Que sera sera, whatever will be will be, the world is not ours to see, que sera sera! This lovely classic was the inspiration for the name of owner Frank Cheung’s French fusion fine dining restaurant. Que Sera Sera is truly a Nanjing gem. Hidden by Xuanwu Lake, it offers beautiful sunset views of the lake, while the back of the restaurant steps down into a smaller lake. The restaurant stands alone with plenty of wide-open space both around and inside.
Surrounded by nature, sitting on the balcony with a glass of wine or a coffee and watching the sunset and people go by is absolute bliss. The interior features a small cocktail/coffee bar and function space. With tables up and down the stairs; the place sports a very trendy minimalist feel.
Please let me not speak too much of the décor, for that surely is not what you are here for. As for the food, it comes second to non-when it comes to fine dining in Nanjing. While Chef Leo Zhang trained in well-known Michelin star Cantonese cuisine restaurant, The Hakkasan, in Qatar, he also spent 1 year learning from Mr. Gordon Ramsey himself. So you can rest assured you will be getting what you pay for.
On the menu for The Nanjinger were seven courses of fine fusion cuisine. First up, a white goose liver (half pate half cream) smothered with pomegranate sauce, which was dipped with toasted and lightly buttered bread. Next came seared goose liver served with fig, then a soft boiled egg (from Japan where the chickens are served organic feed, darling) served in a creamy truffle sauce, followed by a pork cheek which was just delectable, then New Zealand deer and lamb chops with rosemary and finally cheese cake with ice-cream and sherbet sprinkles.
All of that washed down with top-shelf white and red and I was ready for bed!
The meal was splendid while our hosts, owner Frank and manager Skye, were attentive; laid back, very informative and passionate about what they do. Dining at Que Sera Sera was a fabulous evening and I recommend it to anyone yearning for a slice of Europe.
Be sure to inquire about their fusion dishes, as mixing French and Chinese cuisine is certainly an art form. What I thought was coffee ice-cream on top of my cheesecake was in fact a Chinese brown sugar-based ice-cream, which provided a lovely effect. These petite details are what make the menu here all the more worth it.
It is somewhat telling that our biggest disappointment was in the fact that it has taken 3 years for us to find Que Sera Sera; Cheung confessed to his not being aware of the size of Nanjing’s foreign population. Once they get wind of it, Que Sera Sera may need to consider closing their doors later; at present on weekdays, it’s go home around 9.30, extended to 11ish at weekends.
QUE SERA SERA 可喜is located by the entrance to the Lovers Park on Yanguang Lu (opposite Sun Palace) 阳光路十里长堤情侣园入口处(太阳宫对面). Tel: 025-58823911 – 18013341273
