I am a fan of Face and believe that the one in Bangkok in Sukhumvit is the best, but I am guilty of being biased because I absolutely adore that city.
Drinks at Face bar Beijing is wonderful if you have deep pockets. The ambience is great and they now have a talented Chinese jazz band playing on Friday nights. Although it’s where banker wankers hang out after work, it’s still nice for the average layman since times have changed with the economic situation.
Jia, the Chinese restaurant has really turned itself around and I believe warrants a visit, if only for the Peking duck.
Going by the same name as Face’s previous Cantonese restaurant, Jia has a new chef and a new identity, with a new menu of Chaozhou flavors to match. Though related to yuecai cuisine from the south of China, Chaozhou cuisine throws in more flavors and variety.
Jia has an outdoor seating area and a total capacity of no more than 40. Built from the antique wood that was dismantled and shipped from its former sister branch, Face Shanghai, the restaurant features full length glass windows which let in plenty of light. In the evenings, it’s an intimate and cozy dining destination with dimly lit interiors.
We were pleasantly surprised to find the Peking duck chef from Made in China manning the large wood fired oven. So, we placed a mandatory order for half a duck (¥68/¥128 for a whole). The skin was delightfully crisp. The meat came tender and sweet, slightly accented by the sweet scent from the oven roast-fired by fruit tree wood. The fluffy pancakes were served as rolled up mini scrolls—a charming touch. The revised price of the duck has yet to be determined and may stay at its promotion price, making that excellent value for money.
The deep fried prawn (¥98) came in the form of a crispy roll sliced into bite-size portions, giving a full body of flavor upon first bite. The sautéed diced chicken with macadamia nuts and dried chili (¥98) tasted like gongbao chicken with a twist. It would have gone perfectly with a steaming bowl of fluffy white rice. This is definitely a spot to take visitors for a taste of the city’s duck.
Jia at Face Beijing
26 Dongcaoyuan, Gongti Nanlu,Gongti, 工体南路东草原26号, Tel: 6551-6788
