The Circle of Life: The Loop's New Sanlitun Digs
The Loop's recent move from Shuangjing to Sanlitun wasn't just about location. It also got a gourmet makeover turning it into a "kitchen & wine bar." The restaurant's still in soft open, but I like what I've seen and tasted so far.
Finding the place isn't the easiest. It's on the street north of Sanlitun Village, just east of Xindong Lu (the same one that Nearby the Tree and Heaven Supermarket are on). Look for the orange sign that's set back from the north side of the road.
The Loop's new decor straddles the line between taste and comfort. I counted about 30 seats, though they might be able to fit more into the back room.
The menu is kind of like a classically trained violinist listening to the Sex Pistols on his day off: modern with a respect for tradition. Everything on the menu sounds good to me. I'm hoping to go back with seven open-minded friends so we can order everything and go family-style on it.
The soft opening menu has a handful of tapas, a selection of appetizers, most of which is upscale bar food (e.g. thin fries with truffle mayonnaise, RMB 35), mains and a couple desserts. The restaurant plans to eventually offer a bigger selection of tapas for wine drinkers who just want a snack to go with their vino.
When I asked the staff to recommend a few dishes, they suggested fried pork cubes with balsamic vinegar and mint (RMB 45). I was slightly skeptical but the dish was excellent. The lightness of the mint played counterpoint to the heftiness of the fried pork, while a chunk of pineapple lent sweetness to the bite.
The other dish they recommended was a pork shoulder steak with dark chocolate jus (RMB 125). If double pork isn't your thing, they've got pasta, seafood, duck and beef too. Regulars from The Loop's Shuangjing days will be happy to know that the filet mignon with truffle jus (RMB 145) remains one of their more popular dishes.
I felt a bit like Goldilocks when the pork steak came out, because it was "just right" – not too hot and with a nice sear to it. The presence of the chocolate flavor in the sauce was subtle and mostly featured the coffee tones. Mashed sweet potatoes earned their place on the plate.
Expect to spend at least a few hundred RMB for a multi-course meal – and more if you want to cozy up with some wine. If you go while the restaurant's in soft opening for the next few weeks, you can get a free glass of wine with dinner.
Speaking of wine, manager Weiley Lu says they have ten wines by the glass starting from RMB 60. Given that he has a background in wine, I expect it will be a fine selection.
The Loop Kitchen and Wine
Soft open hours: Daily 6-10.30pm. Room 1, Unit 2, Bldg 36 (west of Heaven Supermarket), Xingfu Sancun 3 Xiang (behind Yashow), Chaoyang District (8772 5713)
朝阳区幸福三村三巷36楼2门1号(雅秀后边天堂便利店西边)
Photos: Josh Ong
