F by Tribute: Understated Fine Dining on Sanlitun South Street

Offering a wine-paired eight-course tasting menu that builds into one unforgettable meal, F by Tribute has the goods to drag diners away from the shine of Sanlitun Village down to the quieter south street.

Our tasting (RMB 798 with wine, RMB 598) began with a bittersweet amuse-bouche: a chocolate ganache-crispy baguette whose simple richness brought into focus the intentions of Frank Su, who is both chef and owner. For diners who love to dissect their dishes, a bitingly tart pomegranate reduction and a Riesling aspic (a gelatined bite of white wine), brought lightness and intricacy to a wine-poached foie gras.

Salt-baked salmon and homemade tagliatelle with prawns tastily checked off the salad and pasta courses. For the mains, we were offered five options to choose from. My dining companion’s poached and grilled monkfish, accompanied by a zingy corn-and-black-truffle salsa, was moist and tender, while my slow-braised lamb shank gave up its grip on the bone with the slightest nudge from the fork. Edamame and wasabi-cream mashed potatoes and a spiced apple-and-raisin chutney were excellent supporting players for the meat.

Wines paired exceptionally well with each course, bringing out briny notes from the prawns here, standing up to the rich meatiness of the lamb there. The standout pairing of the night came with the pumpkin pie, its light and airy filling lounging on a flaky crust. Its partner, a sparkling white, invited the warm wintry spices out to play upon the tongue.

F by Tribute’s space is easy to miss – surprising, considering Sun’s architecture background. But once found, it’s a perfect hideaway for those who enjoy substance over flash.

Also try: Mosto, Back Alley Bistro

F by Tribute. Unit 5 (to the left of Casa Pagoda) 6 Sanlitun Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6501 7501) 朝阳区三里屯南路6号(Casa Pagoda旁边）

By subway: 700m southwest of Tuanjiehu station (Line 10)

Photos: Lova