Naughty Noodles Brunch at Maiden Shanghai Review

Where Naughty Noodles performs best

The Best Of Score is an editorial assessment, not a community rating or a mechanical average. It reflects how successfully the experience delivers for its intended audience.

How we reviewed it

This review combines first-hand observations from the visit with separately identified official information about the venue, timings, packages and policies. Because the printed set menu was not retained and menus can change, we do not pretend to provide an exact dish-by-dish record. Current venue examples and earlier documented menus are used only to explain the style of the brunch.

A venue built for the transition from lunch to party

Maiden Shanghai sits on Level 1 of FIVE Palm Jumeirah and presents a theatrical interpretation of Shanghai rather than a generic hotel dining room. Its contemporary Chinese cooking draws on Cantonese, Sichuan, Shanghai and Beijing influences, while the room itself has enough character to support the entertainment-led format.

During our visit, the restaurant felt busy and energetic without immediately becoming chaotic. The opening portion still functioned as a social meal: tables were talking, drinking and sharing food before the performances became the central focus.

That progression is important. Beginning at maximum volume would make the meal feel secondary. Naughty Noodles gives the food and conversation time to establish themselves, then deliberately changes gear.

Better than party-brunch food needs to be

The food was one of the strongest and most reassuring parts of the experience. Instead of a walk-around buffet, the meal was served to the table as a sharing set menu in clear stages: dim sum and starters first, several sharing mains afterwards, then desserts.

We cannot now identify every individual plate with certainty, but the overall standard was consistently very good. The food tasted properly prepared and good quality rather than like bulk catering designed simply to keep a party crowd fed.

The venue's current information highlights dishes such as crispy prawns, Chilean sea bass rolls and dim sum. Earlier documented versions of the menu have also included spring rolls, chicken siu mai, Wagyu beef puffs, chilli chicken, kung pao prawns, wok-fried noodles and assorted desserts. Those examples illustrate the menu's style; the exact selection can change.

The cocktails were a genuine highlight

Cocktail quality can vary considerably at high-volume unlimited-drinks brunches. Here, the drinks felt like an intentional part of the experience rather than hurried mixtures produced only for speed.

There were several cocktails and other beverages available, and the selection worked across both halves of the afternoon. Early on, the drinks complemented the food and conversation. Later, they became part of the increasingly celebratory atmosphere.

The currently published VIP Premium Package includes prosecco, cocktails, house spirits, beers and wines, together with advertised priority seating. It costs AED100 more than the House Package. Based on our visit, that did not feel like an empty upgrade.

Is Premium worth the extra AED100?

Yes for guests who value prosecco, cocktails and better seating potential. Guests mainly drinking spirits, beer or wine may find the House Package better value. Priority seating is useful at an entertainment-led brunch, but individual table requests remain subject to availability.

Good service in a difficult room to manage

The restaurant was full, but service remained good. That is meaningful here: staff are coordinating staged food courses, repeated drinks, performers moving around the venue and guests increasingly leaving their tables.

Despite those demands, the meal arrived in its planned stages and the afternoon did not feel disorganised. The service helped the brunch feel controlled even while the room itself became more energetic.

Much more than a DJ in the corner

The entertainment was excellent. Performers appeared throughout the afternoon in carefully timed intervals, giving the brunch a sense that something new might happen without interrupting the early meal.

There were dancers, several smaller surprises and a particularly good live singer. The singer was one of the day's highlights, helping lift the energy and encouraging the transition from seated brunch to full-room party.

The current programme can include a live DJ, dancers, singers, drummers and a Chinese dragon show. What made the experience work during our visit was not merely the number of acts, but the pacing. Guests were allowed to eat and socialise before the performances became more frequent and energetic.

Sociable at first; a full party later

The progression of the atmosphere may be Naughty Noodles' strongest product decision. At the beginning, the restaurant was lively but conversational. Guests were eating, ordering drinks, talking and settling into their Saturday afternoon.

Then the transition began: the music became louder, performers appeared more frequently, more people left their tables and the entire room began paying attention to the same moments.

By the final two hours, practically everyone was participating. People were standing and dancing, and the restaurant felt unified by the entertainment rather than divided into separate groups. It was extremely fun, and the small surprises stopped the afternoon from becoming predictable.

Can two people enjoy it?

Yes. We attended as two friends and did not feel that a large birthday group was necessary. The food, cocktails and performances work for a pair; as the room becomes more social, the experience also becomes less dependent on the size of your own table.

Can you still have a conversation?

During the earlier portion, yes. Later, prolonged conversation becomes difficult. That is not a hidden operational flaw; it is the intended destination of the afternoon. Guests wanting to eat, talk, drink and then dance are the right audience.

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