Those of you who know Bespoke know that when it comes to Beijing, we’re all about the hidden gems, the hutong hideaways, the independent boutiques and eateries with bags of character.
But sometimes this kind of inverse snobbery doesn’t pay. Sometimes the best restaurants can be found inside big glossy car showrooms right in the center of town. No, we’re not kidding.
The Mercedes Me lifestyle store on the southwest corner of Sanlitun’s busy crossroads is hard to miss. What’s harder to see unless you venture in, past the wall-mounted cars and flashy LCD screens and projections, however, is the superb Sichuan restaurant on the second floor.
Huge lanterns shaped like antique hot air balloons populate the sizeable, blonde-hued dining room, and the whole place has a relaxed feel despite the precision innate in its design.
However it’s the food – reliably tasty and well executed on every visit – that sets Sifang Sanchuan apart from Beijing’s more fickle Sichuan restaurants. From the succulent sauteed chicken with chili and Sichuan Peppercorn (108RMB) to the delicate wood ear mushrooms (42RMB) and fried jasmine egg (68RMB) we’ve yet to taste a bad dish.
Other things we love about Sifang Sichuan? A great wine list (not easy to find in a Sichuan restaurant) and the friendly, prompt service. This is high-end Chinese dining, to be sure, but it’s in no way pretentious (or overly expensive). In fact it’s already become a no brainer for business meetings, families and pretty much anyone else who wants a clean, efficient, well executed dining experience in the heart of Sanlitun. Well what else did you expect from a German car company?
Sifang Sanchuan Second Floor, Mercedes Me, 1 Sanlitun (southwest corner of the Sanlitun crossroads – opposite the Adidas store). Open 11am-3pm; 5-10pm daily. Only in Beijing for a short time? Want to know which restaurants to try while you’re here? Let us help you. It’s all part of Bespoke’s Trip Customisation Service.