Meat Lovers, Where to find the best steaks in Beijing

BTM Dining celebrates Valentine’s Day with a red-blooded tour of the city’s steak houses. Deceptively difficult to prepare, a good steak was a rare sight in Beijing until relatively recently. But as local suppliers have improved their stock, demand has also increased for high-quality imported meat. With better meat to work with, chefs across the city have raised the bar.

Unless you just want a big meat-fix, beware of cheap deals and Brazilian BBQs. Cheap cuts and lack of care make steak a forgettable experience at most of the chains, while even fairly up-market buffets, including the popular Sunday brunches, are unlikely to rise above mediocrity. However good the chef, he can’t disguise meat whose quality isn’t top-notch.

 

Steak Exchange

This recently revamped establishment offers the best of both worlds. It’s not the only place in town to promote 200-day-aged, grain-fed Australian beef, but these cuts really live up to their billing. Chef Bill Wang also touts a “secret” technique to lock in the juices and maintain the texture: Wang’s way worked beautifully on BTM’s massive, juicy, not-chewy-at-all 450-gram rib steak (498 yuan; think twice before ordering this one if you want to fit in starter and/or dessert, as well). There might be a better steak available in Beijing, but BTM hasn’t tasted it.

The smallest steak on the menu is the 250-gram filet mignon (398 yuan); the basic sirloin also weighs in at a whopping 450 grams (498 yuan). The main event comes with one of five sauces; vegetable sides are separate. It’s an unfussy menu, wrapping up with desserts that are worth the trip by themselves. If you thought the steak was big, a slice (wedge, more like) of lemon custard cheese cake or chocolate tiramisu cake puts it in perspective.

Intercontinental Financial Street

Tel: +86 10 5852 5888

E-mail: dining@intercontifsbj.com

Address: 11 Financial Street, Xicheng District

洲际酒店，西城区金融街11号

 

Grange

Freshly updated for 2009, the menu at this stylish restaurant scores highly for its range of imported and Chinese cuts. The latest additions are tenderloin of Gippsland organic (180 grams or 300 grams, 225 yuan–345 yuan), and certified Black Angus T-bone (320 yuan). Australian imports dominate, but the choice should expand even further during this year. An Australian stockyard 200-day aged sirloin will set you back 165 yuan for 200 grams, 265 yuan for 350 grams. The chips/fries are excellent, but most memorable is the magnificent array of mustards, 20 in all. The wine list stretches towards infinity, as do the prices.

An intimate cocoon of dark wood and leather, the environment should impress your Valentine’s date. Idiosyncratic serving (soups poured at the table, lesser liquids delivered from pipettes, for example) complements some offbeat offerings in the soups, starters and desserts, such as pickled ginger caviar with the seared king scallops, while a tempting alternative to steak is the new Wagyu beef burger with manchego cheese, avocado salsa and cured tomatoes (165 yuan).

Westin Beijing Chaoyang

Tel: + 86 10 5922 8703

Open: Mon.–Fri., 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; Mon.–Sun., 5:30–11 p.m.

Address: 1 Xinyuan Nanli, Chaoyang District

金茂威斯汀大饭店，朝阳区新源南里1号

 

China Grill

The city’s highest restaurant occupies all the 66th floor of the Yintai building and gives great views of the CBD, especially the new China World Trade Building and the “Trousers,” otherwise known as the CCTV building. You’re definitely paying for location here. The steak selection is part of a menu of “international” and Japanese fare, but the quality of cut and cooking is high, if not quite as stratospheric as the dining room itself. The meat comes from Australia and offers a choice of grade 6 and grade 8 Wagyu, and 200-day grain fed. A 300-gram sirloin of the latter costs 230 yuan. The wine list is enormous. BTM can recommend the blue crab cakes and spicy yellow tomato salsa (120 yuan) for starters.

Park Hyatt Beijing

Tel: + 86 10 8567 1098

Open: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; 5:30–10:30 p.m.

