Just when the hangover from the first New Year's party subsides another one comes back around to bite you in the ass. Here are our picks to ring in the Year of the Horse: a posh nosh on The Bund, a meatpocalypse in Pudong, brunch basics upstairs, and endless dim sum on Huaihai.
Cathay Room
Sunday brunch at the Peace Hotel's Cathay Room sort of has that "old money" air — a buffet spread of luxurious eats; service staff dressed like butlers bringing more food directly to your seat; fancy silver flatware and weirdly quiet surroundings. It'll cost you, though: 598rmb per person, or 798rmb if you also want free-flow Veuve Clicquot, cocktails and wine. With the additional 15% service charge, you're looking at 688rmb and 918rmb. In the buffet section, there's charcuterie, oysters, crab legs, cocktail shrimp, foie gras and thinly sliced cuts of fruit, cheese and sashimi. In addition to that, each person can choose a made-to-order entree: steak, sea bass, salmon, lamb chops or eggs Benedict. In addition, the wait staff brings out small bites that have just been prepared in the kitchen, like barbecued kebabs and grilled shrimp. A lot of this stuff is actually better than what you'll get at the buffet spread, so be sure to leave some room for it. Overall, an excellent choice if you're loaded, or if you just want to look and feel like you are for the day. Sun: 11.30am-2.30pm. For a full brunch listing, click here.
The Boulevard
The Boulevard has only been doing brunch for a few weeks now, which might be why it is still quite empty on the weekends. The menu takes up one page and is split into four sections: eggs, mains, flapjacks and sides. They’ve got your normal brunch fare like eggs benedict (78rmb) and eggs to order (48rmb or 58rmb depending on how many you want) any style with bacon or sausage. They also do pancakes (58rmb) and chicken waffles (98rmb), as well as larger mains like fish and chips (88rmb). The service is friendly, the food is adequate — not amazing — and the portions are big enough that you'll walk out reasonably sated. Sat-Sun: 11:30am-3:30pm For a full brunch listing, click here.
The Meat
You know pretty much everything you need to know about this brunch from the restaurant name alone. Still, we'll fill in some of the details for you. It works like this: You pay 350rmb+15%. This gets you unlimited access to an all-you-can-eat appetizer spread with imported cheeses, charcuterie, smoked salmon, steamed shellfish, salads and pastas. Tread here with care, though, and practice vigilant moderation, because you get a soup and then an a la carte main option, too. You've got a broad range of choices — brunch staples like eggs benedict with crab cakes; textbook classics like chicken cordon bleu; fettuccini carbonara with Iberico ham. And, of course, there is all kinds of beef. They put it on a burger with foie and pulled pork. They braise it as short ribs and mash. Or you can just go for a simple wagyu sirloin. In the true spirit of excess, this price also includes a choice of side dish, unlimited trips to a dessert bar and all of the freshly-brewed craft beer you care to drink. Sun:11.30am–3pm For a full brunch listing click here.
Li Xuan
This Chaozhou restaurant on the third floor of Lippo Plaza, has sat quiet and forlorn in our listings for who knows how long. And all that time, we've been missing out on some damn good dim sum at a very reasonable price. They serve a wide selection of Canto classics like steamed spare ribs with black beans, har gau, rice rolls and egg tarts. You'll also find some more unique Chaozhou-style specialties like zheng fen guo, a steamed dumpling stuffed with pork, peanuts and vegetables. A la carte options range from 18–128rmb per portion, and this gives you access to a larger menu. But for 128rmb you can order as much as you can eat from a slightly truncated menu. Just don't get too greedy; they charge a wastage fee for food that you don't eat. By the way, add 10% to all of the above. They levy a service charge. Sat–Sun: 11am–3pm (last order is at 2.30pm) For a full brunch listing click here.
