There have been quite a number of places over the years occupy the corner building where Royal Smushi currently resides. So many in fact, that it has raised a myriad of questions from curious observers: Is it too far from the Village? Is the rent too high? Is it cursed?

My experience left me with a new question: Is this the worst service in Beijing??

Seriously - why spend so much on the fitout and install such a prestige brand as GJ in the back, to then hire the lowest common denominator and fail to train them? Was there nothing left in the budget? Was everything seeming a bit too european so we needed to be reminded we were not in Denmark?

Food was poorly cooked (the protein for all the mains were hopelessly overcooked), took forever to come out and some dishes were cold, though the menu actually has potential (particularly the pork - clearly someone knows how to put together a menu though they don't seem to be able to run their staff).

For these sorts of prices it is surely reasonable to expect something is spent on the staff in both the kitchen and front of house in terms of sourcing better candidates and then providing guidance and training

Overall - underwhelming. Need to lift their game before they become yet another ghost.