CITY GUIDE >Food Reviews
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CITY GUIDE >Food Reviews
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Where to have top notch Korean food
By Bobby Brill (bestfoodinchina.net)
Updated: 2008-10-15 14:45
Winning hands down for one of the best Korean food in Beijing, Ai Jiang Shan is one of those restaurants that you keep the business card ready for the opportunity to impress your client or significant other half with an upscale meal. It appears to be chiseled out of a mountain beside streams and rivers; the Haidian location stands out among the new crop of large scale, exquisite dinning locations fast becoming popular in Beijing. For those of you used to the often loud and rambunctious Korean BBQ’s, Ai Jiang Shan brings you elegance and beauty without any pretentions.
 The design and decor is so enjoyable you cannot help but be in awe. The specially planned private booths with glass partitions, traditional low rise Korean-style seating, large round banquet tables and traditional restaurant seating meander through the living, breathing wisps of nature that make up the interior of this restaurant. Wood and stone make up the modern design creating an atrium effect for the diner. The feeling of comfort and quiet solitude, as if dining in a far away forest is an unique feeling achieved in this restaurant. Ai Jiang Shan (meaning Love River Mountain in Chinese, appropriately) has done just that. To compliment this stunning setting the high quality and special touches of the food only add to the overall experience. Unlike typical Korean BBQ establishments, the specially designed tables feature ventilation systems to keep the smoke away and the BBQ is brought to you in a beautiful stone pot so that you can interact with your guests unaffected by the cooking. The choice cuts of imported meats are delicately seasoned and cooked by the well-trained and attentive staff. There is more to offer as the menu proudly boasts over 300 dishes, all beautifully prepared and tantalizing. In an effort to educate local Chinese and Western clientele, the restaurant has a tasting-menu offered during dinner and there is an outstanding set-lunch to showcase what Korean food is really all about. Generous portions of pickled vegetables (kimchi is a specific dish and a broad term for a style of preparation) stone pot rice dishes, seafood, seaweed and kelp dishes, spicy and sweet combinations of what seemed like hundreds more small dishes of brilliantly colored, aromatic morsels and my new favorite, Korean-style spicy miso soup, are what you will experience here. Such an experience that will both impress and relax your dining partner whether sealing that business deal or assuring approval from the second date. My compliments for Ai Jiang Shan are endless - excellent food, tentative yet unobtrusive staff, and absolutely beautiful interior design – a superb effort that raises the bar for other restaurants of this high-end caliber. Ai Jiang Shan This article is brought you by Best Food in China, the first and leading English website about local Chinese food and restaurants. For more information, please visit www.bestfoodinchina.net |
