First Glance: Genius at Work, New Coffee Shop at Dawanglu

Tucked on the third floor of Gemdale Plaza, the vividly lit "Genius at Work" signage harkens to the glory days of London’s Underground system where the people were fast, and the talk, faster.

Walking through the doors, the typical China mash of white marble and overstuffed leather seats and booths dominate the space. A sprinkling of small British artifacts like little red telephone booths, teddy bears, and the ever-present ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ posters typical of English nature leave little for the wanderlust in us to gaze at. There appears to be no effective method of removing a café from a mall, and Genius at Work seems to have embraced their mall location rather than try to masquerade it.

The menu is divided into drinks, desserts, and Chef’s Selection. Teas were separated into three tastes – green, fruit and herbal-infused, and black (RMB 38/42/45). Coffees were separated into two sizes – London (small) and New York (big) with three kuai separating them for each coffee selection. A London-sized caramel macchiato (RMB 30) arrived heavy on the foam, but discouragingly light on actual coffee taste, reflecting a milk tea more than anything else.

The Three Star Michelin dessert options (the chef's name was listed as Sohya Takahasi), were surprisingly well-priced compared to the other eleven selections of French-inspired house desserts. A GAW Tiramisu (RMB 65) was presented with a flourish of rich custard and sprinkling of cocoa, but lacked the dark depths of coffee and liquor one would hope for.

Ideally, you would want to visit with a friend or two to take advantage of the special Chef’s Selection menu with sets that cater for two-, three-, or four-person groups. For Set One (RMB 129) you share a GAW Tiramisu, a house standard crème brûlée, and an oatmeal cake. Go one step further to Set Two or Three (RMB 169/219) and you will enjoy a Dazzling Mousse Cup Set with flavors such as chocolate, mango, saka, raspberry yogurt and matcha tiramisu, plus a fruit cup.

Though I commend the service there with my order arriving exceptionally quick and the local Wi-Fi password available on every table, the genius behind this café may have taken one too many days off work before starting business here.

Genius at Work
Daily 10am-10pm. L321, 3/F, Gemdale Plaza, 91 Jianguo Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国路91号金地中心3层L321
 

Photos: Erin Strong