a 5 star restaurant for service you ask" says it all, this after having spent in 2 dinners with my GF aprox RMB 3000. I did ask him to give me a discount on the bill for ripping us off with the meat and cheese, a plate of the latter with 8 individual coin size servings of french naturel lait cru cheese at RMB 50/piece... I did get the discount, though an infimal RMB 200 over the bill. Its unfortunate that such a poor service and arrogance from Franck himself overshadows what sud have been a pleasant and delicious dinner. So long..
Via the recommendation of a friend, I stopped by Franck with a few family friends on Saturday night and had a wonderful time!
Located in Ferguson Lane, it was largely an expat crowd and the restaurant possessed the charm of a classic brasserie. The atmosphere was warm and cozy.
The menu du jour carried all the must-haves from duck breast and leg confit to the always favorite of mine - cote de boeuf for two. The one thing that I thought was an absolute highlight of the night was definitely the anchovy foam dip for bread and veggie sticks!
The wine list was fair and Franck was sweet enough to stop by to recommend a wine for our table. However, for the price of the wine at 600 RMB, I thought it could've been a little better...
Like always, the only downside to places like these is the lack of of a Chinese menu! My friends loved the place, but will not likely return because of the language barrier :(
I'd love for once not have to translate the menu! It's China - have a Chinese menu!
Just went there last nite with friends, the service was better and improved from my last experience.
I recommend the smoked salmon and the spanish ham (though it is not french). For mains, I had the beef ragout and it was very tender but I think the intensity of the sauce was lacking. The beef tartar is excellent with a great balance of the taste of the beef vs the condiments. The peanut nougat is very good and the definitely worth ordering.
The overall portions are about right. The wine is prices is not cheap and the food prices are rather high. Not sure if I can afford going there every week....
We think this is one of the most charming French bistros in Shanghai. It is a bit pricey so we can't claim to be regulars, but we drop by from time to time. The menu's always changing but if you're lucky you'll catch them on a day when they're serving the confit de canard (duck confit). It's so tender it peels right off the bone and is scrumptiously moist. The accompanying baby potatoes are tasty and the dish is joined by all the necessary odds and ends--namely, mustard. The tanginess adds to the rich flavor of the duck. We gobbled it up quite quickly.
1st, the service is terrible. We arrived at 630pm and nobody took the initiative to attend to us. It took 15mins before we decide to wave somebody over. Then he brought over the menu board and left. Nobody came to explain the items. The overall order experience is terrible. Needless to say, the french "boss" only speaks to the french customers. 2nd, the food is good. The portions are decant and the quality is good. The apple tart is excellent. 3rd, the corkage is out of this world! It is double the price of a main course and the wines prices are very high. This is not a place where the boss wants you to enjoy wine with your food. 4th, if you use a credit card, they charge you in USD, not RMB. I don't understand why...
So~ overrated! I went there for lunch. Despite their sign, indicating they open at 12noon for lunch, when we showed up, they asked us to come back at 12:30. Then, choosing from their limited lunch menu, before ordering SALAD NICOISE, I asked the waiter if it was fresh tuna or canned tuna. He answered with pride that it was fresh tuna. When the salad arrived, it wasn’t even tuna; it was SARDINE! That is not even the end of it! The bill arrived, they charged different prices (of course, more!) from the blackboard and the printed menus, explaining the menu prices were wrong…
The only thing that was good about the place was the bread. It is over-priced mediocre food with questionable service. I reall don’t know what is the fuss about the place.
French | FranckMay 2010
Franck has long been popular with the French expats here in Shanghai. And though there have been some mixed reviews lately on our website, we went found it to be as good as ever. Located in intimate Ferguson Lane, Franck makes you feel at home right away. The Parisian-style, well-dressed restaurant is dimly lit, with a single old-fashioned bulb hanging over each table. Jazzy lounge music plays in the background to further soften the mood.
Franck boasts an extensive wine list with a glass of the house reserve starting at ¥85. Their menu, however, is presented not on the page but on two chalkboard easels that silently sidle up to your table courtesy of one of the attentive waitstaff. The menu is in French and there’s not a lot of room for elaboration on the board, but the servers are well-versed in the menu and available to answer questions.
The house bread (and accompanying salted homemade butter) is a fantastic start to the meal. Even better are the smoked salmon (¥110) and tomato and buffalo mozzarella (¥120) appetizers. The silky salmon is made in-house and goes great with a touch of the fromage blanc sauce, while the creamy buffalo mozzarella plays well with the vine-ripened tomatoes.
The ragout de boeuf (¥190) entrée is a solid choice that comes with subtly sweet creamed carrots. The good-sized chunk of off-the-bone beef has deep, intense flavors, and is tender, juicy and chewy in just the right amounts. Our favorite was the roasted codfish (¥200) though. Covered in a basic beurre blanc sauce and a sprinkling of pepper, the fish is light with a soothing creamy base and a peppery snap. This is one spot that keeps it simple and gets all the details right.
■ Geoff Ng
An air of quaintness and cozy surprise pervades both food and space at Franck, a newly-opened brasserie serving a menu du jour of hearty French cuisine at charming Ferguson Lane. Quality ingredients rendered skillfully elevate the simple fare to delightful; cold tomato soup (¥45), beef tartare (¥140) , and asalad of dark greens and soft-boiled egg (¥40) have us exclaiming "très bien!" For a sweet ending t o a n a lre ady wonderful afternoon, our waiter was insistent, "get the clafoutis." We did and were pleased by the dessert of baked fresh cherries, raspberry sorbet, and meringue (¥60), as well as by the confidently knowledgeable service. So how much do we love Franck? Oh, mon cher, in so many delicious ways. –Andrea Y.See