SH Heavyweights Revamp Xingfucun's Xinjiang Mainstay Red Rose Into a Bar and Grill
If Xingfucun favorite Red Rose were to go by any other name, would it still taste as sweet? Well, the long-beloved restaurant has subverted that old literary trope, and instead changed everything but its moniker.
What was once a major destination for foodies hankering Xinjiang grub in west Sanlitun, quietly shut down earlier this year, joining a slew of neighboring favorites (everything from behemoth Great Leap #12 to more niche but nevertheless deeply popular spots like BBC and Sanctuary) that had been chai-ed as part of Beijing’s widespread crackdown on streetside businesses. But after all that bad news comes a promising, but nevertheless surprising new development. Yes, Red Rose is back, albeit in a practically unrecognizable form. More importantly, its new iteration is poised to fill the neighborhood's post-Brickening dearth of late nite snacking and boozing. This new rendition instead boasts a gastropub ambiance with elegant yet down to earth bar snacks and entrees to match, along with cocktails readied by one of Shanghai's most beloved chefs, and craft beer made by a German brewer.
Bartender Cross Qiu (who hails from Taipei) has equipped the staff with a range of cocktail options that are well balanced and abounding with flavor. When we stopped by earlier this week Cross and his colleagues served us those drinks off-menu style, asking our preferences (sweet, sour, or bitter; woozy or light; and what spirits we liked) before whipping up drinks to meet those needs. The sour bourbon-based cocktail we tried was gobsmackingly good and hefty enough to kickstart an instant buzz. And while the first martini we tried wasn't dry enough for our liking, the staff hurried to make up for that with a second one that properly made our lips pucker and boasted a colorful zestiness. Prices for those cocktails will range from RMB 80-120. On the more affordable end of the spectrum: Red Rose's beers, which the owners say will be priced around RMB 45, and readied on site by a German brewmaster who has 20 years of experience working in Belgium, Hong Kong and other locales. Those suds weren't available during our visit, but should be ready for the swilling by the last week of September, if not earlier.
Aside from the bar's sturdy wares, the rest of the team are vets from Shanghai's food and beverage scene. Chief among them: Matthew Ona, known for popular Pearl City spots like Roof 325, Truck Stop Grill, and The Shook!, and an alum of the Culinary Institute of America to boot. He served up some hearty, stick-to-your-ribs fare that was elevated by elegant elements. Prime example: battered calamari and prawns, which had crispy exteriors and lusciously plush inner textures (though the tails of the prawns should've been removed to maximize their finger food motif). The pillowy, gooey cheese puffs were more of a success without a flaw to be found, while other bites like sliced salmon and a towering mound of chocolate cake (all four layers of it!) had us gobbling away with abandon.
It was clear that the menu was still being tweaked and finalized, but what we tried was very promising. We look forward to returning once Red Rose is properly up and running with steaks, burgers, and sandwiches at the ready (the owners say a party of two to three would likely spend between RMB 200-400 on food, depending on what they order). Their soft opening kicks off this Friday, Sep 14, and they'll be open in the evenings until their hours expand after the soft opening's conclusion in October.
And while longtime Beijingers might scoff at Shanghai slickers swooping in and redefining one of their favorite Xinjiang eateries, it's tough to deny the on-point quality of the wares we tried, not to mention the stylish yet low key ambiance (brick walls adorned with communist propaganda-like sketches that evoke both Revolution cocktail bar's decor and Great Leap's logos, making for a fun Lao Beijing backdrop). When you top all that off with a big al fresco dining area, we're certain that the new Red Rose will blossom beautifully in the increasingly arid Xingfucun area.
Red Rose
Daily 5.30pm-12.30am (soft opening hours from Sep 14 till October). 7 Xingfuyicun alley (opposite Workers' Stadium North Gate), Chaoyang District
朝阳区工人体育场北门对面幸福一村7巷内
Peckish for more pub grub? Read about fellow Shanghaier brewer Boxing Cats' recent Beijing opening.
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Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
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Photos: Kyle Mullin, Red Rose
