New Opening: The Beach House

New kid on the block, The Beach House, has just softly opened its doors and after our recent visit, we say that it is well worth heading to Julu Lu to check it out.

The concept behind The Beach House, by Tony Liu, is a fusion between the city and the sea. Immediately upon entering everything slows down a notch and becomes calm. While beachy interiors run the risk of looking like a tacky version of your grandma’s bathroom, they have achieved a seaside ambiance with class.

The restaurant has been sectioned up into different zones that have a soothing sense of flow. There is a loungey bar area that would be great for chilled lunches and a slightly more formal dining area that’s nice for evenings. A huge square bar in the middle of the main restaurant that would be great for sitting at, reading your book and grabbing a quick glass of wine and a snack.

My favorite area is tucked back in the corner of the restaurant. It’s a private hangout/dining area that can be sectioned off from the rest of the restaurant or left open. It feels like stepping into the best living room you could imagine with large sofas and a coffee table in the center. Oh, and finally, whilst you may think it’s getting too chilly for beachy restaurants, they have got big open fires which are going to make it feel super cozy this winter.

The outside terrace is nice, large and spacious. It’s a little cold right now and they can’t have heaters because of fire regs, but the space will be great come next spring. There are chilled out cabanas where you can lounge and great water features. This will be a hot spot next year.

On to the food, Chef Pierrick Maire from Marseille is bringing a strong mix of seafood and land-based dishes to the table. All of the dishes are designed to be shared and the prices seem quite high (RMB 88 for two scallops) but I assure you they’re spot on.

Scallops in shells with leek and champagne sauce (RMB 88)

My favorite dish by far was the short rib, which was as beautiful as it was delicious; it’s decorated with a smattering of delicate edible pansies and finished with a rich beef reduction. The meat was so tender it practically fell off the bone and the flavor was amazingly intense.

Short rib (RMB 380)

I also enjoyed the cauliflower side dish, the cauliflower is served whole which is pretty impressive. It’s a multiple step preparation: they steam, fry, and then bake it. It’s quite something.

The Paella risotto is another dish not to be missed. Rich and creamy, cooked with a lobster broth and saffron. They suggest it as a dish for two, so you may be surprised by the relatively small portion, but since it's a pretty heavy dish, the risotto with a few small sides or some scallops the risotto would be perfect for a group of two to three. All in all, I was very impressed with the beach house. It would be a great intimate date spot or perfect for a birthday meal with a close group of friends. The vibe is really chilled out, you don’t need to dress for dinner but the food is exemplary.

Paella risotto (RMB 238)

The Beach House is really one to watch.  

The Beach House

Address: 758 Julu Lu

Tel: [phone]

Hours: Daily, 3pm-midnight during soft opening

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