Shanghai Eats: Champagne Brunch at Vue

Guys, I'm so behind on blog posts. I've been logging 35+ hours at my "part-time" job and simply haven't had time to update. I have more to tell you about Harbin, a trip to Cambodia, and of course Shanghai updates to give. The posts are coming, just not in a timely manner. In an attempt to make it up to you however, I am going to post something that I did today. Yes, that's right, this event occurred only a few hours ago. How's that for quick turnaround?

My friend Lesley decided to celebrate her birthday in style with an all you can eat and drink champagne  brunch at Vue Restaurant. The price tag isn't cheap at 688 RMB per person but the incredible food and service were deserving of the cost. Unlike your average buffet, each of the dishes is made to order at stations situated throughout the restaurant. The result is beautifully executed food delivered to your table.

We started off our meal with glasses of Perrier Jouët along with a stop at the Bloody Mary bar.

Next we moved on to poached eggs with polenta and black truffle before hitting the cold bar for oysters, lobster tail, and king crab legs.

After the seafood, it was steak with red wine and bacon sauce, tiger prawns in cream (a personal favorite), and lobster risotto. As a side note, I apologize that all my photos of food look the same. I'm clearly not a food photographer. 

We took our time, noshing on other dishes such as Boston lobster bisque, steak tartar, and a full Sunday roast. And then finally, it was time for dessert. While we enjoyed everything we sampled, the chocolate soufflé stood out as a favorite in our group.

If you feel like treating yourself to a decadent brunch, this is the place to go. I'd recommend coming early and staying late to allow yourself time to savor your dishes. We arrived at 11:30 when the restaurant opened and waddled out left shortly after 4pm (final call for dishes was around 3pm). While not a spot my waist line could handle on a regular basis, I have no doubt I will be back when another special occasion rolls around. Like because it's a Sunday. Or the sun is shining. Those seems like good reasons to celebrate.

Vue Restaurant, 30th Floor
Hyatt on the Bund
199 Huangpu Lu, near Wuchang Lu
黄浦路199号, 外滩茂悦大酒店30楼, 近武昌路