Creative cooking
By Ye Jun (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-05 10:09
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Beijing
A well-known chef is serving up some artistic plates at his new restaurant. Ye Jun takes a sampler.
If you love art, creativity, and good food, you'll probably like ROOMbeijing. After gaining fame in Beijing's dining scene as the first to introduce molecular gastronomy to the city, former Blu Lobster chef Brian McKenna opened his first restaurant in China earlier this year.
The results are impressive so far.
McKenna's 42-ingredient salad, which contains a slow-cooked egg and flavorsome dressing, is capable of fulfilling the wildest dreams of any vegetarian.
His Wagyu beef carpaccio with celeriac and wasabi was like nothing I have tried before. The carpaccio is thicker, but much tastier than normal. And although the wasabi doesn't stand out, the celeriac (celery root) lends the dish an interesting texture, as well as a unique fragrance.
We tried a mixture of three hams, the top choices on the menu - 5J pata negra ham from a black-hoofed Spanish pig, Iberico ham from Spain and Parma ham cured for two years in Italy. The 5J pata negra is indeed a king of hams, with a smooth taste and a rich nutty flavor.
Diners at ROOMbeijing can sample several hams on a platter and compare the differences, much like a wine tasting.
ROOMbeijing's roast spring chicken is part of McKenna's effort to put more Chinese dishes on the menu. Spring chicken is what the southern Chinese refer to birds which are younger than three months.
Served with several vegetables, the tempting golden-skinned roast chicken was one of the most tender I have tried recently. The bird is filled with glutinous rice, chestnut and fragrant mushroom and reminds me of Thanksgiving turkey, but tastes slightly different.
The desserts were the "happy ending" the menu promises.
McKenna's Irish coffee is a pleasant ice-cream version of the famous drink. And the milk chocolate pop tart with raspberry and herbs is a combination of lip-smacking flavors.
The restaurant's signature fruit tree with sugar dips and sauces is enough to make anybody feel thoroughly pampered. The only problem may actually be that there is too much to finish.
McKenna has displayed so much creativity in the food that each dish brings new surprises.
Luckily the menu has so many choices you can always come back and try something you haven't eaten before.
Meals cost diners an average of about 200 yuan to 300 yuan ($29-44) per person.
Compared with the maturity of the cuisine, the interior decor is young, artistic and playful.
The main dining area has a lot of empty space between tables. We were told that this is so there is plenty of room for deejays, parties and merry-making in the evening.
But the private rooms are also extremely colorful and artistic.
The art on the walls and in the various corners of the restaurant is for sale, giving patrons the opportunity to depart with culinary works of art in their stomachs and unique works of visual art in their hands.