Comforting French Cuisine With a Chinese Twist at Jomi in Lido
Eateries are popping up around Lido, an area quickly growing in popularity, especially with families looking for something a little more relaxed than the fast-paced heart of Beijing. Jomi is no different, hoping to tap into this market, but it differs it that also brings with it a certain star allure.
The restaurant opened at the end of summer 2016, and is spearheaded by owner and chef Antoine Bunel who’s active on Chinese TV reality shows such as A Bright World and S-Style Show. His appearances of TV have allowed Bunel (who's Chinese name is 安闹闹 ān nào nào) to gain a sizeable following in China, certainly bigger than in his hometown of Provence, France, with 120,000 followers on Weibo, and a bunch of high-profile Chinese celebrity friends, such as Xu Zheng, Lin Yilun, and Hu Huang.
Jomi's menu is simple but refined enough so as to not be overwhelmingly posh, and includes a couple of soups; a handful of starters (RMB 18-58) like foie gras, "no-oil chicken salad," mixed pepper quiche, and a fusion shepherd’s pie; and robust main dishes (RMB 48-108) such as roasted mustard chicken leg, pan fried salmon, roasted lamb chop, and Australian sirloin. Homemade desserts (RMB 38-48) span from a chocolate and peanut fondant to opera cake, and a mystery white chocolate mousse to strawberry pavlova.
The foie gras and delights platter (RMB 58), arranged as a block of homemade foie gras with a pieces of preserved duck breast, accompanied with salad leaves and mango. The dish was refreshing, thanks to the balance between the savory foie gras balanced and the sweet and sour cranberry sauce.
As a lover of chestnuts, especially in winter, I was also a fan the chestnut soup (RMB 38), which retained the crunchiness of the chestnuts offset with creamy onions, and a little sweet chestnut powder sprinkled across. This dish is a great accompaniment to the season.
As for the main, we would recommend the roasted mustard chicken leg (RMB 68), translated as “Mom’s Roasted Chicken,” and is a bestseller at Jomi. The juicy chicken is served with mustard, lemon and honey sauce, slices of carrot, Brussels sprouts, roasted mushroom, and seasoned with thyme and Sichuan peppercorn. The crispy chicken skin and the tender chicken meat hidden beneath went down far too quickly.
Alternatively, there is also the stewed beef with red wine (RMB 68), with juicy cuts of beef soaked in red wine covered with fried potato strips seasoned with lemon juice and honey. Take a bite with the meat, fried potato, mashed potato, and baby carrot all at the same time for an impeccable combination of textures.
To round it off, we gobbled up the chocolate and peanut fondant (RMB 58), which interestingly opts for Sichuan mala ice cream, giving the sweet, gooey chocolate lava from the fondant an extra depth.
For a special and homely touch, sip on a homemade ginger tea, and see if you can catch a dancing performance by Bunel's wife, who just so happens to be a ballerina. These aspects and the well-priced French fayre mean that Jomi is a welcome addition to Lido and it should flourish among those looking for something a little more special than what is already of offer.
Jomi
Daily 11.30am-10pm. A-101 Lido Plaza, Lido Square, Chaoyang District (6431 9812)
朝阳区丽都环岛丽都广场A-101
More stories by this author here.
Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure
Photos: courtesy of Jomi, Tracy Wang
