(That's Beijing)
Updated: 2008-02-15 13:30

For those who crave French cuisine and fine dining, La Gauche is a charming restaurant with upscale food and prices to match.

Service is attentive, the setting comfortable, and the menu is decidedly... French. Escargots swimming in a parsley, garlic, and buttery sauce (RMB 78) was the perfect start to our meal. But we were disappointed by the grilled veggie polenta (RMB 68) – a melange of pesto, eggplant, zucchini, onion, tomato, mushroom and bell pepper – mainly because it was just too crispy. However, our smiles were restored by the orange sorbet, a perfect break in the meal before we were presented with a beautifully constructed sea bass tower (RMB 118).

Sitting on a bed of spinach and pine nuts – with thin layers of potato on top, all drizzled with a tangy passion fruit sauce – the course nearly didn’t leave much room for the banana rum flambé (RMB 68), which was probably just as well since the portion size was a bit disappointing. Lunch set menu: RMB 38-88; dinner set menu: RMB 188-588.

La Gauche
Daily 11.30am-2pm, 5.30-10.30pm.
4/F Jidian Yuannei, 4 Gongti Beilu (next to Banana Leaf), Chaoyang District
6593 8989/9898