The Rug: Chic All-Day Dining in Sanlitun's Courtyard 4
The original Chaoyang Park location of The Rug murmurs of what the dazzling new space in Sanlitun unabashedly trumpets: a chic elegance. White tile and blonde wood dominate, cloth napkins are neatly monogrammed with tiny ‘R’s, a cluster of carefully chosen antique spoons adorn one wall and sleek ladles another, and the light fixtures are stylish and varied. The first floor holds the bar, an intimate couch area with stacked suitcases for tables and small front room. The second floor spreads out with nooks and crannies filled by tables for two, a bar that runs along a glassed-in kitchen, seating for small groups and two very lovely private rooms.
The menu is the same between both locations, and the selection encompasses many of the daytime favorites like bagel plates (RMB 55-95) and hash browns (RMB 48-58), plus a few more recent brunch additions such as corn fritters (RMB 138) and omelets (RMB 78-88). A substantial dinner section complicates The Rug’s identity as a breakfast and brunch joint, with mussels (RMB 99-108) as an interestng evening proposition.
Some concepts need tweaks. The shakshuka (RMB 98), a North African dish of eggs poached in tomatoes and chilli peppers demanded a salt shaker to pull out the vegetables’ flavors slightly more. The red wine beef stew (RMB 66) came with a poached egg and savory beef, though the mashed potatoes had a gluey pull. Sweeter dishes excel. Glazed in organic honey and sandwiching a slice of ham, the corn fritters tread the line between the sweet and the savory. Cream creeps from the lemony berry nut cake (RMB 68), a citrusy tang blending brightly with the sharp and silver light of winter.
The Rug
Daily 10.30am-10.30pm. Courtyard 4 (next to Kro’s Nest), 4 Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (6507 2342)
朝阳区4工体北路4号院
800m west of Tuanjiehu station (Line 10)
A version of this article appears in the February 2014 issue of the Beijinger
Photos: Joey Guo
