No. 7, Lane 210 Taikang Lu (???201?7?)
Luwan
Shanghai, China
PRICE: ????
RATING:

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. They always seem to be packed to the brim with people.. though we did spy a foreigner girl that had her Macbook out and was there for HOURS (literally, we passed by 1-2 hours later and she was still there) without ordering a thing, for as long as we were there, and was just there taking up a table and bumming their free wifi. Not very polite, considering there were customers waiting for a table. Yet the staff didn’t chase her out, which I thought was very decent of them.

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.

I also thoroughly enjoyed their Big Breakfast, a storm of roast potatoes, beans, tomatos, mushrooms, bacon, sausages, eggs, toast… jammed onto a large rectangular plate. A dieter’s nightmare 😛 Total comfort food and it was delicious. I was impressed that the bacon was real rashers of bacon with minimal fat/rind, and that the scrambled eggs were creamy and rich. Absolutely no complaints about the meal – it was a perfect winter’s brunch.

Inside the tiny Kommune

A big ass mocha

BIGGER THAN MY HEAD

It was nommity

Big Breakfast – roast potatoes, beans, tomatos, mushrooms, bacon, sausages, eggs, toast

Old shikumens on Taikang Lu. You can see the light snow falling

On Chris’ jacket. I was extraordinarily excited
by the snow – been yonks since I last saw it!

Snuggled up. I’d just bought that fur beanie 5 mins before we took the photo 😛

Sense: this makes none.

The snow falling outside our apartment

Love it!