Dear Carnivores: Even You Are Going to Want to Try the New Lotus Set Menu

When it comes to creative, elegant, yet wholesome and downright lip-smackingly delicious Chinese fair, Lotus is pretty tough to beat. Those attributes are so striking in fact, that’s is almost easy to forget that the China World Mall restaurant readies that fare entirely meat-free, yet in a delectably delicious enough fashion to satisfy even the most resolute carnivores. Added bonus: they eschew the fine dining stuffiness and outrageous prices of fellow vegetarian Chinese restaurant King’s Joy.

We were recently invited to try the restaurant’s newly launched set menu. It's priced at RMB 300, which is a pretty solid deal for a special occasion considering the restaurant’s fairly formal white linen rife decor and snazzy plate presentation, not to mention the tastebud tingling flavors and outside the box meat substitutes of the dishes. Aside from a few small missteps (a midway soup that was bland enough to be forgetful for you swallow), we were quite impressed by the vast majority of courses served up. Here are our favorites:

1. Tofu with Chinese Toon, Soybean Curd with Spicy Oil and Sweet Cherry Tomatoes
Appetisers can sometimes feel like an afterthought or filler (in every sense of the word) until the more intricate mains make their way to the table. Not so this go around. A plate sectioned off for this trio of introductory bites impressed thanks to the homemade tofu in Chinese toon (a Chinese specialty known for its uniquely aromatic quality, grown in-house), and the creamy yet also delicately crumbly mashed soybean curd (pictured above; a unique and unpredictable experience for our palate if ever there was). Most surprising of all, however, were the cherry tomatoes, which seemed very much basic at first glance, only to wow us with their zippy sweetness and plump exterior encasing an abundance of juiciness therein. Imported all the way from Israel, they came skinned, which also defied our expectations (and even left us a bit skeptical), though we were later intrigued when the chef explained that the texture of that skin “distracts from the essence of the vegetable.” Fair enough, chef— you peeled your way to an expectation trumped appetizer this go around.

2. Kung Pao Monkey Head Mushrooms
After our appetites were properly whetted by the tofu and tomato replete appetizers (and after a disappointing round of meh mushroom and fungus soup), the meal got revved up by this vegetarian take on a time-honored favorite. Yes, kung pao chicken is one of the first dishes that many foreigners try at Chinese restaurants (either in China town back home or in Beijing when dipping a proverbial toe in a still unfamiliar cuisine). Lotus plays on your nostalgia in that regard with some of the richest kung pao sauce imaginable, while also innovating the dish by swapping out the meat with chunky monkey head mushrooms, which are so akin in texture to chicken that you’ll you really have to slowly and carefully consider before noticing the difference. That’ll be a very tough feat to pull off indeed because this dish was delicious enough to make us quickly gobble up every morsel, that rapid devouring tempered only by a subtle but steadily increasing spicy aftertaste that comes courtesy of a few strategically placed peppers.

3. Baked Asparagus with Mushrooms
Impressive as many of the preceding items were, the baked asparagus with mushrooms positively floored us. That’s because the eclectic assortment of mushrooms in this dish were diced and peppered in such a fashion that some tasted like steak while other were tasted just like potatoes. The firm and springy texture of the asparagus sealed the deal on a dish that’s delicious, light, creative and balanced enough to bridge the daunting chasm between meat eaters and vegetarians.

4. Soft Tofu in Pumpkin Sauce with Spinach & Mushroom
Billed as one of  Xihe’s specialty dishes, this eye-catching bowlful reminded us of a high end serving of salmon fillet upon first glance, what with its hefty blocky shape with visible layers that looked tender enough to flake off with a mere nudge of your spoon. The vibrantly bright soup that that tofu square came immersed in was made with pumpkins that came all the way from Sanya, and it was wholesome and nourishing enough to make us slurp every drop and left us longing for much more (we were told it was made with small pumpkins in order to attain an extra smooth texture, and that aim was very much achieved as far as we’re concerned).

And while we wished the ratio of soup to tofu was more balanced, that dominating curd chunk was nevertheless satisfying thanks to its silken tofu, a handmade combination of soybeans and eggs that was augmented by a sprinkling of mushrooms on the top.

5. Sautéed Lotus Roots and Green Beans with Fungus
This one arrived with such a pretty presentation that we almost felt guilty for tucking in and gobbling it up. Extra emphasis on almost feeling guilty, though. That’s because the beans were springy and juicy, and the fungus so softly inviting, and above all the lotus chunks being so delectably crunchy and enticing thanks to their delayed spicy aftertaste, that it amounted to too delicious a meal to leave sitting for long, despite its immaculate plate placing and the colorful pop of the edible purple flowers sprinkled in. It’s the kind dish that’ll make you want to snap a few Instagram picks immediately at first glance, but then make you want to pocket your phone and devour every bite all the more quickly.  

While those were are favorite items on the new set menu, other highlights included snow peas (which bounce along your palate and then delightfully pop upon biting into them) and sautéed vegetables with hand-pulled noodles, which were filling and boasted a humble, warming quality that’ll trigger memories of your favorite mom-and-pop noodle spot in Beijing. It’s a wide-ranging set menu brimming with surprises. And considering the number of dishes on offer and the creativity of the vegetarian twists, along with the fairly upscale ambiance, the RMB 300 price tag is quite a bargain. The meal was such a success that even we notoriously devoted burger chomping Beijinger editors would quickly go back Lotus with a group of adventurous friendly diners looking to dig into some inventive Chinese fare in a refined setting.

Get your fill of up to the minute dining coverage with our reviews of recently opened Beijing restaurants here.

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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
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Photos: Kyle Mullin, courtesy of Lotus