This month, a whirlwind brunch tour of Europe and the Isles with ports of call in Germany (via Singapore), the shores of Brittany in France and two stops in The United Kingdom.
The Commune Social
The Commune Social’s selection of imaginative brunch dishes runs on Saturday and Sunday. They have a chalkboard menu of about seven or eight dishes, such as poached eggs with Catalan spinach and sour dough, kedgeree, a fried egg with chorizo and broad beans, and cured salmon with kale and more chorizo. All those are 68rmb, or order three courses for 168, four for 198 or five for 229rmb. Plates are small but the variety of flavors means they’re perfect for sharing. A separate “chef’s menu” offers another dozen options—black tea-marinated hamachi sea urchin and a generous portion of lamb cutlets are both highlights. An order of six or seven plates will feed three, or get two five-course sets, one from the chef’s menu, one from the brunch, for a table of three. Sat-Sun: 11:30am-3pm. For a full brunch listing click here.
Brotzeit
We gave this Singaporean-owned German chain short shrift when it opened its first Shanghai branch in the SWFC last year. That was a mistake, because they do a damn good pork knuckle. Their sauerkraut with juniper berries isn't half bad, either. They also offer a solid selection of stick-to-your ribs breakfast fare. We like the Bauerentoast, or "Farmer's Toast" platter (pictured above). For 58rmb you get two eggs sunny-side-up, a strip of streaky bacon and a slice of crusty bread with some cold cuts. They also do a purpose-built hangover plate with smoked salmon, an egg, a pretzel roll some bacon and a cup of goulash. Alongside it you get a little hair of the dog, a beer cocktail made with bitters and schnapps. Not something you'd want knock back on a regular basis, mind you, but it certainly soothes the stomach. Once you're back on your horse, you can get a half-liter of Paulaner for 78rmb. Unlike the Paulaner breweries all around town, Brotzeit imports its own Paulaner beers directly from Bavaria, it's a key selling point for the restaurant. They claim the quality is better. Is there a difference? Who knows? We certainly enjoyed our frosty glass of lager. Mon–Fri: 8.30-11am Sat-Sun: 10am-3pm For a full listing click here.
La Creperie
La Creperie's new branch in Reel Mall has cranked up the Northern France coastal kitsch. The place is decked out to look like your dining on the docks of a fishing village. Still, the menu remains the same. An ever-growing menu of Brittany-style crepes features classics galettes (savory buckwheat crepes) like "La Complete" (ham, Emmental cheese, one egg sunny sunny-side-up) as well as new editions like "La Nantaise" (asparagus, mushrooms, bacon, cream, onions). There is wide variety of sweet crepes, too, like "La Normande" (stewed apples flambéed with calvados and served with vanilla ice cream). Main courses range from the high 50s to the 90s if you prefer a la carte. Or, you can do one of their brunch sets featuring a galette and sweet crepe course for either 128 or 168rmb—quite a serious amount of food, and it comes with a drink. Sat-Sun: 10.30am-4pm For a full brunch listing click here.
Mr Harry
Finally, we cross the Channel to "That other Eden" for a brekkie at the recently opened Mr Harry. The place is English to the hilt—cream clotted, dicks spotted. The menu is a sampler of hallmarks of the island's cuisine: fish and chips, bangers and mash, Eton mess. They offer a small selection of brunch staples, too. The obvious choice is "The Full English." For 98rmb you get all of the essentials: two eggs sunny-side-up, two thick slices of toast, a rasher of British-style bacon, homemade sausages, a side of baked beans and button mushrooms, and a block of black pudding. That last bit alone earns Mr Harry enough points in our book. Be sure to wash it down with a bottle of Harviestoun "Old Engine Oil" Porter. Daily: 10am-5pm For a full brunch listing click here.
