By Trista Baldwin (cityweekend.com.cn)
Updated: 2008-06-16 14:02

We recently wandered into the youngest of the Boonna sisters that, at the moment, remains little known to laptop-carrying crowds.

Tucked away within a quiet residential nook, Boonna 3 and its outdoor deck immediately caught our interest. Stark white walls offset by simple black tables and hard bench seating dotted with red cushions (a signature Boonna trait, but we suggest more cushions) lent a clean, simple look to the space. The bookshelf, well-stocked in other Boonna locations, is relatively bare here, a sign that this incarnation is still in its infancy. Our appetizers (which arrived last) consisted of Whole Wheat Bread with Avocado (28 yuan), literally as the name implies, and the Sausage and Mashed Potato with Basil (28 yuan), with sausage akin to that you can find on a stick at Lawson's and the mashed potatoes actually made with pesto, not basil.

We ordered the soup of the day (20 yuan), which our waiter thought was spinach but was actually broccoli. This didn't matter though because, with its garlic whole wheat croutons, it was delicious. A chicken burrito (30 yuan) was actually a chicken wrap, though this too turned out to be a nice, simple dish. The lasagna (40 yuan) was dense and cheesy with a comfort food quality to it, outshining the spaghetti bolognaise (30 yuan) whose mild sauce had a nice hint of nutmeg. Request the balsamic dressing for your side salad though, the honey mustard concoction is all mustard, no honey. The drink list offers a variety of coffees, cocktails and more and while the food definitely fits the Chinese-style Western food category, this cafe will undoubtedly become a popular spot for laptop toters once it grows into the space.

Boonna 3
Add: 1690 Huaihai Zhong Lu
Tel: 6433-0835