Tag: Shanghai brunch

The Kitchen Studios (Andaz) Sunday brunch in Shanghai

Online you find references to the Westin and more recently to The Regis hotel as the best weekend buffets in Shanghai. Bullshit. These are very noisy, crowded, and the food is so so. (The Westin is a nice place to see expats getting drunken if it is your fetish, though).

The Kitchen Studios’ restaurant of the Andaz Hotel in Xintiandi does an excellent job in putting together a well-managed Sunday buffet (only on Sundays from noon) with quality food and at a reasonable price point.

I have been a big fun for a long time. I still remember a couple of years ago when they were launching their weekend brunch and I was among the few diners taking advantage of their promotion at the time. Now the news is out and it is almost sold out, but still, in my latest visit in November 2019, I did not feel the pressure of the crowd and there were no shortages of food. It remains a pleasant experience.

The visit

Let me take you around the buffet.

There are two spacious dining rooms around the buffet area, with both sofas and normal chairs. The decor is modern. Even if the rooms got pretty soon almost full, I did not overwhelmed.

One of the main attraction is the sushi and sashimi boat. They have tuna, salmon, and amberjack.

More seafood: lobster claws and…

… and imported prawns and crab legs.

It was hairy crab season and they were available (not a fan here).

There was an oyster station.

They would provide three oysters per order (brought to your table). I usually have at least 6, so I kept ordering, no problem.

There were various dishes that could be ordered as many times as you wish. The foie gras quite good.

Every diner could order one lobster dish.

I had the egg benedict with lobster and caviar. Nothing special, but a nice way to get my Sunday eggs. The half lobster with cheese was preferred by my friends, but had too much dish in my opinion.

Since it was almost Thanksgiving, a big turkey was available at the roast meat station along with beef.

They also had Chinese food. I tried the lobster wonton soup. Again, nothing exceptional, but I appreciated the effort.

Another dish made on demand was the Shanghai pancakes. I would not recommend it as it is super-filling and you can have it around town for 2 USD or so. But again, I appreciate the effort to have some local food.

Some dim sum dishes were available.

Many more dishes I am not posting were available, including lamb meat, pork, and vegetables. I could not try them all!

The dessert station included many treats including freshly made waffles and ice cream.

They paid homage to the local milk candy called White Rabbit with a cake made from the same milk. (White Rabbit company was on a diversification spree at the time of this posting… perhaps it was a marketing initiative.)

Soft drinks and some wine were also included and freely available.

The check

The check was picked up by a friend so I do not have a picture to post. The price per person was 446 RMB (63 USD), way less than similar buffets on the Bund. I was extremely pleased by the efficiency of the operations (even during the first hectic half an hour after opening the service was pretty good and fast) and the quality of the food.

PS: for a luxury semi-buffet, my favorite remains the Cathay Room.

Where in Shanghai:
2F of Andaz Hotel 88 Songshan Lu.
In Chinese: 嵩山路88号.

Exquisite brunch at Sir Elly’s, Peninsula Shanghai

Sir Elly’s is the French restaurant of the Peninsula Hotel in Shanghai. Located on the 13th floor, it sport nice views of the Bund. I visited it as part of my Shanghai Michelin Guide Scramble.

The visit

I chose to visit the restaurant for brunch, because the brunch dishes seemed to be a fair representation of the high cuisine of the restaurant and not just afterthoughts as often happens with brunches.

Upon my arrival the staff welcomed me using my name. Was I the only foreigner dining there on that day? It turned out that for most of the meal I was the only guest! I had the beautiful dining room all for myself, only toward the end of my meal a Chinese couple joined the brunch. It was a slow weekend in Shanghai.

Similarly to what happens with their Chinese restaurant Yi Long Court on the second floor, the dining room tries to recreate the luxury and intimacy of a patrician house. It is a very classy venue.

The bread basket was impressive enough: French baguette, hazelnut bread, seaweed bread, a croissant, a hazelnut tart, and even a chocolate muffin.

And I was provided normal and salted butter, for good measure.

The brunch included four dishes: one appetizer, one egg or pancake, one main, and one dessert. For each category several options were available.

My appetizer was a hamachi carpaccio with asparagus, passion fruit, lotus. What was impressive was that it came in a bread container that reminded of a crab shell. The dots on the plate were mango and soy jellies. It was a delicious and well-designed dish.

The second list of dishes included brunch classics such as poached eggs, waffles and crepes. I chose the buckwheat crepes filled with bechamel and smoked salmon. The bechamel was spectacularly creamy and light.

