Started by a French-Israeli baker, Bread Etc offers a wide range of excellent French breads and pastries alongside a good selection of casual fare with Israeli influences and possibly the best
shakshuka in town.
Don't miss these at Bread Etc:
1 Olive bread
Actually, all of the bread – but the olive (40RMB) is our favourite. The sourdoughs are exquisite: tangy with a depth of flavour, a springy crumb and a sturdy crust. It’s bread that can’t wait for knives; you’ll want to tear into it with your hands. A baker by training and the brains behind the operation, French-Israeli Stephan Laurent has worked largely in fine dining kitchens, including with Alain Passard. Loaves are priced from 35RMB, which is practically highway robbery.
2 Pain au chocolat
We were going to advise a croissant, but let’s be straight for a minute: everything’s better with chocolate. Buttery and rich with a delicate crumb and a shatteringly thin flaky crust, getting only one of these pain au chocolat (18RMB) would be a mistake.
3 Shakshouka
Poached or baked eggs in tomato sauce with chili, onion and often a touch of cumin, this is a dish you’d think would be hard to do wrong, and yet…. Frequently appearing on tables as an insipid version of its potential self, this version (60RMB) is shakshouka in all its glory. Savoury and spiked generously with chili, it’s not a dish that holds back.
4 Salmon Benedict
Consider your Eggs Benny game raised. Another classic dish that is too often completely uninspired, Bread Etc has nailed the hollandaise. This salmon Benedict (75RMB) swaps in a fresh croissant for the standard English muffin and then layers it with fatty slices of smoked salmon and a runny poached egg atop spinach leaves.
5 Ice Granita Café
If you’ve ever had a frozen Irish coffee, this is that, minus the generous pour of booze but amped up on the caffeine. The Ice Granita Café (30RMB) is sweet, creamy and texturally impeccable. It’s going to be killing it come summer, but in the meantime, frozen or not, we plan on downing these delicious frozen coffee wonders all winter anyways. Possibly spiked with BYOB (bring-your-own-brandy).
