Café Ruhe: Where Tacos Meet Tom Yum Goong
The name Café Ruhe comes from a German word meaning “peace.” The founders chose this name to reflect how they want customers to feel when they are eating at the restaurant: comfortable and at peace like they are in their own home. You won’t find any starched linen tablecloths and uptight service here; the staff are friendly and approachable and the tables are set with both chopsticks and knives and forks (if you feel like eating your pasta with chopsticks you can trust that no-one will look at you sideways). “Ruhe” (如何) also means something akin to “how is it?” in Chinese, demonstrating how important customer feedback is to the team.
The food at Café Ruhe is testament to the amount of work that goes into restaurant menus behind the scenes. Indeed, as one of the founders told us, it was only through hard work and dedication that they could create such a wide-ranging menu without sacrificing the authenticity of any of the dishes. Take the burger, for example. The current recipe is the result of nearly five years of constant research and recipe tweaking, including multiple trips to the US to taste burgers at popular chains like Shake Shack and In-N-Out.
All of that has resulted in a burger that is, without a doubt, the juiciest in Beijing, so much so that they serve it with plastic gloves if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like getting your hands dirty. The signature bacon double cheeseburger (RMB 108) strikes the perfect balance of flavor and texture, thanks to a homemade bun and a combination of eleven different fresh ingredients and seven different seasonings.
The burger may be the most-ordered item at Café Ruhe but from there on out the menu takes a turn for the international. The crispy shrimp tacos (RMB 82) are another highlight, a signature creation of the restaurant’s head chef. With layers of coleslaw, spicy marinated shrimp, salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and a finishing touch of mango chutney these tacos boast a finely-tuned array of spicy, sour, sweet, and savory flavors. The staff will even show you how to eat them so that you get a bit of everything in each bite.
Those in search of Asian flavors should start with the tom yum goong (RMB 76), which is as flavorful as any version you will find in Thailand. The chef worked hard to create a soup that is spicy yet fragrant and that doesn’t simply attack the taste buds with chili heat. This is certain to be a popular option in colder weather.
Another hearty option for the approaching winter are the barbecue pork ribs (RMB 288), which are so meltingly tender that you don’t even need a knife and fork to pull them apart. The ribs are marinated and then slow-cooked to achieve that texture, before being coated with lashings of barbecue sauce that is sticky but nevertheless doesn’t overwhelm with sweetness.
Scan the QR code above, follow Café Ruhe's official WeChat account, and then send “IWCP” to the account to get your voucher. There are only 288 vouchers available, so act fast (vouchers can be redeemed from Oct 23-Nov 22, from 5-9pm daily). Call 6500 5639 between the hours of 9am and 11.30pm to make your reservation (the restaurant requests that guests please try to use Chinese when you make the reservation).
Cafe Ruhe
Daily 8.30am-midnight. 102-202, 1-2/F, Bldg A, Pacific Century Place, 2A Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District (6500 5639)
如何餐厅：朝阳区工体北路甲2号盈科中心A座裙房1层102及2层202室
The post is paid for by Cafe Ruhe
Images: Uni You
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