Lotus in Moonlight

Location

East Gate 4, Workers’ Stadium, Chaoyang district, Beijing, China//北京市朝陽(yáng)區(qū)工人體育場(chǎng)4號(hào)門(mén)

Tel: 6268 0848

If there was such a thing as hip nouveau Buddhist cuisine then Lotus in Moonlight would be it!

The latest vegetarian restaurant to pop up in Beijing is no stranger to the scene. Lotus in Moonlight (LIM) has opened up its second branch to the up and coming classy area in Gongti. For fans of the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant the same creative and elegant dishes are there but in a more upscale setting that’s equal parts peaceful, modern and cool. If there were such a thing as hip nouveau Buddhist cuisine then LIM would be it.

The strength behind this chain – they have another branch in Chaoyang – is its consistency and innovation. Owner and Buddhist Sherry Xia has worked up a great partnership with her crew of chefs – some coming from Hong Kong and others from the mainland who were trained in Hong Kong - who come up with inventive dish names, paring unlikely ingredients, and creating unbelievable presentations that will blow the minds of anyone, vegetarian or not.

Imagine this combination: Wasabi Veggie Fish and Pork Floss with Diced Green Apple and Mushroom. This little cold appetiser is beautifully presented in silver spoons, seemingly designed to eat all in one gulp. The apple, mushrooms and “fish” have been diced so finely that it’s best to enjoy this with patience – let the ingredients sit in your mouth and feel the heat of the wasabi waft up through your nose before letting the tiny pieces dissolve.

Vegetables mixed with fruit are a highlight within the menu, and what’s even better is the texture created when combined. One such dish is the White Yam with Peach Sauce. The yam is steamed, mashed and moulded into medium shaped domes and topped with a citrus peach sauce. The taste is neutral but it feels like a wonderful gooey texture with bits of marmalade.

Like a lot of vegetarian restaurants there’s an emphasis to create veggie copycat dishes of their meat counterparts. The Lemon Chicken is just like the real thing but with a surprising twist. Slices of “chicken” are smothered in a smooth and thick lemony yellow sauce to be dipped into crackling sugar. Pop it in your mouth and quite literally fireworks will explode in your mouth.

The Rare Mushroom Soup and Asparagus with Green and Red Tea Dipping Sauce is a take on the traditional Chinese tea set. The soup is presented in a tea pot, poured into matching tea cups and accompanied by sticks of asparagus to be dipped into the self-created tea sauce. Whilst I was expecting a rich and thick texture, it’s instead light and bland. As one of the pricier items on the menu it’s definitely a luxury item, but when you’re being served a teacup filled with rare mushrooms it’s understandable that it’s not cheap.

But for all the expensive ingredients, fancy presentation and surprising textures sometimes it’s nice to have things simple. Tiny appetisers like the Sweet Potato Dumplings, Cheese Balls with Sunflower Seeds and Pan-fried Carrot and Parsnip Dumplings; and the Baked Tofu with Sesame Sauce are all light and flavoursome, and this is basically what you’re getting with the dishes. Top quality food and careful cooking means that by the end of the meal you’re left feeling full and satisfied. (bestfoodinchina.net)

Service quality:

excellent

Food quality:

excellent

Environment:

Very good

Price per head (RMB):

100-200 yuan

Feature dish or menu:

White Yam with Peach Sauce – 39 RMB

Wasabi Veggie Fish and Pork Floss with Diced Green Apple and Mushrooms – 65 RMB

Rare Mushroom Soup and Asparagus with Green and Red Tea Dipping Sauce – 158 RMB

Crackling Lemon Veggie Chicken – 56 RMB

Baked Tofu with Sesame Sauce – 42 RMB

Stir-fried Veggie Shrimp with green beans, water chestnut and green tea garnish – 108 RMB

Sweet Potato Dumplings – 25 RMB

Cheese Balls with Sunflower Seeds – 25 RMB

Panfried Carrot and Parsnip Dumplings – 18 RMB

This article is brought to you by Best Food in China (www.bestfoodinchina.net ). Best Food in China is the first and leading English-medium website featuring reviews on food, cuisine and restaurants in China. For more information, please visit www.bestfoodinchina.net.