Fork Yeah! Fork by TRB Is a Luxe Experience for Any Occasion

For teachers, it’s that point in the school year when half your projects are wrapping up and half are just getting started. Mock exams are in progress and Career Week, International Day, service projects, Week Without Walls and a million other important and valuable events are all jockeying for time and resources. We love what we do, but we are tired, so I invited a few teachers to go with me for a much-needed reset. A place where I knew we would be well fed, pampered, and, most importantly, unlikely to run into any of our young students!

Fork by TRB is a perfect blend of elegant fine dining that is still relaxed and approachable. While it is fantastic for parties and special occasions, you don’t need an excuse to go and be taken care of by the exceptional staff in the beautiful modern and open space.

When our party of six arrived, there was a bottle of bubbly waiting on the beautifully laid table as a welcome. Their exceptional wine list is not to be missed, and we ordered a bottle each of the Moana Pino Noir and Moana Sauvignon Blanc (RMB 298) to go with the meal. A special shout-out to Beijing’s Foodie Queen, Anna, for introducing me to this label years ago – it has become one of my favorites. While we perused the menu, they brought out what is possibly the best bread in Beijing, hot from the oven with olive oil and pesto to dip it in.

We decided to eat family style instead of ordering individually, and we may have gone a little overboard. We started with the Steak Tartar (RMB 118) along with TRB’s famous House Cured Gravlax Salmon (RMB 158); both are prepared tableside and are not to be missed. Following that we opted for Escargot (RMB 98) and Shrimp Stuffed Shiso Leaves (RMB 78), Spinach Salad with Truffle Dressing (RMB 58), and, because our server overheard a member of the group mention how much they missed good cheese, the chef put together a truly beautiful cheese plate to surprise us with. Stocked with Brie, Camembert, Stilton and cheddar, it was a very thoughtful touch. Yes, we went overboard on the appetizers, but everything was exceptional, and I would do it all again! We ordered two more bottles of wine and prepared for the main event.

For the main courses, the Salted Baked Sea Bass (RMB 428) was perfect for a large party. It is cooked whole in a salt dough, which is cracked open at the table to reveal a perfectly prepared and seasoned fish as long as my torso. The servers debone the fish for you, and even those at our table who are not generally fish fans said they would order it again. The Soft Shell Crab (RMB 168) was served in a sauce we had to stop a member of our party from licking off the plate, and the Beef Rossini with Foie Gras (RMB 158) was so tender we ordered a second helping. We were tempted to do the same with the unctuous Beef Bone Marrow (RMB 128), but, because we are adults, vegetables were grudgingly ordered. Both the Grilled Vegetable Plate (RMB 98) and the Cauliflower (RMB 58) were excellent, and nothing was left uneaten. Again, we ordered too much, and again, I regret nothing!

At the end of the meal, we were each served a piece of complimentary cheesecake with some of the best vanilla ice cream I have ever tasted. When the bill arrived, my tablemates were pleasantly shocked. While this meal was obviously an indulgence well beyond what we would spend on an average dinner, it was also an incredible bargain when you consider the same experience in our home cities would have been impossibly out of reach for anyone on a teacher’s salary. Can we/should we eat like this every night? No! But once in a while, treating yourself allows you to recharge. 

The real beauty of Fork is how it makes you feel. Everything, from the food to the kind and attentive service in the stunning dining room, says, “You're special and worth the effort.” We left cared for and emotionally ready to go back to serving our students and communities. As one member of the team pointed out, the meal cost about the equivalent of a therapy session, and while it won’t solve anyone’s deep-seated issues (don’t neglect therapy!), it was definitely good for our emotional well-being.

You can find Fork by TRB at 9 Yangfang Hutong. From the street, walk through the entrance marked Blossom House, turn left and then go across the parking area to the restaurant entrance.

Fork by TRB
Blossom House, Houhai Hotel, 9 Yangfang Hutong, Xicheng District
西城区羊房胡同9号花间堂后海酒店
Hours: Tue-Sun, 11.30am-2.30pm; 5.30pm-10pm (closed Mon)
Phone: 135 5295 8257

READ: Mandarin Monday: A Meaty Guide to Chinese Sausages

Images: Uni You, Julie Wolf