New Southwest Chinese Restaurant Sifang Sanchuan Opens in Mercedes Me
Sometimes it can be hard to decide where to take people that you need to impress. Aside from the obvious places, Zijin Mansion and Da Dong Roast Duck, are there any decent other Chinese places that can win people’s hearts, and won’t cost you so much that you have to starve yourself for the rest of month? Thankfully, it seems like we have found another great option here.
Sifang Sanchuan, which seats over 150 people, is located on the second floor of brand-new Mercedes me. As the name implies in Chinese, its cuisine represents four squares (Kunming, Guiyang, Chengdu, and Chongqing). Together they define the ancient realm of Southwest China with their diverse cultures and various landforms. Sanchuan refers to the region's ancient Wei, Jin, and Luo rivers. The name also describes the desire to discover new places.
All right, enough about the name and its Sinological details. In fact, this restaurant is not just a typical Chinese place with red lanterns and wooden pillars-- it’s instead quite modern and exotic. Just picture yourself sitting in a huge room filled with strip-type-bronze-color mirrors and ginger shaded chairs, with a hot-air balloon shaped light floating above your white marble table.
And there is more proof that this isn't just any run-of-the-mill Chinese restaurant. The menu, for example, is bilingual and translated correctly. Ordering is, therefore, never a problem. We tried several of their best sellers: both Sichuan cold noodles with shredded chicken and chili sauce (RMB 58) and fresh walnut with Sichuan peppercorn sauce (RMB 42) as starters. After that came the sauteed chicken with chili and Sichuan peppercorns (RMB 108) and Ishinabe fried jasmine egg (RMB 68).
The chicken wasn’t the burn-your-arse-off kind of spicy that many of us have come to expect at typical Southern Chiense restaurants. Sifang Sanchuan's rendition of the dish also forgoes the standard Sichuan peppercorn wallop. Instead, it's mild and you can taste the layers of flavors unfolding in your mouth.
The cooking method for the Ishinabe fried jasmine egg was also kind of like a show in itself: first they brought us a hot claypot with fried stones, then poured in the egg, which cooked on the spot. This reminded us slightly of tortilla de patatas. If you prefer to order more classical dishes, the menu also sports Guizhou poached fish in sour soup (RMB 168, 酸汤鱼 suāntāngyú) and Sichuan poached fish in spicy oil (RMB 188, 水煮鱼 shuǐzhǔyú).
The food was simply spectacular, and intruiging: even though billing itself as a place for Southeastern food, diners with a keen eye will be able to tell that there is a Cantonese perspective, thanks to the restaurant's dim sum side menu. We had to check that out too, of course, trying the jade matsutake shrimp dumplings (RMB 58) and scallops and truffle dumplings (also RMB 58). Both of these were very tasty with authentic Cantonese flavors.
And of course, the meal wouldn't be complete without dessert. We tried the vanilla and coconut milk pudding (RMB 36), caramel and nut milk custard (RMB 38), both of which were Cantonese style. Neither of these put us in a sugar coma, which we were grateful for as it was lunch time. Another plus: both were served in cute, distinctly shaped jade bowls.
All in all, we approve, and I can’t wait to have weekend morning tea there with friends sometime soon.
Sifang Sanchuan
2/F, Mercedes me, 1 Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (8588 7150)
四方三川: 朝阳区三里屯1号Mercedes me2层
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Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos courtesy of Sifang Sanchuan, Tracy Wang
