Weekend Brunch at Bistro B, Rosewood Hotel, Beijing
Rosewood Beijing boasts a very impressive culinary product and one that is based partly on skill and vision in the kitchen and partly on understanding their market very well. Consequently, they have been able to produce a product that taps very well into the emerging nouveau riche in Beijing. I have always admired the brand since I encountered it in Abu Dhabi. There is something left of centre about Rosewood, so when I heard that their French restaurant, Bistro B, was re-launching their brunch, I was, needless to say, excited to see which direction they would second time around.
Concept and Menu
In Beijing, there are basically three brunch concepts. First, there is the traditional buffet. Second, there is the set menu option where dishes are served at your table. Then, there is another option that is popular at smaller restaurants in which they serve a lunch menu rebranded as brunch. Finally, and this is the route taken by Bistro B - an a la carte menu accompanied by free flow drinks packages. The latter is one of the key elements that makes brunch and differentiates it from, well, lunch.
I like that the menu has been specially created with brunch in mind and is not simply an edited version of their regular menu. The menu features typical breakfast items like French toast, Avocado toast and a selection of crepes but don't expect anything typical in presentation and style. They are anything but typical, and their inclusion on the menu ensures that the connection between breakfast and lunch is maintained. The menu also offers some more substantial offerings like the restaurant's classic Wagyu tomahawk and Lobster thermidor - there is something on the menu for every appetite and wallet. Pastry items start at 25RMB, for example. Here in, other than the obvious quality of the dishes, lies the strength of the brunch - you decide how much you want to spend. In my case, for example, I spent 300RMB on food meaning my brunch cost 680 RMB! Incredible value. It is also a very sustainable concept in that there is very little wastage. When I visited, there was a handful of guests. Waste element? Zero.
I started with the pancakes. This was a feast. A generous portion of pancakes with a surprising blueberry filling matched with fresh blueberries, walnuts and bananas topped with maple syrup. Sweet right? Well, blueberries have that sweet sour quality that make them perfect. But if it is more balance of flavours you want, in-house-made bacon with an intoxicating smokiness provides exactly that comes part of the dish. Sensational. I have never used that word to describe pancakes. The downside was that I found it so filling that I knew I did not have room for much else!
As a second dish, I had my eyes on the foie gras, but craving something more savoury, I opted for the Burgundy Escargots - 10 of them awash in garlic herb butter. It was truly decadent and rich with a clever touch of having toasted brioche atop each serving of snails. If it is more texture you need, the fresh bread served as standard at the start of brunch, will add it. by the way, paired so well with the Louis Roederer.
For dessert, rather than some of the classic French options on offer, I went off menu as I just needed some fresh fruit - a simple way to end brunch but honestly, I was satiated. Moral of the story, go with the pancakes of you have a really big appetite.
Drinks
Impressive. As much as it remains the biggest expense in a brunch, free-flowing drinks are to brunch what a sunset is to a romantic - indispensable. It is an added bonus when the drinks options have been well thought out and have an air of quality about them. Of all free-flowing champagne offered at brunches in the city, I think the Louis Roederer NV Brut is the most premium of choices and checks all the boxes of a fine champagne. The package also includes two champagnes by AR Lenoble, a brut and an extra brut. The latter, incidentally is the only one of its kind at a brunch. The brut, also, is a blanc de blanc and you know that you can expect an elegant champagne because it is chardonnay based. I am not disappointed and on my next visit, I may make this my drink of choice, although all three options are open to guests. Finally, there is another sparkling choice in Bellavista, a Franciacorta wine that is very good too. At the risk of repetition, impressive, and I would rate it as the 2nd best drinks package at a brunch in the city.
For those who prefer cocktails, they can opt for the Prosecco package which includes Bloody Marys, Mojitos and some sparkling based cocktails. At 280 RMB, amazing value. Overall, the hotel sommelier has created a package that is both amazing on the palate while being very easy on the pocket. There are so many beautiful champagnes out there and I love it when a sommelier looks beyond the usual Veuve Clicquots and Moet Chandons. Yes, these brands have cache, but they are quite inferior to other lesser known labels.
Atmosphere
It would be harsh to comment on the lack of brunch vibe because the restaurant was not busy - I understand from staff that on my visit it was a bit of an anomaly and that the brunch had been quite busy up to my visit. However, I must comment on the lounge / elevator music that simply did not shout BRUNCH. Music is another valuable part of a brunch experience and to be honest, I am yet to find a brunch in Beijing where music adds to the atmosphere. I think it has to do with the fact that brunch culture in Beijing is still in its infancy, but here it is simple: Bistro B may serve classic French dishes, but it is a contemporary restaurant with a 25-40 market, so let the music reflect that. It is brunch and brunch should be happy!
Probably the big weakness for me. I tried making a booking via email but after an initial reply, three emails went unanswered. It is simple - if an email is offered on a website as a way to make a booking, then emails should be answered. Customer service 101. Then, on the floor, service can be hit and miss, largely because the restaurant employs a lot of trainees, something I have never liked because many trainees are not invested in the brand and are simply getting their internships done so they can return to their hometowns or join other properties. It is all about ratios, after all, we all start somewhere. I was lucky, though, to meet a young trainee assistant manager, Woojun Lee, who has all the potential to be a good manager one day because he can think out of the box. It was also great connecting with Zhang, the hotel's sommelier. I really enjoyed the way both of them broke down the customer/employee barrier. Overall, though, permanent staff take ownership of the brand while those who know they will move on, treat it is just a job.
Despite service issues and the forgettable music, this is a brunch worth going to again. So many brunch buffets are all about quantity and while nothing beats a luxurious buffet with all its options, the made to order experience has no rival when it comes to freshness of food and in some cases, quality of dishes. Chef de Cuisine, Chef Jarrod and his team offer something that not many kitchens in the city can compete with - their made-in house products, so when you get a dish with certain ingredients, do not forget the level of skill that went into making it. Then there is Zhangyu who has created drinks packages that walk that line between a high end experience and affordability. This is a brunch about excellent food and excellent drinks - two essential qualities I look for at a very good brunch.
The Essentials
Saturday and Sunday Brunch at Bistro B
Rosewood Hotel,
Hujialou, Chaoyang
Beijing
Tel: 00 86 (10) 6597 8888
Food - A la carte menu Champagne package includes 3 champagnes, 1 sparkling and 2 wines - 380 RMB
Prosecco package including selected cocktails - 280 RMB
Subway - Line 10 Hujialou, Exit D, turn right and walk for about 5 minutes.
Brandon Stoltenkamp
https://instagram.com/bmstoltenkamp/
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