Address: Level 66, Park Hyatt Beijing, 2 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

北京柏悦酒店66层，朝阳区建国门外大街2号

 

Tips for the perfect steak 

・    Choose the best quality meat you can find/afford;

・    Season well;

・    Grill or pan-sear the meat on all sides to lock in the natural juices and then cook to your desired temperature;

・    Before serving, allow to rest a few minutes to relax the natural fibres of the meat to ensure tenderness;

・    Enjoy with friends whilst sipping away at your favourite glass of wine or beer.

Thanks to Neal Giles, executive chef at the Westin Chaoyang. Chef Neal hails from Australia, and before bringing him to Beijing last year his globetrotting career had taken him to London, the Middle East and Shanghai, where he was executive chef at New Heights restaurant at Three on the Bund.

Ordering Steak in Chinese

Rare - Very red and cool centre         

三成(sān chéng)－肉很红且凉      

Medium rare - Red, warm centre

四成(sì chéng)－肉红，中心温热

Medium - Pink centre     

五成(wǔ chéng)－中心粉红色      

Medium well - Slightly pink centre

七成(qī chéng)－浅粉红色   

Well done - Cooked throughout

全熟(quán shú)－全部烤熟，无粉红色

 

Best of the Rest

Bleu Marine

Perhaps not the most obvious choice, but steaks at this long-serving French establishment come highly praised by equally long-standing residents. Pay 110 yuan for a juicy slab and a handful of chips.

Tel: + 86 10 6500 6704

Open: 10:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

Address: 5 Guanghua Xili, Chaoyang District

朝阳区光华西里5号

 

CRU Steakhouse

Sadly, BTM hasn’t yet managed to try this well-reputed addition to the steak scene. Cooked in an open kitchen, steaks here cost from 108 yuan to 360 yuan.

Tel: + 86 10 5908 8530

Open: 11:30 a.m.–2 p.m., 6–10 p.m.

Address: JW Marriott Hotel Beijing, 2/F, 83 Jianguo Lu,

China Central Place, Chaoyang District

华贸中心，朝阳区建国路83号二层

 

Pullman Steak House

 

A rather dingy dining room but a decent range of cuts and prices starting at less than 100 yuan, plus house red for just 25 yuan a glass. The best thing about the Pullman, however, is the butcher downstairs, where you can buy the cuts served upstairs and cook them yourself for half the price.

Tel: + 86 10 8587 1055

Open: 11 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; 5–10 p.m.

Address: Building 3, China View, Gongti Donglu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区工体东路中国红街3号楼109室

 

Café de la Poste

 

Wonderful small French restaurant, with a lovely atmosphere and reasonable prices. The cook is terrific, but the meat is variable.

Tel: + 86 10 6402 7047

Open: 9:30 a.m.–late (closed Mondays)

Address: 58 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District

东城区雍和宫大街58号

 

Astor Grill

 

Seriously up-market joint, especially after the recent renovation, the Astor has been known to divide opinion. BTM’s own experience is all positive.

Tel: + 86 10 6460 6688, ext. 2637

Open: 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. (Mon.–Fri.); 5–10:30 p.m.

Address: 3/F, St. Regis Hotel Apartments, 21 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District

国际俱乐部饭店公寓3层，朝阳区建国门外大街21号

 

Chef Too

 

Chef Billy’s eatery has won vocal converts among the expat crowd for its friendly fare and service. Not much in the way of choice, but the steak has been heavily promoted for local magazine awards.

Tel: + 86 10 6591 8676

Open: Tue.–Fri., 11 a.m.–2 p.m.; Sat.–Sun., 9:30 a.m.–3 p.m.; Tues.–Sat. 5:30–10:30 p.m.; closed Mondays and Sunday dinner

Address: Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区朝阳公园西路枣营南里小区东门南侧

 

Morels

 

Like the above, Morel’s has almost as many detractors as passionate devotees. You might love it, and you won’t have to pay through the nose to find out.

Tel: + 86 10 6437 3939

Open: Tues.–Sun. 11:30 a.m.–11:30 p.m.

Address: 1/F East Block, 27 Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District

朝阳区亮马桥路27号东座一层

Tel: + 86 10 6416 8802

Open: Tues.–Sun., 11:30 a.m.–1 a.m.

Address: Gongti Beilu, opposite Workers' Gymnasium North Gate, Chaoyang District

朝阳区工体北路春秀路西北角工人体育馆北门对面