We read about the new Palette Vino in City Weekend recently and decided to give it a try. The food reviews weren't that great but what attracted us was the extensive wine list.
So off we went. If you haven't been to the restaurant, then looking for it is quite a hassle cos it's located within a very local hutong. Our cabbie stopped us on the wrong end of the road and we spent the next 15mins meandering through a dusty hutong with tonnes of construction. On the bright side, it was interesting being a voyeur and looking into people's homes :P
The restaurant was a tiny place with seats for about 20 people ( including seats in the courtyard). Any more and I'm sure we'll be sitting along the walkway with the old men and their chess sets. The food was reasonably priced at 98rmb for a 3 course meal or 118rmb for 4 courses. At 3 courses, you get to choose a salad, a pasta and main course. The fourth course is dessert. I had the bacon wrapped grilled chicken with greens, shrimp pasta shells and grilled lamb chops. Food was alright. Not something to bowl you over but definitely tasty. Dan had the beef ribs which seemed a little bland. And Miss Qoo had grilled salmon which she said was ok too.
What I really liked was the large variety of wine by the glass. Allows you to try several different types of wine without breaking the bank. You could get a glass for 35RMB or 40RMB. There were at least 5 reds and 5 whites to select from. The list of wines by the bottle was truly quite extensive- prices started from 190RMb for a bottle.
I liked the fact that all the wine was on display in the dining area. Feels as if you're dining in a cosy wine cellar. Dan was like a kid in a candy store, examining all the wines, seeing a few that he hasn't been able to get previously in Beijing. You can almost see the thought bubble above him, " Where to start? Where to start? So much wine, so little time (and money haha)"
Will I come back? Yes I would just to chill out and enjoy the wine and good company. It's a great place to hang out in summer.
Address: 5 Dong Si Shi Yi Tiao 东四十一条5号
Tel: 6405 4855
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