Beijing: Where to Eat: Big Night Out: Blu Lobster

Blu Lobster

As the name suggests, the restaurant serves crustaceans; but that is not necessarily the main reason to make a reservation. Lobster is one of the many weapons in the culinary armory of Brian McKenna, a chef whose molecular gastronomy is the talk of the town. Despite his tender age—the Irishman has yet to turn thirty—he is a veteran of Michelin-starred kitchens and has worked with major names, such as Gordon Ramsay, and could take his toque into any kitchen in the world. The Shangri-la hotel lured McKenna to Beijing with the promise that he’d be able to run Blu Lobster like a freestanding restaurant and be totally in charge of the kitchen, the menu, the staff and the wine list. Since, the hardworking chef has created dishes that have gourmets in raptures. One of the most popular is a salad with forty-two ingredients served with hazelnut mayonnaise, Chardonnay jelly and slowly cooked egg; another bestseller is rib of beef with a twenty-four-vegetable garnish. The lobster dishes that give the restaurant its name are crushed using a specially commissioned silver press that cost $36,000 to make. Blu Lobster is the city’s must-visit restaurant, so be sure to make a reservation well in advance, preferably before arriving in Beijing. It really is that special.