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I've heard SO much about Azul Viva's "fantastic brunch" so we finally managed to make our way there on a rainy Sunday. I've been there twice before but for their tapas dinner, which was generally pretty good. I like their crisp yet relaxed ambience and the polite, English-speaking staff, and was keen to see what they were like during the day for brunch.I'm really glad we booked, because they were a full house! I suppose it's the expat brunch haven in Shanghai ;) At 130元 for 2-courses or 150元 for 3-courses, they're also touted to be fantastic value. So, is that true? Well, yes and no.

I would say first of all that the ingredients are not super-high quality, expensive ingredients, like our flat-out impressive brunch at Cristal. However, Azul's brunch set is cheaper (though only very slightly) so you could argue it's fair. Also, I wouldn't say they're extremely filling - rather, yes, you'll be sufficiently full if you order all the carb meals, but only semi-full if you don't.

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Tucked away in the myriad of shops and cafes in Taikang Lu is Kommune. I love this place. Not because it's an Aussie joint and I'm biased, but because I love how it transforms from a cosy casual cafe by day... to a laid back pub by night. How very Australian! I'm a big fan of Taikang Lu itself - I like the cobblestone paths, the narrow alleyways, and the crazy maze that you can spend ages pottering around in, poking around at all the little shops and cafes. Kommune is fairly reasonably priced considering it's Western food, and the staff are friendly and efficient.

The cafe is small, and crammed with sofas and little rickety wooden benches you perch your food on. Their famous drink is, by far, their large coffee, which comes in a HUMONGOUS cup, basically a large bowl. It's a "triple size" coffee, and I could basically stick my whole head into the empty cup. Fabulous! We had the mocha and it was rich, creamy, and really hit the spot... considering it was sub-zero temperatures outside.