Rôti by Flo Grills up Alfresco French Feasts

Say what you want about summer, but for our money, fall is Beijing’s absolute best season. And one of the best places to make the most of it is French restaurant group Flo’s new alfresco-only venue, Rôti by Flo.

Flo have never been ones to sit back and rest on their laurels for long, and they are on to another successful new brand with this addition. Taking advantage of the extensive outdoor space surrounding their flagship venue Maison Flo on Xiaoyun Lu, Flo have created what is undoubtedly one of Beijing’s most architectural terraces. Between the elegant archways and blue and white tiled floors, you feel more like you’re summering in the Côte d’Azur than sitting in central Beijing.

As the name implies (rôti is the French word for “roast”), the menu celebrates barbecued and roasted dishes. All sorts of ingredients get a touch of smoke, from octopus and scallops to wagyu beef steaks and even cabbage. The most impressive dishes come from the Kopa charcoal grill, the intense heat of which locks in flavor while also leaving ingredients with pleasant, slightly smokey notes. Take, for example, the bluefin tuna collar with black garlic (RMB 388), a fatty cut that melts in the mouth after a quick turn on the grill. 

When we visited, our favorite dish was the whole roast chicken stuffed with truffle and foie gras (RMB 326). The fat content of foie gras keeps the chicken breast supremely moist, while the skin goes crispy in the heat of the charcoal oven. It's not a huge bird but it is intensely rich, so we found it easily served four people with a few other dishes alongside. We would advise calling in advance and reserving this dish, as they only make a handful every day. For that essential Instagram moment, don’t forget to order the signature grilled wood log shiitake mushrooms (RMB 128), which come encased in a cloche of smoke with scissors so you can snip them off the log yourself at the table. 

The charred theme even carries over into the dessert menu, with dishes such as charred pineapple with mango sorbet (sounds weird but trust us, cooking like this really brings out the flavour of the pineapple) and ever-so-trendy burnt basque cheesecake. 

The terrace will stay open throughout fall for as long as the weather is warm enough to sit outside, but we recommend getting down there sooner than later to make the most of it. 

READ: We Can’t Keep This New Shuangjing Cocktail Bar Confidential

Rôti by Flo
Mon-Fri 5.30-10pm, Sat-Sun 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30-11pm. 18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District (8595 0243)
福楼 罗蒂：朝阳区霄云路18号

Images: courtesy of the Restaurant, Robynne Tindall