The cod was a slow-cooked fillet, coming with an artichoke and clam-butter sauce that was added at my table. Really a delicious piece of cod.

I was not in the mood for a sweet, so I chose the comte cheese platter. This was a bit underwhelming. A cheese combination would have been better. But it was what it was advertised on the menu. The cakes should be a better choice.

The check

The brunch cost 428 RMB before tax and service charge. With a bottle of water, the minimum you would spend for brunch is 586.50 RMB (82 USD). It is a pricey brunch, but in line with the quality of the dishes. If you prefer quality vs. the quantity of a buffet, this brunch is actually a nice option. They also have a more affordable lunch menu, while dinner may be an expensive affair. Their tasting menu was around 2000 RMB at the time of my visit.

The service was impeccable and part of the positive experience, with all staff that could communicate in English well.

Where in Shanghai:
13F, The Peninsula Shanghai, 32 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu.
In Chinese: 上海市黄浦区中山东一路32号上海半岛酒店13楼.
Go to their website for menus and online reservation.

Dim Sum brunch at Imperial Treasure in Shanghai

Imperial Treasure is a chain of Chinese restaurants hailing from Singapore operating several formats: Fine Chinese Cuisine, Teochew Cuisine, Peking Duck, Shanghai Cuisine, Steamboat. The first restaurant specializing in Teochew Cuisine was established in 2004 in Singapore and the Shanghai restaurant that I visited was their first international location opened in 2012. It is a Cantonese restaurant and for some reason has two Michelin stars. They seem to do good business in Shanghai as they just opened another location using the Steamboat concept. You might encounter them also in Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Incheon, and London.

The visit

I went for a brunch on a Saturday. I made a reservation on the phone. The restaurant is huge and occupies an entire floor of YiFeng Galleria near the Bund (across the street from the Peninsula Hotel).

At 11am the place was already packed. It must be their busiest time of the week. It is really a local favorite. For lunch they have a special dim sum menu, but also the standard menu with more delicacies is available.

I started with my bellwether dish for Cantonese restaurants: the crispy pork belly. It was exceptional! On par with Ji Ping Court, better than the one from Lei Garden (the skin was tender, but still super crispy) and juicer than the one I had at Canton 8.

I had their Teochew dumpling, that has a vegetarian filling. I had better ones in Hong Kong.

Their super classic pork dumpling siew mai was also ok, but nothing exceptional.

The fried wonton with shrimp meat were quite good.

The pan-fried carrot cake with Chinese sausage was also pretty ordinary.

Finally, I found excellent their black sesame glutinous dumplings wit grated peanut. The sesame paste filling was particularly tasty.

The check

Final check (also including a bottle of Evian water and a juice) went for 377 RMB (around 52 USD). The value is there, prices were quite reasonable and the setting was high class.

Do not get me wrong, the food was very good, but the two Michelin stars will remain a mystery to me (same with Canton 8… looks like in Shanghai they give you stars if you make a half decent dim sum).

Having visited all the Michelin-starred restaurants in Shanghai with a sizable dim sum menu, I will say that Seventh Son beats all for quality while Yi Long Court has the best luxury dim sum.

Where in Shanghai:
 L402-403, Yi Feng Gallery, 99 Beijing Dong Lu.

Brunch at Shanghai Tavern

This brunch was really random. I literally ran away from another venue where the level of noise of the crowd was just unbearable (I am talking about the Westin). The contrast with my previous destination could not have been starker: the Tavern is an elegant and quiet place, especially for an early Sunday brunch.

The visit

Shanghai Tavern is located on the lobby level of the luxurious Shanghai Edition and has its own entrance at one side of the hotel on Nanjing East Road.

On a typical weekend Nanjing road is very crowded so it is really refreshing to step inside the Tavern to find a little urban oasis with many types of seating arrangements from sofas to booths and normal tables.

The Tavern serves British and European food in an elegant yet laid down environment. I think the name is misleading: I kind of assumed that it was a Chinese restaurant (maybe because of the Chinese Tavern in Rockbund).

I was welcomed by the professional staff, got a table, and served the bread basket with butter. The restaurant offers all-day dining starting from breakfast at 6am. For weekend brunch they have a fixed price for either two or three courses. For additional coins, you can also get a glass of quality champagne.

I had their “royal eggs”, just salmon poached eggs. A very well executed and fitting brunch dish.

The pan-seared snapper with kale mash was just a perfect dish.

Finally, I had their cheeseburger. A big boy, with smoked bacon and caramelized onion. It was what a cheeseburger is supposed to be and alone could satisfy one’s appetite.

I did not have the champagne, but I enjoyed a Japanese soda, because Japanese sodas are fun.

