Liquid Laundry: All-New Brunch & Jumbo Dinner Roasts (Closed)

Perennial brunch favorite and famed Shanghai gastropub Liquid Laundry gets a menu revamp and a fresh new look. Hefty brunch mains of bacon-egg-n-cheese biscuit sandwiches and mouthwatering jumbo-sized dinner roasts.

About Liquid Laundry

Liquid Laundry is one of Shanghai’s foremost dining establishments, a North American gastropub and one of the first brewery restaurants to open in Shanghai. Yes — beer is brewed on-site at the venue, which are available on tap. Liquid Laundry opened in 2014, and some say, it paved the way for other beer-slinging establishments to follow suit in elevating bar food.

Brunchtime vibe

The space is large. Liquid Laundry recently underwent a little cosmetic touch-up, opening up the dining room to accommodate additional seating and an even more spacious lounge area. It does well to service big groups, something that they’re known for. Day or night (read: brunch or dinner), it’s usually packed with parties sculling beer and tearing at dishes.

Dinnertime vibe

Behind the menu is Group Executive Chef Simon Sunwoo, who’s churned out a vast offering of dishes in true North American fashion.

Brunch Time

For devoted brunch-goers, Liquid Laundry’s brunch menu spans pages of eggy dishes, fat stacks of breakfast sandwiches, pizzas, steak, and tasty salads for the health conscious. Most of the dishes are new! For Liquid Laundry fans, fret not, signatures like the cinnamon rolls, avocado toast, fried chicken benedict, and smoked salmon rosti remain on the menu.

And they have free-flow, ¥150 for two hours, which includes all house craft beers on tap (up to 15 of them), sangria, G&Ts, and other selected cocktails, house wine, soft drinks, and juice.

Upgrade free-flow to three hours for ¥48 and get Cinzano proessco and rosé, plus a whole slew of other cocktails including Bloody Marys.

Here's what to expect from Liquid Laundry's brunch menu:

Coq Fil-A (¥98) - A play on Chick Fil-A, one that puts the original fried chicken sandwich to shame. Just look at that ravishing beast of a sandwich!

Battered and fried chicken comes with crispy thick cut bacon and an omelet stacked between crumbly, buttery buttermilk biscuits. It also comes with a chunky buttermilk gravy. Pro tip: open the top of the sandwich and spoon some of the delicious gravy over it.

Big Meat Energy (¥268) - My kind of brunch plate. A simple and satisfying plate of strip steak cooked medium rare, served with eggs, roasted potatoes, grilled tomatoes, and toast with chimicchuri and butter.

Real Man’s Quiche (¥108) - Buttery quiche filled with custardy egg, sausage, bacon, ham, provolone cheese, and bits of broccoli. A comforting dish.

Crab Crush (¥128) - Lump crab omelet with cheddar cheese, asparagus, and peas. A straight-up dish that doesn’t mess around.

Fire Skewers (¥158) - Three skewers of grilled chicken, chorizo, and steak with vegetables served with freshly made pita bread, hummus, eggplant purée, grilled peppers, cucumber and tomato salad, plus sunny side up eggs. A dish made for sharing! Build your own pita — be sure to slather all that hummus and eggplant on there.

Monster Cristo (¥98) - A classic Northern American sandwich that combines sweet and savory in one bite. Beer battered ham, smoked chicken, and Swiss cheese between heavily buttered brioche, served with strawberry jam. Personally, a whole plate is a lot for me, I’d rather it as a sharing dish.

Fat Elvis Crepes (¥78) - Praline-crusted bananas wrapped in crepes given lashings of peanut butter, chocolate sauce, and dulce de leche. Served with whipped cream and mixed berries. A sticky sweet delight.

Dinner Menu

New additions on the dinner menu include signature house roasts. These are MASSIVE roasts of lamb leg and beef short rib that are made for sharing. I know the phrase “fall off the bone” is overused, but I must iterate, the beef short rib is fork tender and delicious, and the shining star of the dinner menu.

Add to that party-style toasts, pasta with vodka sauce (a quintessential Northern American household dish), and a pork knuckle that’ll have you squealing for more.

Here it is, the beef short rib in all it’s glory:

And now, all carved up:

Beef Ribs (¥1,988)

It’s a 2.8kg slab of bone-in beef short rib, lovingly roasted with salt, pepper, and a secret house glaze, served over rosemary roasted potatoes. The meat is tender, juicy, and delicious. It’s not something you’d want to attempt at home without some serious planning. All the more reason to dine out!

Whole Roasted Leg of Lamb (¥1,388) - A 4.5kg bone-in lamb leg roasted and charred with a crispy skin, served with a side of grilled ratatouille.

Also a big hit. Mild musky notes, tender, and flavorful.

The lamb leg and short ribs require a two-day pre-order. If you can’t plan ahead to get a crew to chow down on those, I suggest the pork knuckle.

Bavarian Rhapsody (¥388) – A crispy skinned “schweinshaxe” Bavarian-style pork knuckle coated in lager gravy, served over buttery spaetzle.

A hearty dish that perfect for four to share. Wash it down with beer.

Also new on the menu are toasts, open-faced toasted baguette slices topped with a myriad of combinations.

Toppings range from a cheesy tuna melt salad to braised lamb a la Provençale with ratatouille. Of the eight, the foie gras and chicken liver pate with mostarda was hands down, the best one. (No brainer there.) There’s also a vegetarian one with mushroom duxelles and skirt steak with chimichurri.

Toasts (¥128/five, ¥188/eight)

Gratin Pasta Shells in Vodka Sauce (¥68) – Vodka sauce, it’ll confuse Italians but make Northern Americans perk up with nostalgia. Yes, actual vodka is used in the making of this tomato-based cream heavy sauce. The result is a bright, creamy, slightly acidic and peppery sauce. Served at Liquid Laundry with pasta shells and topped with mozzarella cheese.

Octopus Carpaccio (¥138) – Thinly sliced octopus with trappings of tapenade, romesco sauce, herb lemon vinaigrette, olives, roasted peppers, crispy capers, and arugula. A zesty appetizer.

As for drinks, bevvies run the gamut from house-made craft beers to signature cocktails.

Hipster Punch (¥98) - Spiced rum, lapsang souchong liqueur, jackfruit syrup, runny honey, citrus, milk, violet vermouth.

Hoppy Juice (¥88) - House Brew NE IPA, dry gin, lime juice, tropical fruit, hop tinctures, citrus oleo saccharum.

Nomfluence Readers Deals

Nomfluence readers get 20% off food and drink for brunch, lunch, and dinner when you book via the link below! Deal is valid from now until March 17, 2024.

Click here to book and save 20%

Deal cannot be used in conjunction with other deals or on-going promotions.

---

Liquid Laundry
Address: 2/F, KWAH, 1028 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Donghu Lu 淮海中路1028号嘉华坊2楼, 近东湖路
Tel: 64459589
Hours: Sun & Mon-Thu, 11am-1am; Fri-Sat, 11am-2am