With a smooth two-month start under its belt,La Brise 523 is charging full steam ahead. They’ve added more than a dozen new dishes to the menu, have now opened up for lunch, and have launched some excellent dining deals.
Located within Sinan Mansions, La Brise is a modest yet inviting space that offers around 40 seats. The space is split between a main dining room that overlooks the square and a large communal table to the right of the bar, suitable for large groups. It also claims a wrap-around outdoor seating area, reserved for weather-worthy days. It’s also dog-friendly indoors.
This is South African chef-owner Conrad Van Den Heever’s first independent project. The menu reflects his greatest hits, as well as dishes with Asian and Cape Malay influence. Asian-inclined flavors are married with flame-grilled and smoked cooking methods — expect char-kissed whole fish, flame-grilled steaks, smoky sauces, and barbecued mushrooms and vegetables.
New Menu Highlights
New on the dinner menu are a slew of seasonal dishes, featuring earthy mushrooms from Yunnan, stewed lamb shank, and “catch of the day” seafood, sourced live and fresh daily from local fishmongers.
Yunnan Mushrooms On Toast (¥88) – Seasonal mixed mushrooms from Yunnan roasted on the grill with smoked portobello mushroom, pickled shimeji mushrooms for brightness, porcini jam, and a poached egg on toast. It’s earthy, complex, and creamy.24-Hour Braised New Zealand Lamb Shank (¥128) – A hearty dish of braised lamb shank coated in harissa sauce over a thick chili bean ragu.On the side, yogurt labneh to cut the richness and garlic pita to build sandwiches. Fantastic quality of lamb that’s moist and tender.Catch of the Day (¥198) – A rotating selection of seafood, usually whole fish, sourced fresh and delivered live daily.Pictured above is a whole snapper, roasted in the firepit and doused the “catch” sauce, a tangy and sweet gravy made with a base of coconut and tamarind. Undeniably Southeast Asian in flavor profile. Excellent sauce that complements the fish.LB523 Special Surf & Turf (¥1,288) – Can’t decide between steak or fish? This’ll do it. It’s a platter of M3 Australian Black Angus rib-eye (500g) and a whole Canadian lobster brushed with soy butter, served with an addictive ponzu bearnaise.Boston Lobster Linguine (¥268) – A usual suspect with a twist. Squid ink pasta is tossed in a gochujang and ssamjang spiked lobster bisque, fortified with smoked cherry tomato sauce and lashings of chili oil. Just the right amounts of funk, spice, and body. Recommended.On The Cobb (¥48) – Barbecued corn with a bright chili-lime-coconut dressing and togarashi. Simple and enjoyable.Hasselback Potato (¥48) – Hasselback, a method that transforms the humble potato into a thing of beauty. A whole potato cut into thin wedges but left joined at the bottom, then baked. The result is extra bits of crispy edges.This is a jumbo-sized one, topped with smoked cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, pickled onions, and chilies. Meant to be a side-dish, but this could feed plenty.Blackened Savoy Cabbage (¥48) – I love when restaurants do vegetables well. This dish is worth every morsel, mostly because of the delicious tamarind butter sauce speckled with fragrant fried ginger. Tender with crispy edges, and does well to soak up the sauce.
To Drink
For drinks, La Brise has a curated selection of wines, including some hand-picked South African labels, as well as signature and classic cocktails from ¥68. Wines by the glass from ¥68, bottles from ¥308.
Rascallion, With Love From The Cape, Chenin Blanc (¥65/glass, ¥308/bottle)
For Lunch
La Brise has also started lunch hours,serving up inexpensive comforts in addition to their signature dishes.
Burgers With Pickles Matters (¥98) – Wagyu beef patty, smoked bacon, double cheese, LB523 mayonnaise, and pickled gherkins on a brioche bun, served with fries. A solid burger!Poached Egg & Cheese Carbonara (¥68) – Pasta with bacon-seasoned triple cheese sauce, herb crumble, and poached egg.LB523 Egg Fried Rice (¥68) – A comforting bowl of fried rice with organic chicken, free-range eggs, sweet tare sauce, sesame, fried ginger, and spring onions.Honey Glazed Smoked Baby Chicken (¥168) – A signature dish available for lunch and dinner.
La Brise 523 Weekly Deals
Heads up, La Brise 523 also has some killer weekly deals:
Get the signature baby chicken for ¥98 on Tuesdays (originally ¥168).
On Wednesday, that surf and turf platter is ¥988 (originally ¥1,288), plus you can double down with a two-hour free-flow.
On Thursdays, its a 1kg M7 wagyu T-bone for ¥988.
Nomfluence Readers Deals
Nomfluence readers also get a complimentary selected drink when you book via the link below. This deal is valid until December 30, 2023.
Complimentary selected drink with dinner*
*Limited to one per person; sparkling wine, selected cocktails, or non-alcoholic beverage. Not to be used in conjunction with existing promotions.
Rachel Gouk has been writing about food and drink in Shanghai since 2011. She is a food critic, writer, photographer, and F&B consultant based in Shanghai. Nomfluence was founded in May 2018 as a means to express her love for the Shanghai F&B scene. Follow her blog www.nomfluence.com or on Instagram @nomfluence.
