Ken de Rouge
Along the west bank of the Hou Hai lakes glows a giant red chop that serves as the entrance marker to Ken de Rouge; the four month old fusion restaurant nestled between bars and curio shops. Fusion does not begin to do justice to this beautiful collage of Chinese architecture and Hutong styles nor the menu featuring some very non-Chinese items. When you peruse the list of delicacies and see descriptions like Thai flavored, Hawaiian, New Delhi and ingredients such as avocado, cognac and rosemary you know that this is no ordinary Chinese fair. After one sip of the house special Mao-gerita, you realize anything is possible and sit back and enjoy the show.
Hou Hai is a very unique area that is a must see for every tourist and local to enjoy. The water, the tree lined streets, the cafes all make for a very pleasant environment for a Sunday afternoon or a nice romantic getaway from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets. With many establishments catering to every taste it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd, however Ken de Rouge does a great job. The vibrant and large chop gleaming across the water is hard to miss and the owners have done an excellent job directing you with strategically placed signage along the outskirts of the Hou Hai area to guide you in. Once you come upon the restaurant you cannot help but wander in.
The décor is the brain child of an Italian designer with an obvious passion for Chinese textures and a deep love of geometric skews and shapes. Snippets of bamboo poles, sections of beautiful stone walls and wonderfully polished metal bits break down the elements of the city into beautiful vignettes of texture. You catch yourself wanting to run around and touch everything, feel the walls and explore all the private rooms. The location good not be better situated in the middle of the west bank bend giving you an unobstructed view of the water – a real treat when the rooftop area is in full swing.
But onto the food! Well, let’s start with the bar, kick off the meal right as I like to do. While I enjoy Chivas and green tea any twist on Chinese tradition is welcome. The three signature drinks will bring a smile right to your lips. The aforementioned Mao-gerita; a mix of Mao Tai, Cointreau and lime juice was amazingly smooth and dare I say yummy. Mao Tai for the uninitiated is high quality Chinese white alcohol. Often called white wine it is not in the same world as Western wine. This is strong stuff with a strong taste, smell and a kick to put you in your seat for the night if you are not careful. A tough sell to the Western palate; but shake it off with lime and orange flavored liqueur and you are asking for your second after the first sip. The top three are rounded out by two other martini inspired Chinese wine based drinks that are equally as good. The traditional wine list is very respectable, but come on, Mao-gerita is a cool name!
Again this restaurant has taken fusion to a new and delightful level. For starters the tofu mousse with crab roe was very delicate with a nice hint of sea saltiness and spice. If you like tofu the light and creamy mousse is a pleasant rendition, if you think of tofu as a block of white gelatin – as we are to in the West - you will be pleasantly surprised. Following that was a Thai inspired pear and mango salad. The chilies gave the right amount of tang and heat to compliment the sweet fruit cleansing the palate nicely. Following these two was where the presentation took a chord from the surrounding buzz of the interior.
Two lamb chops were quickly seared on a large obsidian looking hot stone at your table; tender and flavorful with a quickly sautéed veggie side. Next up was three main dishes as different in taste and presentation as could be imagined. A large foil sculpture, comically resembling a pair of rabbit ears was doused in cognac and lit ablaze. The star anise and other Chinese herbs infused the selection of mushrooms and gingko nuts inside; a nice earthy dish with pleasing aroma. Further down the table was placed a modern version of traditional Peking duck. In order to appeal to the Western palate and as the restaurant points out the more health conscious diner, the duck is far less greasy than what one normally sample in China. The chef has done an excellent job of giving the skin the proper crispy texture while removing the heavy after taste of the duck. As diners, both Chinese and Western, have become more health conscious the restaurant has created dishes that are full bodied but don’t make you look full bodied.
The last dish was a surprise. Billed as 1000 Islands of Beef I was not sure what to expect and never dreamed of what was actually plated. Extremely tender cuts of beef had been cooked in Thousand Island dressing. Yes, that salad dressing so popular throughout Beijing but one a Westerner would never dream of putting on meat. I will be the first to say it works and works well. In the US, anything with ketchup is kept as far of away as possible form a prime cut of beef – it is simply not done. But I will defend this dish to any die-hard steak eater, a real treat.
The idea of mixing traditional Chinese dishes with non-Chinese ingredients is daring and Ken de Rouge has done an excellent job. Something I think more restaurant should try. Add in the stunning design, the beautiful location and a few cocktails (Mao-gerita!) and you have a fine example of what a dining experience should be.
By Bob Brill
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