The Perfect Antidote for a rainy day in Beijing is Capital M. For my dear poor friend who happened to be in Beijing on a very grey and gloomy day I knew just the place to brighten her spirits. Capital M is a guaranteed show-stopper. Everything from its stunning design to the five-star service and beautiful dishes, it’s always at the top of my list to impress guests and show them a side of Beijing that’s anything but grey.
As soon as my friend stepped into Capital M, I could see it in her eyes, she was in absolute awe. As an aspiring illustrator, she was delighted to see all the beautiful, vibrant colors that fill the walls of Capital M and the cozy fireplaces was exactly what we both needed to defrost and reboot.
Being two people who are admittedly terrible at making decisions, we struggled with the amount of choice in front of us. But with the help of the very kind and hospitable GM Matthew Nilon, we managed to settle on the recommended Pumpkin Soup and Barbecued Octopus as starters. If we weren’t so cold, I actually would have loved to try their Baked Figs wrapped with Parma ham and Goat Cheese as well but I’ll save this one for another visit.
While the pumpkin soup isn’t the most exciting thing on their menu, it was exactly what we both wanted to feel warm and fuzzy inside (mission accomplished!) and we balanced out our choice for comfort with a daring Octopus and Chorizo starter, which was fantastic and highly recommended if you’re not a squeamish eater easily freaked out by the sight of baby octopus legs.
And since I always order Australian beef for mains, we decided to switch things up and compromise our choices by sharing both the Roasted Duck and Pork Loin before we finished off with M’s Pavlova (the main reason for our visit!).
A Colorful Spread of Menus & M’s Signature Floral Tea Cups
Mulled Wine + Spiced Apple Cider to Warm You Up
Barbecued Octopus and Spicy Chorizo on a Chickpea Puree and Sweet & Sour Onions
Roasted Pumpkin Soup finished with Maple and Rosemary Cream
Roasted Pork Loin and Pulled Pork Fritters with Swiss Chard and Cauliflower Puree
Roasted Duck Breast Glazed with Honey, Cinnamon, Chilli served with Purple Carrots and Brussel Sprouts
M’s Very Famous Pavlova Dessert
Capital M’s Delightful Petit Fours – those Turkish Delights!
Though we came for lunch, Capital M is currently offering a special Autumn Tasting Menu featuring 5 courses for RMB 438 (or RMB 638 with wine pairing).
Capital M’s Autumn Tasting Menu
1. Avocado, Red Pepper and Crab Terrine & Crispy Blue Cheese Fritter
2. Mushroom Soup Laced with Good Dry Sherry and topped with Toasted Hazelnuts
3. Pan-fried Icelandic Yellow-fin Cod sitting on Velvety Mussel and White Wine Cream Topped with Celery Spears and Crispy Fried Prawns
Or
M’s Double-Baked Goat’s Cheese Souffle on a bed of Shredded Snow Peas, White Radishes, Endive and Baby Celery Leaves
4. M’s Crispy Suckling Pig for Fall with Apples Roasted with Garlic, Onions and Turnips, Fried Potatoes and Zucchini + “good pig sauce”
5. Hot Chocolate Fondant Pudding Served with a Scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
Capital M’s Contact Details:
- Address: 3/F, No.2 Qianmen Pedestrian Street (just south of Tian’anmen Square) – download map
- Reservations: 6702 2727; [email protected]
- Website: www.m-restaurantgroup.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/capital.m.beijing
- Twitter: @CapitalMBeijing
- Weibo: http://e.weibo.com/capitalm
About Kristen
Kristen Lum has an accomplished background in PR, communications and events in China. Born and raised in California, Kristen has been based in Beijing since 2006 and is founder of the lifestyle blog called LumDimSum, covering mostly restaurant news and reviews alongside upcoming events around town that relate to Beijing’s muti-faceted, quickly-developing creative industries like art, music, film, health and fitness, fashion, nightlife, charity events, and travel tips.