The check

The brunch deal was 348 RMB (50 USD) per three courses and 298 RMB (43 USD) for two. Prices were listed net. After adding the soda, I spent 403 RMB (58.5 USD). It is an average price for a Bund-worthy high-end location.

The food was good, solid Western food, not without some special touches (the kale puree was something). I did not regret changing my brunch plans and I would not mind visiting again.

Where in Shanghai:
199 Nanjing Road East.
Check their website for reservation info.

The Sunday Brunch at the Cathay Room between history and seafood

The Cathay Room is one of the restaurants of the Fairmont Peace Hotel, a Shanghai’s landmark. Built from 1926 to 1929, it was originally called Cathay Hotel and also hosted the private apartment of the owner, Victor Sassoon (technically, also the building across the street was part of the complex, it is now a separate property). Victor Sassoon was behind the development of a lot of art deco buildings in Shanghai and my understanding is that the Cathay Room was below (or part of) his quarters. The hotel even has a small museum where you can learn about his remarkable past. I spent time reading a letter of a British woman telling her story of her time at the hotel as a hostage of the Japanese. Some fascinating stuff if you are a history buff.

To get to the restaurant, take the third entrance to the right (the first one is closed and the central entrance leads to the main hotel reception), turn right and look for the elevators: the Cathay Room is at the 9th floor. They also have a terrace with fabulous views of Pudong and the river.

The visit

On Sundays, and only on Sundays, The Cathay Room offers a brunch semi-buffet. The seafood spread is formidable and it is what lures me back. In this review, I will account for my visit on Sunday 21 April 2019, that happened to be Easter. The restaurant was busier than usual.

The dining room has a classic charm and is quite intimate.

The table was impeccable and had some Easter goodies.

One station is dedicated to oysters. On this visit they were Moana oysters from Australia. They were shucked by the staff on demand. It is usually my first stop.

They have a decent selection of sushi and sashimi (including all the right pickled vegetables). Sashimi slices are thick.

Another station is dedicated to fresh crustaceans including giant clams, abalone, shrimps, king crab claws, mussels, razor clams.

Peking duck pancakes were prepared at this station.

Deep fried pork belly, some cold cuts (they discontinued the Spanish ham), smoked salmon, pate’, cheese, bread were available on one side of the central buffet table.

A number of Chinese appetizers and salads were available on the other side of the table, including boiled egg mimosa sprinkled with caviar.

This is a semi-buffet, because the buffet is supposed to be just an appetizer. Then you can order a main from the list above.

I had their turnedos Rossini that was fully satisfying. The meat was really top-grade and super-tender. Also the lamb chops and the cod were substantial dishes.

Among the many treats available, I want to show their truffle cheese and cheese bell peppers. Quite unique in a buffet. I appreciate the attention to the details.

Finally there was a dessert buffet with a couple of good cakes.

The check

The check was 687.70 RMB (or 102 USD) after service charge and water and soft drinks were included (ignore the separation in the check between beverage and food, it was total price, the subdivision must be for internal reasons).

Given the quality of the food, I have no problem with their price.

Finally, they also have some free-flow options for Champagne lovers.

Where in Shanghai:
Ninth Floor, Fairmont Peace Hotel, 20 Nanjing Dong Lu (West Road)
In Chinese: 南京东路20号费尔蒙和平饭店9楼
Info from the official website and link to reservation here.

Brunch at Jean Georges in Shanghai


Jean-Georges in Shanghai holds the record to be the first signature restaurant outside of New York of world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. It is a French restaurant.

The visit

I visited the restaurant for brunch in April 2018 with two friends. It is located on Bund 3 along other high-end restaurants and sports nice views of the Huangpu river and Pudong. It is a very classy location, dominated by bright colors.

The brunch deal included two courses and a dessert. We also ordered some additional dishes.

Our order included the chef’s signature eggs with caviar, that I did not find worth it. The other dishes were tasty, beautifully presented, with a touch of creativity here and there.

The check

The brunch deal was around 330 RMB per person. The same offer is still available at the time of writing this post. We actually spent much more by ordering the caviar eggs and some additional dishes. The brunch menu is a good deal in my opinion and it is a great way to have a brunch on the Bund. But if you go for dinner and order a la carte is another story, this is the kind of place where spending hundred of dollars for a meal is quite easy.

Where in Shanghai:
4F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu
In Chinese: 中山东一路3号4楼
Menu and reservations:http://www.threeonthebund.com/dining.php

The discovery menu from Robuchon in Shanghai

Opened in 2016, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon is the flagship restaurant of the Robuchon’s properties in Shanghai and it is located in Bund 18. Needless to say, it was awarded Michelin stars (two). Robuchon (passed away last year) is the chef that with his multiple restaurants collected most stars in the world.

