Back For More: Terra

"Back for More” is a regular magazine column in which we revisit old favorites.

With her second birthday coming up this month, Terra appears to be toddling along quite nicely with no sign of the “terrible twos” that sometimes afflict restaurants in this city. The team remains hard at work churning out new draws, like the rum bar that opened up downstairs earlier this year and regular summer barbecues.

Seeing as she’s the only self-proclaimed cevicheria in town, Terra’s citrus-cured seafood would seem an obvious choice – and doubly good on two-for-one Tuesday. We particularly enjoyed the salty squish of the mussels tucked into the punchy seafood ceviche (RMB 68). The milder Terra ceviche (RMB 68) is also notable for its creamy hunks of avocado.

Meanwhile, don’t overlook the South American comfort food on the menu. When the chicken causa (RMB 58) arrived at our table, its shreds of spiced chicken cradled between thick layers of avocado and mashed sweet potatoes, it took a herculean level of restraint not to embarrass myself by scarfing it down. The beef tenderloin strips in the Lomo Saltado sandwich (RMB 78) brought on another test of my decorum. After foolishly agreeing to share the dish with my partner, I found myself suppressing tantrum cries of “Mine!”

A splash or two of the rum bar’s house-made infusions make for an excellent finish. In particular, the “Rum 44” pulled together coffee, brown sugar and orange into a dreamy, treacly sip that went down exactly the way I had imagined rum would when I was a kid – which means it’s an excellent stand-in for dessert.

Also try: Alameda, Modo

Terra Tue-Sun 11am-midnight. 1 Sanlitun Nanlu (southeast corner of intersection with Gongti Beilu), Chaoyang District (6591 9148) 朝阳区三里屯南路1号

By subway: 800m west of Tuanjiehu station (Line 10)

Click here to see the Beijinger July issue in full.

Photo: Marilyn Mai