Funky Eatery Galleria Revamp Menu, Invite You to Eat Art Around Art

On a recent second visit to the art gallery-cum-restaurant space Galleria in the basement of Jiaming Center next to East Third Ring Road, we found that they’ve since rearranged their original layout. The changes include adding more tables and chairs, as well as a lunch menu to cater not only to exclusive, high-end clientele, but factoring in regular workers in the nearby offices. The result? It was packed during a weekday lunch time.  

On the new menu, there are five salads (RMB 54-68), five soups (RMB 31-34), eight appetizers (RMB 45-98), eight pastas (RMB 58-82), three kinds of risotto (RMB 74-84), and paella (RMB 98 per person). For main courses there are options such as chicken (RMB 72), cod (RBM 92), toasted salmon (RMB 80), steak, lamb chops (RMB 178), and a burger (RMB 98).

We started with beef tenderloin pinxo (RMB 78), with caramelized onion, Australian beef tenderloin, and topped with brie cheese on a grilled wedge of baguette. The caramelized onion added a nice touch of sweetness to the tender beef, rounded off with a crunchy mouthful of in-house made baguette.

As for the main, we chose grilled cod fish with sautéed spinach and soft cannelli beans. The fish was grilled nicely and featured a beautiful yellow surface, made all the sweeter by the accompanying raisins, which balanced well with the brush of aioli.

The new menu also has four desserts (RMB 46-58): cheesecake, pistachio cake with strawberry, chocolate mousse with raspberry, and tropical fruit with coconut cream. We tried the last one, a half-moon of hard pastry crust topped with mango and caramel. The tropical fruits added the perfect blend of acidity to balance the sweetness of the sponge cake and caramel.

“It doesn’t matter whether you want to define Galleria as a restaurant, a gallery, or a showroom … it’s more about the experience. Eating around the artworks, with an open kitchen that allows you to see everything,” as the co-owner Mario Zaccagnini explained, “It’s funky not fancy, nor pretentious. There are no Michelin-style tricks, just good food.” Galleria acts as a central kitchen, dealing with fresh ingredients and baking each day, for the goods to be eaten on site or sent out to Eatalia.

Everything on the menu is new, and they also have a reasonable new lunch set for RMB 88, that allows you to choose a first course (pick between octopus and potato salad, or carrot and ginger soup), a main course (out of penne al pesto, or pan-fried mackerel with mixed vegetables and mashed potato), and a dessert. Add RMB 12 for soft drink, coffee or beer, or add RMB 22 for a glass of wine.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
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Photos: Galleria, Tracy Wang