Introducing four new brunch recommendations in Shanghai for your weekend noshing. We have two recommendations for al fresco at Ginger and Light & Salt Daily, and two French restaurants, Cuivre and Epices & Foie Gras.
Ginger
This restaurant on Xingguo Lu serves a menu of modern Asian dishes and sports one of our favorite al fresco dining terraces in Shanghai. Chef/owner Betty Ng added some Pan-Asian inspired brunch dishes to the menu, including her personal favorite Ochatsuke (RMB98), a soup dish of rice, red snapper, wakame and genmai cha. Our favorite is the Shakshouka (RMB80), baked eggs with tomato, sweet pepper and spinach, topped with feta crumbs and crushed almonds.
A la carte isn’t cheap, but you can get the brunch set for RMB148 per person, which includes a starter tasting platter of four small bites, one selected main and one daily dessert. Whatever you do, make sure to save room for the must-try Everything Ginger dessert (RMB65). Grab a seat on the terrace while the weather still prevails!
Address: Ginger 91 Xingguo Lu (near Hunan Lu)
Light & Salt Daily
Light & Salt Daily is the casual extension of their Bund venue, housed in a beautifully designed space on the popular Shaanxi Bei Lu corner beside neighbors Sumerian/Dogtown. Light & Salt Daily’s brunch isn’t cheap either with egg dishes starting at RMB87. We liked the Hot Smoked Salmon (RMB137), served with a poached egg coated in hollandaise and melted cheese over fresh bread.
The Crab Cake poached eggs (RMB137) were also well executed, two poached eggs garnished with caviar atop English muffins. For drinks, we suggest the Green Energy smoothie (RMB42), an avocado based hangover buster. The patio seating is quite nice on cooler days—additional shade provided from the huge umbrellas helps.
Address: Light & Salt Daily 407 Shaanxi Bei Lu (near Beijing Xi Lu)
Epices & Foie Gras
Epices & Foie Gras is a beautiful space with a terrace for al fresco that looks like it could be in the former French Concession, located around the corner from the Bund and Nanjing Dong Lu Pedestrian Street. The brunch is quite affordable at RMB218 for one main course and two dishes, either from starters or dessert, plus one drink. We recommend the Eggs Benedict as a starter—both the parma ham and salmon topped eggs were well executed.
For the main, we chose the Australian flank steak with black pepper sauce for an additional RMB50 and were pleased with the flavor and portion of the dish. Our breadbasket was also quickly replenished with fresh rolls. Have brunch and head out for shopping, or go around the corner to check out one of the biggest bookstores in Shanghai (with English titles) at 390 Fuzhou Lu.
Address: Epices & Foie Gras 309 Hankou Lu (near Shandong Zhong Lu)
Cuivre
Cuivre was recently awarded Restaurant of the Year by way of votes in our City Weekend Readers’ Choice Awards. Chef Michael Wendling has updated his brunch menu, offering a great value three-course brunch for RMB198, which includes one drink of fresh juice, smoothie, coffee or tea.
For starters, the Salad de Lardons was quite the portion with generous bits bacon and emmental cheese. We preferred the poached egg on hash brown over the eggs benedict with spinach. The Oeuf Poche was served in a skillet, presenting a single poached egg over smoked salmon, stacked on a hash brown. What’s not to like about buttered, fried potatoes, gooey egg and salmon? The grilled cheese truffle sandwich, layered with coppa, brie and arugula was also one of our favorites.
Despite having used up our three-dish selection, we ordered the French toast with vanilla, which is only RMB38 a la carte, and were not disappointed. The huge piece of toast is crusted with a layer of crystalized maple syrup and was milky and soft on the inside. For drinks, we recommend the Vitamin+ smoothie, made with fresh orange, grapefruit and mango.
Address: Cuivre 1502 Huaihai Zhong Lu (near Wulumuqi Zhong Lu)
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