As ever looking to keep things fresh, The Rug has completely revamped their menu for summer, adding new salads, juices, main courses, and brunch plates (never fear, fans of the hash browns and eggs Benedict – those plates of eggy, potato-y goodness are still on the menu). 

At a recent tasting, we started off with one of the new salads, a mix of toasted quinoa, quail egg, and candied pear, served on a bed of kale (RMB 68). As a Brit, I particularly appreciated that the eggs had been prepared Scotch egg style – coated in sausage meat, breaded, then deep fried.

We then moved on to the standout dish of the meal, the Durban curry beef bunny chow (RMB 98). What is bunny chow you ask? Originating among the Indian community in the South African city of Durban, bunny chow is a fast food dish consisting of curry served in a hollowed out loaf of bread. The creamy curry sauce packs a pretty spicy punch, which is tempered by the slightly sweet brioche bread. The bunny chow also comes in an egg and bacon version (RMB 88) and a peri peri spicy shrimp version (RMB 92). 

Further down the road of surprising combinations, they have introduced a number of ‘donut brunches‘, combining savory fillings with homemade brown sugar donuts. While these aren’t my personal cup of tea, I can appreciate the value of a bacon and egg donut burger (RMB 78) to fix a brutal hangover. I did appreciate that they’ve subbed out their usual potato chips for vegetable chips, including a very tasty lotus root version. 

Also new on the brunch menu is the tomahawk pork loin and king crab legs fancy big brunch (RMB 599), a spectacularly crazy plate of pure indulgence. The pork chop in particular is very good quality (some of their pork comes from organic farm, Yuangu).

Wash it all down with one of their new juices. The beetroot energy (RMB 48) came out on top for me, with a mix of beetroot, grape, and lime, while my dining companion extolled the virtues of the Shake-Shake Chia Seed Greek Yogurt Yakult Drink (RMB 47). Chia seeds, quinoa, kale, and other super foods make several appearances on the new menu, which should appeal to the healthy crowd (donut burgers aside).

More stories by this author here.

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Photos: Robynne Tindall