Prior to coming to Beijing, I was in New York City. My girlfriends and I would go out for a fancy dinner every week, usually places like Gramercy Tavern, David Burke & Donatella (now David Burke Townhouse), Tom Colicchio's Craft/Craftbar, etc etc. It was our treat to ourselves for working long hours on Wall Street.
So, when I came to Beijing, I was very excited about trying Maison Boulud, as Chef Daniel Boulud is a legend. The first trip was within a couple weeks of landing; my friend and I went to try out MB during their month long CW Dining out event. What was supposed to be a three course meal turned into a 7-course extravaganza. We ordered from the prix-fixed menu, but while we were waiting for our appetizers, they brought out something extra from the kitchen (these delicate little vegetable creations). Then, there was the waitress we termed the "bread lady" who came around every time you finished that last bite of bread with a serving tray piled high with various types of baked goods.
After our second course, the kitchen sent out another complimentary platter of some type of carpacchio. Then, during our dessert course, once again, we were given an additional platter of various fruity desserts and a piping-hot basket of freshly baked mandarin orange madeleines.
The prices are high here, but the service, atmosphere, and overall dining experience is unbeatable. I've been back several times since, and it is my go-to place to take good friends and visitors.
My lovely mother came to visit for Mother's Day, and I treated her to dinner at MB. I spoke with Ignace, the handsome and impeccably polite General Manager, about surprising her with roses and a necklace. I was just expecting them to bring it out with dessert, but no, they were incredibly wonderful in presenting the necklace on top of a gorgeous cake, and the bouquet of roses was breath-taking. With champagne on the house and countless complimentary tasting dishes, it was a mother's day dinner to never forget. My mom said it was one of the most beautiful restaurants she has ever been to.
Brunch at MB should be something on everyone's to-do list here in Beijing. It's a more laid back environment. They take away the white tablecloths so everyone feels more casual. The sunlight streaming into the dining room inside the former US embassy just makes everything look really classy but casual.
As always, MB was there with extras. My entire group was treated to complimentary summer cocktails while we were waiting for a friend. Such a great touch!
The food at MB...freshest and high quality ingredients. Presentation is gorgeous. Most bites just melt in your mouth. Flavors are intensely individual, and it feels good to let your palate be taken care of by the talented chefs in the kitchen.
The sommelier, Koen (really cute! 
), is extremely knowledgeable and professional.
Anyways, I think that's a long enough review, but like I said, I really can't say enough good things about Maison Boulud. I've eaten at a lot of restaurants in Beijing, and I've had a lot of delicious food, but Maison Boulud is one of those places that I'll be talking about for years to come. It is definitely a place that I will always return to when I come back to visit Beijing.
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