Hotly Anticipated TRB Sister Restaurant to Open at SLT, Feb 12

Hulu, the much-hyped new casual concept from TRB Hospitality Group, will make its debut Feb 12 at Taikoo Li.

Temple Restaurant Beijing's owner and founder Ignace Lecleir, who presides over what is often cited as one of Beijing's best restaurants since its founding in 2012, announced the new opening earlier today (Feb 9). Situated in the former digs of Cantina Agave in Taikoo Li, Hulu affords Lecleir and his staff the opportunity to loosen up and serve more casual fare like eggs Benedicts, bite-sized desserts, and even burgers. The official announcement, which went out via email, went on to say: "Hulu brings the warmth and comfort of home-cooked food to casual fine dining, and will offer diners the renowned qualities of TRB’s hospitality in a more relaxed setting."

Owner and founder Ignace Lecleir

We stopped by TRB Forbidden City for a sneak peek of Hulu's menu a few weeks back (the new Taikoo Li restaurant's interior was still undergoing some final touches at the time). We were immediately struck by the nuanced textures of many of the dishes, their unabashedly bold flavors, and above all, the low prices. For instance, you'll only pay RMB 98 for succulent foie gras terrine on toast, RMB 68 for three beef sliders, RMB 88 for beef tartare, and RMB 68 for a chocolate souffle – low enough to make you do a double take if you've ever shelled out for a fancy TRB Forbidden City dinner.

However, make no mistake – the Hulu dishes we tried were suitably upscale and the elegance of its sister restaurants was apparent in both aesthetics and taste. Simply think of it as a business casual, Sanlitun-centric alternative to the far more formal vibe at TRB Hutong or TRB Forbidden City.

After our first-look meal, Lecleir, sporting a chef's apron rather than one of his typically snappy suits, told us that Hulu has given him the opportunity to get back in the kitchen and devise recipes of his own, a role that the administrative duties of TRB have otherwise kept him from over the past few years. Lecleir added that he hopes that the new venture will be a big enough hit to stand apart from TRB. Today's opening announcement furthered that point by calling the new Taikooli restaurant a "flagship," making Lecleir's dreams of multiple Hulu branches across Beijing more than apparent.

A designer's rendering of the new Taikoo Li-based venue

With construction only just completed on the newly minted enterprise, we look forward to our initial visit and a bite of one of Lecleir's Hulu burgers, which, you never know, may just be a strong contender for next year's Burger Cup. That's not something we'd ever thought we'd say, but it's certainly an intriguing and welcome prospect nonetheless.

Photos courtesy of TRB Hospitality Group, Yang Fan

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