Shanghai Restaurant Serves Elephant Dung as Dessert, Sparks Heated Debate

Located in Shanghai, the restaurant has been making waves for its unique and unconventional dining experience. With a price tag of 4,000 yuan per person, this eco-fusion cuisine establishment promises an immersive adventure that goes beyond just eating. Upon entering, guests are treated to a multi-sensory journey, with each course presented in a distinct setting. The meal begins with a visit to a small, dimly lit room where diners are given a leaf to clip and consume with dew and honey, evoking a sense of survival in the wild.

The culinary experience includes dishes such as "rocky forest," essentially a salad that must be eaten by hand, and a main course accompanied by background sounds of wild animals, such as the calls of wild boars or deer, and the placement of insects like bamboo worms or ants on the diner's hands. The pièce de résistance is the dessert, "flowers planted in elephant dung," made from disinfected, dried, and ground elephant dung. The restaurant, founded by two individuals from the Chinese Bouyei ethnic minority and France, is the result of seven years of research in the rainforests of Yunnan.

The use of elephant dung as a dessert ingredient has sparked intense debate and reaction among netizens, with many expressing shock, disgust, and skepticism about the unusual ingredient. Some users questioned the safety and hygiene of consuming elephant dung, even if it has been disinfected and dried. Others were puzzled by the hefty price tag of 3888 yuan per person, excluding drinks, for a meal that includes such an unconventional ingredient. On the other hand, some netizens defended the restaurant's innovative approach, praising the owners' creativity and commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly practices.

The controversy has also raised questions about the boundaries of culinary innovation and the extent to which restaurants should push the limits of diners' expectations. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen whether this unusual dessert will become a sensation or a footnote in the culinary world. The restaurant's unique business model, which positions itself as a "small museum" rather than a traditional restaurant, offers patrons not just a meal, but an immersive experience that includes interacting with components of nature.

This approach can be seen as part of a broader trend in high-end dining, where exclusivity and the experience itself become as valuable, if not more so, than the food. The requirement for patrons to make advance reservations and pay a premium price for this experience speaks to the targeted niche of this restaurant, likely individuals with a high disposable income and a keen interest in unique culinary adventures. The fact that the restaurant's founders spent seven years researching in the rainforests of Yunnan before launching this venture in Shanghai underscores the commitment to authenticity and innovation.

This phenomenon can also be analyzed through the lens of cultural trends, particularly the growing demand for experiential consumption and the blurring of boundaries between nature, art, and cuisine. In an era where social media platforms amplify the visibility of unique experiences, dining establishments like this one capitalize on the human desire for novelty and exclusivity. However, the critique that this might be an example of conspicuous consumption, where the high price and unconventional menu items serve more as a spectacle of wealth than a genuine culinary innovation, also has merit. Whether this represents a sustainable business model or a fleeting phenomenon in the culinary world remains to be seen.