Laris

Sunday brunch at Laris was a very pleasant surprise.  When we decided to go we were expecting to splash out a little as a treat to our sleepless baby nights.  Then we saw the very reasonable brunch menu and wished we had known about it sooner.

Our 3-course brunch was RMB228 per person.  We got to pick from a pretty big menu with starters, eggs, mains and desserts.  I was tempted to do a 4-course but I guess it'd be a little odd to have a starter, then eggs as well as a main and a dessert.  maybe next time.

My husband's slow cooked eggs.  They looked like they were very carefully and slowly poached.  Even though he doesn't normally eat runny eggs he said they were not bad, as the pate tasting sauce added life into the dish.

As Laris has always been known for its excellent seafood  dishes I decided for a more conservative approach and had cod cakes to start.  They certainly didn't disappoint.  They had a perfect consistency: not too flaky and not too pappy.  The fish tasted really fresh and full of flavour - I didn't know cod can taste so good.  They were so much better than crab cakes! 

For main my husband got a duck confit with risotto.  He was very happy with it.  I tasted the risotto and surely it was rich and bursting with flavours.  

My pork loin was very tender and the jus was a nice complement.  I wish I could make my pork loin taste like this at home.  What is the secret I wonder?  Where did they get their pork?  The ones we buy from the supermarket are usually tougher than shoe leather.

Now the real reason to come to Laris: the dessert.   Here we have the brioche doughnuts.  We didn't expect them to be like regular doughnuts but they tasted very nice nonetheless.  As if they were not sweet enough they came with sweet jam and cream.  My husband said he felt pudgy before the meal  and he had probably put on another 5 pounds after his dessert.

My chocolate marshmallow tart with chocolate sorbet was to die for.  The "tart" was more like a brownie with melted marshmallow on top.  It was sooo rich and sweet I am most certain that I felt a rush afterwards.

The petits fours.  I was overloaded with chocolate I couldn't make myself eat anymore of the stuff (I never thought I'd say that).  My husband sampled the truffles and said they were OK.  Not nearly as nice as the ones in Godiva's.
We will definitely go back again!

Laris

6/F, 3 on the Bund, Shanghai.  Tel: 6321-9922