The visit

My visit dates back to April 2017 and I went with two friends to try the discovery menu for Sunday brunch. This is the four-course entry level tasting menu and at that time it was available only for brunch or for early or late dinners. Not sure whether this has changed since then, but the menu is still available.

When the staff called to confirm my reservation they told me that only counter seats were available. That was not ideal, but when I showed up with my friends they gave us a normal table. More than half of the seats in the restaurant are bar chairs facing the open kitchen.

Down below pictures of some of the dishes, 4 courses, including one appetizer, one soup, one main, and one dessert.

The check

The discovery menu was priced 756 RMB (excluding supplements for certain dishes and beverages), that would be 112 USD. Not a bad deal for a Robuchon on the Bund.

The dishes were beautifully presented and made full use of French high-end ingredients and cooking techniques.

Where in Shanghai:
Bund 18, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu
In Chinese: 黄浦区中山东一路18号外滩十八号
Website for menus and reservations: http://www.joelrobuchon-china.com/

First impressions of Polux by Paul Pairet

Polux is a new project headed by Paul Pairet, the chef extraordinaire behind Ultraviolet and Mr & Ms Bund. It is named after the cat of an old French cartoon and is located in the pedestrian area of Xintiandi, Shanghai.

If you are not familiar with Shanghai, you need to know that Xintiandi is a shopping and entertainment district with reconstituted traditional mid-19th century shikumen houses on narrow alleys. It is a very popular area, but I never associated it with good food (you might disagree if you are a fan of Wolfang Puck).

The visit

I headed to Polux on a Sunday for brunch meeting a friend, just one week after their opening on 14 March 2019. They are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (all day dining) with different menus. Initially they were open 7 days a week, but at the time of this post they have instituted a day off on Mondays.

The staff had my reservation on the books and escorted me to a table. I liked the cloth towels, a small luxury these days.

By the way, even if the place was rapidly filling up, the staff noticed that the table was wobbling and they promptly offered me and my friend another table.

I recognized many faces among the staff from Mr and Ms Bund and Ultraviolet. These are incredibly professional people. (Including the marketing team: by the time of my visit Polux was correctly indicated on all social media, including Facebook and Google Maps; contrast this with the Bulgari Hotel for example…) By no accident, in their second week of operations, everything was running remarkably smoothly.

Bread was complimentary, as it should be in French eateries.

While I was waiting for my friend, I ordered their sardines, a simple dish, but it was nice that they included in the menu some small snacks.

I and my friend shared a steak haché with mash and eggs. A steak
haché is basically a French hamburger. I found it very good, with the beef juice adding some flavor to the mix.

Then both I and my friend had the signature Polux burger coming with fries.

It was a relatively small burger (or I should say “compact”), with bacon and a good amount cheese melting around the patty. I think that some sauce was dripped on the buns as well. But there was a twist (in what I would call Pairet’s style): the lower bun was “excavated” to firmly accommodate the beef patty and some extra condiments (asparagus?). The overall flavor was on the spicy side.

We drank the namesake iced tea, that was not regular iced tea (again one of those twists that made Pairet’s cuisine a favorite of mine): it was a concoction with verbena, orange, lemon, apple, cucumber, and mint. The result was quite pleasant.

The check

Total check was 528 RMB (or 40 USD per person). Was it worth it? Wast it good? Will I go back?

To answer context is important. 40 USD for some regular cafe food may seem pricey, but this is Shanghai, where Western food, good one, is hard to come by at this price point. From this point of view, the final check was more than fair.

In an interview that I read (sorry, I cannot find the link) Pairet explained that they intended to offer good unpretentious everyday food, something that could be the second best for many diners. I think that they delivered what they promised and even more. Polux is good comfort food with a twist here and there (and to be fair, the brunch menu was quite extensive and I wish I had tried their cheek beefsteak, their croque, and some of the egg dishes).

Finally, you have to consider that you are in Xintiandi, an upscale district not famous for its gourmet food. Polux from this point of view is a game changer.

I totally see myself going back and digging into their menu. And that Shake Shack is just around the corner is another big plus.

Where in Shanghai:
No. 5, Lane 181, Taicang Lu, by Huangpi Nan Lu
In Chinese: 太仓路181弄5号, 近黄陂南路
Nearest metro: two blocks south of Huangpi South Road (line 1).
Note: close to Xintiandi number 1 heritage house.

