Fireside: A Prime Spot for Late Night Chuan’r, Drinks, and the World Cup
During a recent trip to World City mall on Jinhui Lu, we found ourselves lured by Fireside’s literally lit facade. Making it past the flaming exterior, Fireside's first-floor lounge area also houses a floor-to-ceiling tree-shaped LED display and a woodgrain bar for late night perchers. Making your way upstairs, the space gives way to more rustic decor with wooden tables, comfortable sofas, a large open kitchen, and a continuation of the tree motif, with branches hanging overhead.
The menu includes a somewhat baffling array of concepts: Asian fare includes Chinese-style noodles, udon, Xinjiang-style barbecued lamb, rice, mamenori (Japanese-style soybean paper wraps), among others, as well as a plethora of fusion Western dishes such as Sichuan-flavored cuttlefish pasta, foie gras risotto, soups, and desserts.
Zheng Zongyang, one of Fireside's three co-founders, explains that they recruited chefs from eight different countries so as to round out the eclectic menu with elements from all over the globe.
That variety shows from the off, with fresh, carefully seasoned, and peppercorn oil-soaked walnuts (RMB 66, pictured above) cleansing the palate ahead of a mixed vegetable platter (RMB 68, pictured below) featuring sweetcorn, sliced eggplant, zucchini, and asparagus, all grilled, charcoal-kissed, and topped with pesto sauce and cracked black pepper to allow for the garden-fresh notes to give way to a smokey finish.
As for the mains, the barbecue lamb chops (RMB 158), despite being a little fatty for our liking, were excellently seasoned with garlic, peanuts, chili peppers, and scallions. The meat was tender and juicy and without a hint of the sometimes overwhelming lamb flavor that is found a lesser barbecue joints, thanks to Zheng sourcing it from his native Xinjiang.
Fireside very much tilts toward the dinner end of the spectrum, meaning there's plenty of imported bottled beers and cocktails on offer, including one of the latter which included a dusting of cumin seed powder, balanced with the sweetness of Amaretto. As odd as a cumin-flavored drink may sound, we found ourselves comforted by the memories each sip evoked of nibbling Xinjiang-style chuan’r at our favorite local barbecue.
Saying that, if you do find yourself stopping by for a quick lunch, we recommend the “chief executive beef noodles” (RMB 38). Comprised of al dente noodles, a nourishing beef broth, and topped with soft chunks of beef, this bowl packs a herbal and spicy flavor that will power you through the day.
Aside from the items listed above, Fireside is also currently serving a late-night menu for football lovers wanting to watch the World Cup. Highlights include chuanchuanxiang, snacks, and plenty of chuan’r. Best of all, Fireside's al fresco area is big enough to more than a dozen large tables and a number of TVs, making it a strong choice for groups of sports fans looking for a more Chinese ambiance. And you won't have to worry about getting kicked out given that they're open until 4am during the remainder of the World Cup.
Fireside Open Kitchen & Restaurant
Daily 11am-2.30pm, 4-11.30pm. E132-E222-E232, 1/F, Bldg E, World City, 9 Jinhui Lu, Chaoyang District (8599 9580)
熔时：朝阳区金汇路9号E座1层E132-E222-E232
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Photos: Tracy Wang
