Squid Ink and Sous-Vide Risotto Among Highlights at South-End Hidden Gem Andy's

If you live far from Beijing dining hotspots like Sanlitun, Gulou, and the CBD, there’s no need to fret. Slowly but surely, high-quality, creative eateries are popping in various neighborhoods that had once been dismissed as barren or, at best, beset by bland chains and mom and pop spots of wildly varying quality.

Last year we tried a delicious gourmet burger at The Granary way out past Sihui, while Max’s Pizza has been serving up surprisingly wholesome slices way out at the opposite end of town. Better still: Antoine Mansuy’s Roots restaurant, which brings some of the city’s best organic gourmet fare to those residing in Beijing’s southern tip of Yizhuang.

And now another impressive recently opened restaurant has broken ground in an untapped southern locale. Simply titled after the owner himself, Andy’s is a chic eatery that features Italian eats like Napoli-style pizza with subtle, minimalist toppings, and a soft crust. Those pies (ranging in price from RMB 78-128) may not beat what's served at top-notch Beijing joints like Bottega, but it was on par with (and reminded us a bit) of those served at sturdy old favorite like La Rucola (sadly recently forced to close but will hopefully soon reopen).

And while we liked the pizza well enough, we were all the more impressed by the pastas and risottos at Andy’s, which featured more creative ingredient combinations. Highlights included the RMB 78 Andy’s seafood risotto, which came with a unique dousing of squid ink on the rice that tingled with its salty and bitter qualities (avoid during business lunches as it's likely to leave you with a temporary black-stained mouth).

Outside the seafood devotee niche, the truffle risotto with sous vide beef (RMB 88) should have a wider appeal, along with enough creativity to rival its squid ink slathered counterpart. More conventional seafood options than the risotto include the cuttlefish sauce noodle pasta (RMB 68), and the spicy seafood linguine with fresh basil (RMB 78) which isn’t as hot as its name implies, but otherwise lives up to that moniker thanks to its huge chunks of salty squid.

Our favorite dish of the bunch, however, was the sweet potato cream and pumpkin soup (RMB 58), which amounted to a culinary warm hug, thanks to its sweet flavor, smooth texture, and overall wholesomeness. Best of all: the waiter’s pouring of the soup over the foamy sweet potato cream and crunchy wafer gave this satisfying but somewhat standard dish an unexpected touch of elegance.

The décor, meanwhile, might be a bit too posh for anyone who prefers laid-back digs. Yet the somewhat upscale yet casual atmosphere works well for a date night or a girl’s night out (the latter seeming to be a strong selling point, as the management told us they're planning some ladies night discounts soon).

Andy's provides a pretty solid spot in Baiziwan for Western grub for anyone who is looking past chain restaurants or unwilling to hoof it all the way to Beijing's more central, saturated neighborhoods. It also marks another strong step towards proprietors daring to offer decent grub outside of Beijing's comfort zone.

Andy's
Daily, 10am-10.30pm. Bldg 1-09, 405 Baiziwan Dong Li (near Baiziwan subway station on Line 7) (8721 2238; 186 1028 2804)
朝阳区东四环百子湾东里405号，安迪家

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Photos: Kyle Mullin