Meili & Mad Brings Nordic-Asian Fusion Food to Sanyuanqiao

Having recently opened up in Sanyuanqiao’s Galleria Shopping Center, Meili & Mad is bringing a whole range of exciting new dining concepts to Beijing.

Opened up by Vicky Wu with a menu designed by Talib Hudda, the head chef and owner of Refer (the first Beijing restaurant to make it onto Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant list), Meili & Mad specializes in Nordic-Asian fusion food. Part restaurant, bakery and deli – even with a section selling household related items – it’s already looking like a promising place for new ideas.

One thing we were especially curious about was where the name came from. Wu explains “Meili” in Old Norse means “the lovely one” while also having the same spelling as “美丽” in Chinese, which means beautiful. “Mad” in Danish means “food” while also having the double meaning in English of “mad”.

On what Wu hopes Meili & Mad will bring to Beijing, she says “Meili & Mad is extending the Japandi [a mix of Japanese and Scandinavian aaesthetics and minimalism] lifestyle along with Nordic and Asian fusion cuisine and a fun retail space. We wanted to create a cozy, friendly environment for people to relax and enjoy a wonderful time any time of day. Meili & Mad is aiming to be a place where people from all different backgrounds, likes and ages, can find a point of belonging.”

At the heart of Meili & Mad is, of course, the food, and although Nordic-Asian cuisine may initially sound like an unusual combination, Hudda tells us “there’s actually some common elements between Nordic and Asian cuisines, and I like to dig a little deeper into that part and make a twist to create something fun and tasty. As Meili & Mad welcomes different people with different likes, no matter if you are a Western food lover or Asian food lover, the menu hopefully can satisfy all palates at some point.”

One of the dishes that truly represents this is the Miso Roasted Halibut (RMB 258). The miso seasoning compliments the delicate taste of the perfectly flaky halibut which comes served on a bed of mild and earthy sunchoke, kale, broccoli and hazelnuts, which lend texture.

Another standout, and a favorite of Hadda’s, is the Oh My Dog (RMB 88) hot dog. A homemade soft white bread bun is drizzled with miso mayo and takoyaki sauce then stuffed with one of their juicy sausages and topped with roasted garlic, dill pickles and shredded nori. Each bite brings with it wonderful texture and taste, and it’s well worth the messy hands afterwards!

A favorite of ours was the Slow Cooked Australian Short Rib (RMB 288), covered in a sweet sticky soy glaze the meat is tender and just falls off the bone. We also loved the X.O. Blue Mussels (RMB 198) which are cooked in a house-made X.O. sauce that has the perfect level of spice and umami to compliment the mussels.  

Also not to be overlooked are Meili & Mad's snacks, especially the Edamame (RMB 28) and Skinny Fries (RMB 38). The former is seasoned with dill, spinach powder and wasabi for an extra little kick and the latter are seasoned with nori and wasabi and served with truffle mayo to create some of the most moreish fries we’ve tried. 

Along with main meals, Meili also have an amazing array of pastries available either in the restaurant or to take away from their deli/bakery section. We tried a selection of delicious treats and were particularly impressed by the Cinnamon Roll (RMB 32 eat in, RMB 22 takeaway) which is potentially the best we’ve had in Beijing, and the New York Cheesecake (RMB 52 eat in RMB 42 takeaway) which was a rich, creamy and heaven in every bite. 

To pair with the food Meili & Mad have an excellent collection of wines, which can be selected from their walk-in wine cellar. All of the wine is helpfully color coded so you can select the most suitable wine for your taste and their staff are happy to walk you through the system. 

Meili & Mad has two floors, and you can either enter from the mall entrance that takes you into the bakery/deli section or from the street entrance that leads you directly into the restaurant.

The ground floor has a large, open dining area, with plenty of natural light accentuated by the clean, minimalist design. Along the right side is an open kitchen where you can watch their chefs masterfully at work.

At the back is the bakery/deli section which has everything from all natural cleaning liquids, to shampoo, to pasta, to snacks, a fridge full of cheese, cold cuts and drinks, baked goods, and coffee shop. Upstairs they have a number of private rooms available if you’re looking for something more intimate. 

To celebrate their opening Meili & Mad are currently offering 50 percent off their signature set making it RMB 283 instead of RMB 566. The offer is available until Nov 24 and can be purchased through Dianping. Just search for Meili & Mad to get your hands on the offer.  

Meili & Mad
1st Floor, Galleria Shopping Center, 5 Shuguang Xili Jia, Chaoyang District
朝阳区曙光西里甲5号凤凰汇1层
Hours: 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-10pm
Phone: 010-64130688

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Images: Katie Coy