Summer Lotus Brings Surprises in Shunyi

A quiet, tree-lined road in Shunyi may not be the first place you think of to visit for Japanese food, so if you happen to stop by Summer Lotus you will be in for a pleasant surprise. 

The restaurant occupies the second floor of WTL Design's "clubhouse", conceived as both a place to entertain clients and showcase the softer side of their design business. With its big windows, chunky wooden tables and hand-picked knickknacks, the space has a homier feel than other Japanese restaurants.

The food is equally as home style, delivering solid renditions of Japanese favorites. Deep fried soft shell crab (RMB 68) and deep fried squid tentacles (RMB 28) both feature deliciously crisp batter, although if I were to nitpick the batter could have been a touch thinner. 

All the seafood options, deep fried or otherwise, are good quality, produced by a kitchen with a clear emphasis on cleanliness. A large sashimi platter (RMB 328) offers freshness and value, as does a plate of intensely savory salt-grilled mackerel (RMB 32). The short menu of sushi rolls errs on the fusion side - think spicy tuna, avocado, and mayonnaise. Traditionalists may want to stick to the nigiri and maki

Save room after your meal for a visit to their bakery, Aux Delices, located on the first floor. I'll be covering this in more detail at a later date, but suffice to say the desserts and homemade chocolates (created, ironically, by a Japanese chef) are worth the trip alone.

Summer Lotus Japanese Cuisine
(Daily 11am-2pm, 5-9.30pm) 5 Hegezhuang, Shunbai Lu, Chaoyang District (5350 9777, 5350 9555)
夏莲朵和式料理:朝阳区顺白路何各庄5号楼

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Photos: Robynne Tindall