Is YEN's Free Flow Dim Sum Brunch Shanghai's #1?

By Sophie Steiner

Brunch options in this city are abundant, to say the least; excessive, to say the most.

And when you throw free flow into the mix, the indulgence increases exponentially. But quality, at times, falters.

Such is not the case for longstanding Cantonese establishment YEN at W Shanghai – The Bund.

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Here, the YEN Cha Dim Sum Free Flow Brunch has stood the test of time – it's been on offer every Saturday and Sunday for four years, and going stronger than ever.

Running from 11.30am-2.30pm with all-you-can-eat dim sum for just RMB388, the famed brunch has recently been upgraded, adding modern Jiangnan dishes to the previously Cantonese-leaning menu.

It now spans over 60 plates, from steamed to seared, baked to fried, staples to fusion, land to sea, and soups to sweets. 

In short, we suggest bringing your entire social circle so you can sample it all (stretchy pants encouraged). 

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Unlike most free flow spots around Shanghai, all dishes are made to order, served tableside. There is no buffet component, meaning you're scoring high-end restaurant quality fare for buffet prices.

And this is not just your average dim sum; we're talking some of the tastiest, most meticulously prepared and presented plates that even the city's Cantonese population can get behind. No easy feat. 

Simultaneously boasting one of the best kuai-to-calorie conversion rates around town, the YEN Cha Brunch is also served up with a side of Shanghai's impressive skyline as a backdrop.

And now, onto the reason you're all here – the dim sum details! 

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

The majority of the menu features classic Cantonese dim sum fare: think steamed and silky har gao, stuffed red rice rolls, sticky char siu pork belly, shrimp-topped shao mai, pillowy mantou filled with molten egg yolk custard, crackly-edge radish cakes, springy honeycomb tripe, swollen xiaolongbao, crispy-skin soy sauce chicken, creamy egg tarts with the flakiest crust, and oh-so-much more!

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

To augment the offerings, a smattering of aforementioned Jiangnan dishes also make a showing – like osmanthus glutinous rice cake, shrimp dumplings with shepherd's purse, black truffle egg custard buns, and yam cake with pomelo.

Chef Alan Li, Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Jiangnan cuisine is that of the lower Yangtze River region – Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai – an influence owed to chef Alan Li, a Shanghai native who brings more than 20 years of culinary experience to the table.

His pedigree shows through with his own innovative spin on Jiangnan and Cantonese cuisine, as well as a few nostalgic snacks, an ode to his childhood thrown in for good measure.

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Chef Li's menu sits at the heart of China's diverse culinary culture – one that has brought people together for centuries through an array of time-honored traditional dishes and ceremonies.

At YEN, these plates are re-interpreted through creative imagination and passion, resulting in a tasteful collision of old and new. 

Here's just a sample of what you can expect from this stellar dish lineup...

Shrimp Dumpling, bamboo shoots. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Pork Siu Mai, scallops, XO sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Bean Curd Roll, Australian beef fillet, mushroom, black pepper sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Black Pepper Infused Ox Honeycomb Tripe, shacha paste. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Red Rice Noodle Roll, prawn, deep-fried dough stick. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Milk Toast, egg, peanut butter. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Macau Style Egg Tart, Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Stir-fried Radish Cake, XO sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Shanghainese Pork Dumpling, matsutake. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Shrimp Dumpling, shepherd's purse. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Egg Custard Bun, black truffle. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Green Onion Pancake, Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Pan-fried Pork Bun, scallions. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Pan-seared Pork Dumpling, Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Marinated Gluten, peanuts, black fungus. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Poached Chicken, soy sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Barbecued Black Pork Belly, caramelized honey. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Steamed Grouper, Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Wok-fried Scallop, mushrooms, honey beans, XO sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Wok-fried Shrimp, chili, crispy garlic, shallots, black bean sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Boiled Fish Ball, butter, coconut curry. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Wok-fried Seafood Noodles, soy sauce. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's 

Chilled Mango, sago cream, pomelo. Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Bonus: Add on free flow drinks to match, with two options available:

• All-you-can-drink beers, bubbles, wine, and cocktails for RMB568

• The above upgraded to include Champagne for RMB718

Image by Sophie Steiner/That's

Wine spans Italy to Chile to Argentina, while beer includes Budweiser and Asahi. Cocktails include all the usual suspects – Aperol Spritz, Negroni, Tequila Sunrise, and Passion Fruit Spritz. 

YEN also offers an expansive a la carte menu for both lunch and dinner during the week, plus four different lunch set menus to choose from for RMB298 per person.

YEN, W Shanghai – The Bund, 5/F, 66 Lvshun Lu, by Dongchangzhi Lu 旅顺路66号5楼, 近东长治路.

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[Cover image by Sophie Steiner/That's]

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