Brunch at M on the Bund

In March 2019 I finally tried M on the Bund, one of the first Western restaurants on the Shanghai’s Bund. Established in 1999 by Australian restaurateur Michelle Garnaut, the restaurant specializes in dishes with a mixture of Middle Eastern and European style.

The visit

The restaurant is located on the 7th floor of Bund 5, a location hosting many high-end restaurants (see my review of Atto Primo). They share the floor with their bar/lounge called Glam. The dining area is spacious, yet intimate. I had a reservation through Chope.

They have a wonderful terrace with view on the Bund, but on the day of my visit it was raining, so I could not enjoy it.

For brunch, they have a limited menu with the option to choose two courses (one appetizer and one main) or three (also a dessert). I went for two courses.

Included in the price also a drink. I had orange juice.

My appetizer was a carpaccio. The beef was thinly cut. The mayo was not needed.

My main dish was their weekend platter with a minute steak, a lamb chop, mashed potatoes, sausages, a fried egg. I really enjoyed this dish as I do not have often English breakfast goodies in China.

The tea came with a couple of complimentary sweets.

Before leaving I took a pic of their souvenir corner: they sell their glassware, tea cups, and other utensils.

The check

The two course brunch option after service charge cost me 327 RMB (48.5 USD). Nothing to complain about it given the location and the excellent service in English.

Also after factoring the fact that the brunch menu does not showcase the full extent of M on the Bund’s cuisine, I was not impressed by the offering. I could not really see on the menu any dish that would lure me back. Given the nice location, it is a place to keep in mind for afternoon tea.

Where in Shanghai:
20 Guangdong Lu, 7th Floor, No 5 on The Bund
In Chinese: 上海市黄浦区广东路20号, 外滩五号7楼, 近中山东一路
Website (also for reservation): http://m-restaurantgroup.com

Brunch at Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire in Shanghai

To complete my Shanghai Michelin Guide Scrambled I made a reservation at Le Comptoir de Pierre Gagnaire in Shanghai for a Sunday lunch. The restaurant was given a star in the 2019 editoon of the Shanghai Michelin Guide and is located in the exclusive Capella Hotel in the former French Concession.

According to his Wikipedia entry

Gagnaire is an iconoclastic chef at the forefront of the fusion cuisine movement. Beginning his career in St. Etienne where he won three Michelin Stars, Gagnaire tore at the conventions of classic French cooking by introducing jarring juxtapositions of flavours, tastes, textures, and ingredients.

Spoiler alert: nothing of this was apparent in the restaurant I visited.

The visit

My first attempt to make a reservation was weird. I called and was told that it was possible to join for lunch. But when I replied that I would come at noon, at the opening time, I was told that they could only accommodate me at 12.30. To me that does not make any sense. If you have a table at 12.30, then it must available also at half an hour earlier (since it is the opening time…).

I completed my reservation by email.

When I arrived I discovered that the menu that I had consulted on the website was only available for dinner! There was a less interesting brunch menu available. Later I complained about this with the manager and I see that now they published on the Capella’s page for the restaurant all the various menus. You are welcome.

I settled for their brunch package that included two courses, mineral water, juices, tea or coffee, bread basket, and desserts from a mini buffet. Then, I also added some eggs from la carte.

The bread basket was promptly served with butter and some confectioneries. Nice, but nothing spectacular.

Then I got their signature beef tartare. It is tartare with some additional ingredients, such as cheese, tuna and duck sashimi. Iconoclast? I was expecting a lot, but please give the Le Bec tartare every day of the week over this.

Next I got a sea bream seared fillet with a delicious condiment. This was a very good dish, but nothing new.

The Egg Benedict were perfectly executed.

Finally, I sampled some cakes from the dessert buffet. Again, very good, but nothing that left me with the crave to go back.

The check

Final charge was 644.60 CNY (94 USD). The basic package was 488 CNY plus 10% service charge.

What to say? For a brunch in Shanghai, this is a pretty bad value for money. For that money you can dine in a luxury buffet on the Bund (hint… check the Cathay Room).

Did I find anything exceptional about this French restaurant? Not really, I can have a good sea bream fillet in so many other establishments. If I could sample the full menu, who knows, maybe I would have had a better experience.

Why a place like this gets a star and Villa Le Bec does not will remain a mystery to me. Unfortunately, the Shanghai inspectors seem to be prone to award stars by default to the branches of renowned international powerhouses.

Where in Shanghai:
480 Jianguo Xi Lu inside Capella Hotel
Address in Chinese: 建国西路480号(建业里)
Check the hotel website page for the restaurant.