Fizz and fun for all the family.
It’s hard to know where to begin with the Fizztastic brunch. The options are vast, and from your first glass of the free-flow champagne to your first taste of caviar, this is pure decadence. The cornucopia of foods makes for some delectable and occasionally strange food combinations, such as dim sum and roast beef. The large choice means the food can suffer a little – the seafood is certainly not as sweet or fresh as some – and the jazz band is slightly deafening. But a special kids corner and an insanely large dessert room mean that mum and dad can at least let go a bit.
When else can you eat for cheap at Boulud?
In 2010 we awarded Maison Boulud the title ’Best Restauraunt’ in the city, but we fully acknowledge it isn’t cheap. Hence brunch at MB is that rare opportunity to sample its amazing food without blowing your monthly wage – but there is a catch. The brunch menu lets you choose a desired number of courses, with each dish packing a serious punch of flavour, but the servings are pretty small. The food is impeccable, though, with the eggs Benedict an eruption of perfectly cooked yoke over a delicious muffin base and the foie gras Boulud burger with garlic fries an experience in itself. Although some might baulk at the price to portion ratio, the setting and constant fresh bread, preserves and amuse-bouches more than eases the pain.
Chef TooThe brunch A kid-friendly, breakfast blow-out.
Chef Too’s opening gambit of complimentary warm cinnamon rolls immediately won us over, while the friendly service and touches like bottomless coffee and a free kids menu (from scrambled eggs with bacon to pancakes with bacon) further upped the endearment factor. The full menu includes American breakfast favourites steak and eggs, a selection of salads and even homemade ice cream. Our cheese, ham and salsa-embellished Tex-Mex omelette and a spicy wasabi mary (38RMB) certainly kickstarted our day, meanwhile egg dishes come with two sides – we highly recommend the sausage, creamed spinach and potatoes. This is brunch with real heart – and even more cholesterol!
Capital MThe brunch Good food and great views until 5pm!
Light-spilling windows, grand views of the Forbidden City and roaring fire-places combine grandeur with winter-coziness. Capital M always makes a big impression and the portions here are generous, too. This is basically comfort food spruced up to its finest; Capital M even serves the latest brunch of the lot, dishing out grub until 5pm. Old-fashioned eggs benedict and M’s Big Sunday fry-up vie with more sumptuous dishes such as Yunnan’s mushrooms served with creamy truffled mascarpone on sourdough. Delicious
petits fours make up for the dry croissants, but save room for the rhubarb and pear crumble with warm custard is our advice.
The brunch Small, perfectly formed and utterly unique!
The Orchard is what Sunday brunch should be – not a boozy knees up, but an occasion. It is a struggle to find, though, and unless you live out in Shunyi a 50RMB cab ride from the CBD is the minimum outlay. But the Orchard is no secret, a European-style buffet of homemade breads, giant poached salmon and apple crumble ensures a steady stream of expats and locals from the nearby Bejing Riviera compound. The choice isn’t vast, but western delicacies like fresh focaccia bread with olive oil for dipping and carved honey glazed ham with crispy pork fat ’crackling’ make it unmissable. The Orchard is a complete one-off, and even with the cost and taxi fare thrown in, it’s still a bargain. There’s just simply nothing quite like it in the city.