O'Mills Bakery and Brunch!

Brunch can be interpreted in so many different ways. Is brunch the meal you have when you forget to eat breakfast? Or is brunch the meal that aristocrats have on their Sunday picnics? O'mills bakery at Shanghai's Kerry Parkside Mall attempts to adjust to everyone's varying definitions of bunch, specializing in sourdough bread.

Ambient lights intensified by luxurious chandeliers, O mills Bakery creates a relaxing atmosphere. The natural decor of wheat and dried materials separates the restaurant from the rest of the mall. When you enter O'mills, you walk into a completely different space.

On the framed windows, they hang slices of bread and wheat, serving as a reminder of where our food comes from. The decor seems almost random, but in a pleasing way. Now, let's move onto the food!

Dishes:

Peach Coffee- est. 30 rmb

I still can't get over how pretty the drink looks. With a pink-colored peach concentrate on the bottom and deep brown coffee on top, it is captivating. Although you won't be chewing on the rosemary, it adds a final touch to the Instagram-worthiness of your drink.

Sourdough Bread topped with Avocados, Ham, and Buratta Cheese - est. 90 rmb

You can't go wrong with this combo. The garden-like presentation is very appealing and fits the natural colors of avocado, basil pesto, and the dark balsamic vinegar. Creamy avocado complements the rich buratta cheese. The Iberico ham adds a needed saltiness and sharpness to the dish that would otherwise be an onslaught of creaminess. Although not a main component of the dish, the balsamic vinegar was high-quality and you could taste the difference. The balsamic vinegar caviar further shows off the ingredient.

Egg Omelete - est. 30 rmb

An omelete is often the simplest dish that any home cook will say that they can cook confidently. However, O'mills adds a slight twist. The swirl pattern is achieved by pinching the egg delicately at the center of the pan as it starts to cook up. It's buttery, smooth, and perfectly salted. The contrast between the slightly underdone center of the omelete, and the crispier outside section, is magnificent. Disclaimer: Restaurants do use a ton of oil to make their eggs taste silkier, so it's not just about technique.

Peach and Marghertia Pizza - 168 rmb

Combining a traditional Italian pizza with sweet fruit is a bold choice. The pizza is as crispy as it gets, with blisters from the pizza oven and airy crusts. It's appropriately topped with stretchy cheese and tangy tomato sauce. They've also topped the pizza with fragrant basil pesto that cuts through the richness. Personally, I didn't enjoy the peaches on the pizza. It was a bit mushy and didn't mix well with the other flavors (there ya go Italians).

Braised Beef Sandwiches - 98 rmb

Grilling the bread makes sanwiches a 100x better. Sanwiches between two pieces of nutty and flavorful bread, braised beef, lettuce, and tomatoes bring moisture. This isn't your standard, dry ham & cheese sandwhich. The fatty braised beef is soaked with flavor, but the bread itself remains crispy with the lettuce preventing moisture from seeping into the bread. With a sizeable portion, the price is alo reasonable.

Focaccia & Cinammon Bun Bread -est. 36 rmb

Let's talk about the cinammon bread first. With a sticky glaze covering every corner of the bun, it's moist and decadent. The punch of cinammon doesn't really come through, but the pastry is still buttery and worth-trying. The color on that focaccia bread is almost cartoonishly golden brown. Olives imbedded inside the bread surprises you with a burst of salty and umami flavors.

There are so many other dishes to try:

O'Mills Tofu Salad - est. 60 rmb

Salmon with Coleslaw and Sourdough Bread - est. 120 rmb

Overview:

Brunch seems deceptively simple - eggs, sourdough bread, salad, etc... But something about O'mills makes their dishes taste better. I suspect it's their homemade bread. Whether you want to shop for some high-quality bread, or sit down on a Sunday with your family or friends to enjoy some brunch, O'mills is definitely one of the top spots in Pudong. O'mills will most likely be able to satisfy any of your brunch cravings, whether it be sourdough bread, grilled sandwiches, or even pizza!

Address:

Pudong Kerry Parkside Mall, L1