French Dining Meets an American Twist ... Underwater at Blufish in Beijing APM
Normally when we hear of a new restaurant in the basement of a shopping mall with a concept like “under the sea,” we'd balk and run for the hills, but Blufish in Beijing APM has proved us wrong.
Originating in Tianjin, owner Alex Wang spent years studying and working in France before he and his wife returned to China to open their first Blufish café in 2013, combining the French and American cuisines that they were most familiar with. That endeavor soon saw them with three venues under their belt, and with a new jolt of confidence they decided it was time to make a big leap and open their first Beijing branch in Beijing APM, one of the busiest shopping malls in Wangfujing.
Blufish is almost too pretty. Don’t get us wrong, it's both dream-like and reminiscent of a surreal airport-based aquarium, with the interior made up of sea world imagery, clean white walls, and a medley of pastel marine animals and aquatic plants on the ceiling. Enclaves cut into the space and the entire restaurant is noticeably lacking in any hard corners, only adding to the soft and oceanic vibe.
And the food? We were again surprised to find the menu affordable and of high quality. Aligning with their own concept of “Effortless Eating,” Blufish's take on fusion French and American cuisine with an American twist means salads, pasta, soups, brunch staples, and four different paellas (RMB 158-198).
One of the more creative dishes is the croissant pizza; a traditional flaky and buttery croissant topped with a thick layer of mozzarella cheese and thin pork patty, which was so mouthwatering that you're likely to steal the idea and claim it as your own. There are four different flavors on offer (RMB 58-68), including margarita, pork, fish, and roast chicken.
The signature “My Husband’s Salad” (RMB 68), one of their most popular dishes in Tianjin and based on a salad recipe that Alex Wang used to make for his wife, features various vegetables, fruits, pumpkin seeds, nuts, roast cherry tomatoes, pumpkin, and comes with a creamy honey and Dijon sauce.
The sea urchin, chicken, and beef taco trio (RMB 68) is served on decorative miniature logs. Each taco comes wrapped in shell-like tempura made from rice and nori. We especially liked the sea urchin taco, which comes topped with a pickled watermelon and a generous scoop of roe. The tempura is shaped like an oyster shell and paired with a drop of foamy lemon sauce, giving it layers of savory depth.
The lemon fried chicken (RMB 68) comes as an arrangement of generous chunks of sizzling-hot deep-fried chicken topped with a creamy mushroom sauce and a pinch of lemon sea salt. Paired with salsa to add a little acidity to the mix among the lemon zest and parmesan cheese, this dish was rich and flavorful.
If you're looking to fill up, there's also˘poutine (RMB 68) with french fries, cheese curds, and even some foie gras with cranberry sauce and gravy, or the seafood paella (RMB 168), which was not quite al dente – as a compromise to local tastes – and sadly lacking the caramelized crust of rice at the bottom.
To round our meal off, we had Blufish's photogenic lemon-shaped white chocolate and mousse dessert, punctuating the use of lemon throughout the meal.
Currently, Blufish is offering a RMB 99 tasting menu that includes a crayfish tomato soup, a signature salad, a taco, a mini-size croissant pizza, and a mini-size paella, which should fill you up plenty and give you a good idea of what they're about. Alternatively, there are also various coffees for people who just want to stop by and take in the lush surroundings.
Blufish
Daily 10am-10pm. B 103, Beijing APM, Dongcheng District (6512 9717)
布鱼餐厅:东城区王府井APM购物中心B103
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos courtesy of Blufish, Tracy Wang
