Easo Room
32 Xiangshan Lu (???32?)
Shanghai, China
PRICE: ???
RATING:

Nothing sums up “Shanghai cafe” quite like Easo Room, a tiny little cafe that no other cafe in this city comes remotely close to. The pretty exterior makes it stand apart from the other nondescript doors along the street, and it’s like stepping into a tiny cottage when you walk in. It is SMALL! The ground floor is half-full just from the bar area, where they make up the coffees, and the other half is jammed with nick nacks and handicrafts made by the staff.

It’s an eclectic mix of.. everything.. and the guy churning out the coffees (and also our waiter) is incredibly polite and cheery. We’re surprised that for such a teeny place, they have a full separate menu in (fluent) English. I love the upstairs area, which is where you sit for your coffee. You go up this steep and cramped staircase and at the top is a little lounge room with 5 or 6 tables – that’s it. They’ve all got comfy lounge chairs, and a large book case at one end of the room that’s stocked with a ton of books. It’s like a cafe library, a wonderful place to chill out and cozy up in.

Coffees are their speciality, though sadly they don’t do their special iced coffees during the winter – it’s brewed for 8 hours (!) in a special contraption and I was so keep to try it out. So instead we get regular coffee, but made with specially sourced coffee beans and still bewed in their special device. They’re served in non-matching cups – all delicate and pretty. The coffee is mild and smooth, beautifully brewed and presented.

I simply adore their Chicken wing pizza, which is deboned chicken wings on top of a really cheesy pizza.. mmm. I wish they had put more chicken on it though, as there’s just a small piece on each slice 🙁 Also, they don’t seem to be interested in serving food there, as when we asked if we could order food, the guy looked quite perplexed and had to run to see what food there was available. Quite odd! They should serve at least a bowl of popcorn, or some snacks/nibbles for people to much on whilst drinking coffee.

The place has a fantastic ambience, and is ultra cute and comfortable to while away time on a lazy afternoon. Lovely coffees that you won’t normally get in Shanghai (we really only get Starbucks here) and a delicious pizza!

The adorable Easo Room

Chilling out in the loungeroom upstairs

Girls doing handicrafts, which’ll then be sold downstairs

Little notes left under the table’s glass top

Chicken wing pizza – Ohhhh this was lovely. I adore thick crust pizzas!

Mandolin coffee beans, Brazil coffee beans. Both good.

The special coffee maker to brew our coffees

My.. um… interesting water glass

Going down the narrow staircase

Checking out their little handicrafts on the ground floor

Pots of plants and random cards by the windows

A teeny tiny adorable bird