Quelle surprise!
Last week I had heard from one of the other two American moms out here that a French restaurant had opened in Changping recently. I asked her to repeat that because that did not quite sound right. French restaurant. Changping.
This afternoon the kids and I set out to find this bistro in addition to a few other newer businesses, like a pub (in Changping!) and a coffee shop. Once we found 6ème, realized they were open all afternoon, and served coffee, we decided to go in and try those other places another day.
More after the jump
This new restaurant, 6ème, is the result of a partnership of four recent Chinese graduates of Le Cordon Bleu. On another blog I read that Changping is just a temporary location for them, a low-rent district for them to experiment before they launch a more ambitious project in a better neighborhood.
The menu was something to behold. In French, Chinese, and English (a combination never seen out here) it listed dishes that made our mouth water, like bœuf stroganoff, salad greens with goat cheese, and crêpes. It was too late for lunch, and too early for supper, so we just ordered off of the desert menu. I had a cafe latte that was so deliciously creamy, unlike the others I had had in Changping. Myles chose a fresh grape juice. We ordered ice cream-filled crêpes and an apple tarte for me. I can no longer say I make the best crêpes in Changping, but I willingly surrender this distinction to professionals.
The apple tarte. Unbelievable.
It was almost five o'clock by the time we finished our snack. Randy joined us after work. Since we had planned to eat out on Friday anyway, we decided to stay. Even though we took this desert-first approach, we ended up eating just about everything we were served. The French-sized portions helped with that.
I switched from coffee to wine to accompany the real meal. There was an Italian Red on the wine list for only 106 RMB. It seemed like a reasonable indulgence, and it was wonderful. In another move unlike any other I have seen in Changping, the wine was decanted.
For an appetizer we shared an order of eggs mimosa. In some English translations, they are called deviled eggs, which is terribly inaccurate even though I do like deviled eggs. Look at this platter. Look at that shredded egg yolk, dry and not smooshy. The mayonnaise filling was delicate and creamy, only slightly sour.
After we each of us ate our egg, I was free to devour yet another rare-in-Changping treat, mixed lettuce greens with a simple dressing and a generous amount of fresh, cracked pepper.
Randy also ordered the Pumpkin Soup. I tried it and was delighted by how unlike regular Chinese pumpkin soup it was. Not that I don't like the local variation, but there is often a heavy dose of cornstarch used for thickening.
Myles had his bœuf stroganoff, a dream come true for him.
I ordered a Flammenkuchen, surprised to see the German name on the menu. Interestingly, this is the second time I have ordered this believing I was getting something entirely different. In Dielsdorf last summer I also ordered on for supper, one dressed with strawberries and spinach, believing the "kuchen" part of the word meant something a few inches thicker. When it ended up being more like a giant flatbread, I had to recalculate the meaning of the word "kuchen." Again, last night, when the chef announced the arrival of our 比萨 (bisa), I said to Randy that I was sure I did not order a Pizza. I remembered then my misunderstanding in Switzerland, and proceeded to enjoy my thin and crispy Flammenkuchen of cheese and onions.
After all of this, and having really already eaten our desert, all I needed was one more cup of frothy coffee goodness.
I have obviously not gone into any great detail about the actual restaurant environment. The owners' focus is truly on the food and the interior is completely unremarkable. The music was just a local pop radio station, played loudly. The food was so good I hoped for an experience of feeling transported, the kind we seek out from Western restaurants in other parts of Beijing (or Shanghai, or Shenzhen...). The goal, though, is not for 6ème to become a permanent fixture on the Changping dining scene. In that way, the hopeful transience is obvious in the inattention to details like the layer dirt on the stairs. And for now, like in most other restaurants and coffee shops in Changping (save, oddly enough, for Pizza Hut) we, too, will have to overlook these details so they don't detract from the experience of the food.
This afternoon the kids and I set out to find this bistro in addition to a few other newer businesses, like a pub (in Changping!) and a coffee shop. Once we found 6ème, realized they were open all afternoon, and served coffee, we decided to go in and try those other places another day.
More after the jump
This new restaurant, 6ème, is the result of a partnership of four recent Chinese graduates of Le Cordon Bleu. On another blog I read that Changping is just a temporary location for them, a low-rent district for them to experiment before they launch a more ambitious project in a better neighborhood.
The menu was something to behold. In French, Chinese, and English (a combination never seen out here) it listed dishes that made our mouth water, like bœuf stroganoff, salad greens with goat cheese, and crêpes. It was too late for lunch, and too early for supper, so we just ordered off of the desert menu. I had a cafe latte that was so deliciously creamy, unlike the others I had had in Changping. Myles chose a fresh grape juice. We ordered ice cream-filled crêpes and an apple tarte for me. I can no longer say I make the best crêpes in Changping, but I willingly surrender this distinction to professionals.
The apple tarte. Unbelievable.
It was almost five o'clock by the time we finished our snack. Randy joined us after work. Since we had planned to eat out on Friday anyway, we decided to stay. Even though we took this desert-first approach, we ended up eating just about everything we were served. The French-sized portions helped with that.
I switched from coffee to wine to accompany the real meal. There was an Italian Red on the wine list for only 106 RMB. It seemed like a reasonable indulgence, and it was wonderful. In another move unlike any other I have seen in Changping, the wine was decanted.
For an appetizer we shared an order of eggs mimosa. In some English translations, they are called deviled eggs, which is terribly inaccurate even though I do like deviled eggs. Look at this platter. Look at that shredded egg yolk, dry and not smooshy. The mayonnaise filling was delicate and creamy, only slightly sour.
After we each of us ate our egg, I was free to devour yet another rare-in-Changping treat, mixed lettuce greens with a simple dressing and a generous amount of fresh, cracked pepper.
Randy also ordered the Pumpkin Soup. I tried it and was delighted by how unlike regular Chinese pumpkin soup it was. Not that I don't like the local variation, but there is often a heavy dose of cornstarch used for thickening.
Myles had his bœuf stroganoff, a dream come true for him.
I ordered a Flammenkuchen, surprised to see the German name on the menu. Interestingly, this is the second time I have ordered this believing I was getting something entirely different. In Dielsdorf last summer I also ordered on for supper, one dressed with strawberries and spinach, believing the "kuchen" part of the word meant something a few inches thicker. When it ended up being more like a giant flatbread, I had to recalculate the meaning of the word "kuchen." Again, last night, when the chef announced the arrival of our 比萨 (bisa), I said to Randy that I was sure I did not order a Pizza. I remembered then my misunderstanding in Switzerland, and proceeded to enjoy my thin and crispy Flammenkuchen of cheese and onions.
After all of this, and having really already eaten our desert, all I needed was one more cup of frothy coffee goodness.
I have obviously not gone into any great detail about the actual restaurant environment. The owners' focus is truly on the food and the interior is completely unremarkable. The music was just a local pop radio station, played loudly. The food was so good I hoped for an experience of feeling transported, the kind we seek out from Western restaurants in other parts of Beijing (or Shanghai, or Shenzhen...). The goal, though, is not for 6ème to become a permanent fixture on the Changping dining scene. In that way, the hopeful transience is obvious in the inattention to details like the layer dirt on the stairs. And for now, like in most other restaurants and coffee shops in Changping (save, oddly enough, for Pizza Hut) we, too, will have to overlook these details so they don't detract from the experience of the food.
Comments
i also *love* how you use "after the jump"
BSG FTW :)