Bistro 108: Quality (and Affordable) French in Beijing
By Noelle Mateer
Images by Victor Liu
When it comes to Bistro 108, do not pronounce ‘108’ as ‘one-oh-eight.’ No, this is Bistro cent-huit. After all, we’re just a few meters from the French Embassy here, and every lunch hour the restaurant is packed with French expats. (By ‘lunch hour’ we mean lunch hours, of course – these are French diners we’re talking about.)
If you, like many Beijingers, associate French restaurants with tuxedoed waiters and gold chandeliers, then we suggest you reconsider. Because Bistro 108 is as French as it gets, and there’s no gold here. At least, no literal gold – there’s definitely metaphorical gold, in the form of chocolate lava cake. But more on that later.
Instead, Bistro 108 plays upon the noble and distinctly French notion that multi-course meals ought not be a luxury, but rather a way of life. And they do this by serving quality French at agreeable price points. A relaxed, two-hour lunch break with a main, appetizer and, hell, let’s throw in a dessert – will run you less than RMB200. Bottles of wine are even more of a bargain – we enjoy a bottle of rosé on the outdoor terrace for just RMB98.
But this is no cheap fare. These are French classics done right. Enter, and you’ll be served a light chicken salad amuse-bouche (that’s French for ‘amuse mouth,’ you imbécile). Then, it’s time for starters. We love the pan-fried seafood (RMB58), which comes in the pan, and the foie gras (RMB198) is worth the extra kuai. The pork terrine (RMB58) comes with a crispy baguette – ideal for sharing.
When it comes to mains, Bistro 108 caters to meat lovers. We dare you to find a better roast chicken in this part of town – this one (RMB68) comes perfectly cooked atop diced potatoes. And at dinnertime, the sesame-encrusted salmon (RMB148) sings, particularly alongside a bottle of white.
But do not leave sans dessert. The chocolate lava cake (RMB38) is the best rendition of the dish we’ve had thus far. And the thin-crust apple pie, which spreads its delicate, sugary layers across the width of your plate, is a steal at RMB45.
Honestly, we could give you 108 reasons to visit 108, but the place speaks for itself. Just... in French. For a few hours. Over wine.
Daily, 11.30am-10.30pm, 104 Cao Chang Plaza (across from the American Embassy), 19 Tianze Lu, Chaoyang 朝阳区天泽路19号草场商业广场一层104室 (美国大使馆对面) (5710 8106)
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