To the right of the piano is the dark wood podium where the hostess greets you to JAAN, a French fusion restaurant. On either side of the entranceway is a large potted palm matching the ones I passed in the long hallway on the way to JAAN. The restaurant, central dance floor, and bar and lounge area are all open to each other, covered by 12 domes created by the 10 square beige marble pillars and multiple archways. Although the shared space is large and open, the actual seating area in the restaurant is comfortably restricted to 10 tables arranged for 2, 4, or 6 people, but designed with flexibility to rearrange for other combinations. Just to the right as you enter the restaurant area is the wine cellar, a tall square block of brushed stainless steel and glass, housing all the wines necessary to accompany the offerings in JAAN’s fine menu. Down the left side of the restaurant are 3 curved couches upholstered with vertically striped multi-colored velvet, with 2 chairs on the opposite side of the round table. All tables are covered with white table linens. These couches back to the dance floor, each between 2 marble pillars creating a barrier to the restaurant area. Opposite the curved couch seating areas and against the wall, again between marble pillars, are 3 tall dark wood framed backs to long, flat wooden padded couches with a multitude of pillows of assorted sizes and colors, and a back of woven straw over flat wood. In front of these couches are 3 tables for 2 that can be pushed together to seat up to 6. Each of these enclaves has a rectangular fringed beige rug with consistent dark geometric patterns. At the wall at the 2 pillars separating the 3 enclaves are 2 tables for 4, standing on the beige marble floor. Opposite pillars between the curved couches have 2 antique serving tables of painted gold base and beige marble tops. Matching red glass floral vases are mounted 7 feet high on all pillars on the side facing the restaurant seating area, and on the opposite sides facing the dance floor are double candle style wall sconces of bronze colored metal. Recessed lighting at the tops of all pillars throws a soft glow on the ceiling throughout the room.

 

The hard cover Wine List is red, about 1 foot square with JAAN embossed in the lower right and the JAAN artistic logo above. The Menu is the same, but black. Inside, the Wine List begins with an excellent selection of wines by the glass. 2 Champagnes are offered, a Moet et Chandon Brut and a Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. Next are 8 white wines including 4 from France, 1 from Italy, 1 from America, 1 from Australia, and 1 from New Zealand. Following the white wines are 9 red wines including 2 from France, 1 from Italy, 3 from Chile, 1 from America, and 2 from Australia. These are all good wines which makes me very happy as a single diner. I don’t have to struggle with the wine list to find good wines by the glass to drink with my various courses. Prices range from 95 to 198 RMB, which is reasonable considering the quality of the wines offered and the elegance of the restaurant in general. The Wine List continues with wines by the bottle. A nice compliment of 17 Champagnes are offered priced from 450 RMB for a half bottle of Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial up to 5,888 RMB for a 1999 Louis Roederer Cristal. Many of the old standards are also offered at a range of prices for both vintage and non-vintage selections. Following are 42 white wines including 18 from Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Loire Valley, Alsace, and the Rhone Valley in France, 5 from Italy, 2 from Spain, 1 from Germany, 4 from America, 2 from Chile, 1 from Argentina, 4 from Australia, and 5 from New Zealand. Next are 116 red wines including 44 from 8 regions of Bordeaux, France. Also from France we have 3 from Burgundy, 6 from the Rhone Valley, and 5 from Languedoc. Other countries are represented by 15 from Italy, 5 from Spain, 9 from America, 8 from Chile, 2 from Argentina, 15 from Australia, 3 from New Zealand, and 1 from China (my favorite Chinese wine, Grace Vineyard Chairman’s Reserve, a blend of cabernet sauvignon/merlot/cabernet franc at 750 RMB). Bottle prices in the whites and reds range from 375 RMB for a Casa Lapostolle Sauvignon Blanc from Chile to 66,666 RMB for a 1988 Chateau Petrus from Bordeaux, France. Although many of the wines are on the high side (though not as extreme as the Chateau Petrus), you can find many affordable options in this excellent wine list. 5 dessert wines bring the wine list to a close, ranging in price from 550 RMB for a Torbreck The Bothie Muscat, to 5,900 for a 1994 Chateau d’Yquem.

 

Chef de Cuisine Guillaume Galliot has prepared an excellent menu for JAAN, and I had the pleasure of meeting him and discussing the menu with him. Each month he creates a new and special 10 course menu option for diners. It was a 10 Course Seafood Menu when I visited JAAN, which included an Amuse bouche of oyster variation; Roasted truffle scallop with morel sabayon; Marinated wild salmon with saffron shell fish and virgin sauce; Plancha of John Dory with scampi and fava bean tarter; Lobster truffle carpaccio with sauteed cepe mushroom and hazelnut espuma; Pan seared Cameron king prawn with lemon confit mint vinaigrette and chicken ballotine; Hot crab ravioli with Bouillabaisse emulsion; Slow cooked sole fish with braised port belly and natural pig jus; Red fruit tea jelly and light mascarpone cream and white chocolate mousse; and finally Strawberry milkshake with roasted caramel pineapple. Following is the normal menu which also offers a 6 course Degustation Menu which includes Foie Gras terrine with autumn truffles and carpaccio of matsutake mushroom and pink garlic emulsion; Purple artichoke soup and goat cheese hazelnut ravioli; Roasted Brittany scampi with artichoke barigoule with orange butter; Slowly pan-fried Australian lamb chops with potato puree with onion and speck with artichoke millefeuille and morel cream with foie gras; Affinage cheese plate with grapes, nuts, and dried fruit bread; followed by a JAAN dessert. This 6 course dinner is offered at 788 RMB, and if you want wine parings it costs 1,158 RMB. I don’t have room to explain the whole menu, but I will give you the highlights. It is best to go to JAAN to experience this delightful restaurant for yourself. 9 appetizers and soups are offered from 100 to 280 RMB, some of which are included in the set menus described above. Main courses begin with 4 fish dishes beginning with Roasted Brittany scampi, artichokes barigoule with orange butter for 280 RMB, followed by Pan seared Brittany sole fish on organic mushroom fricassee with beef jus for 350 RMB. The most interesting to me is the Grilled Canadian Lobster a L’Americaine, potato gnocchi in spiced tomato emulsion and fava beans at 400 RMB, which sounds delicious. The final fish option is Pan fried John Dory with safran flavored shells, sweet pea and zucchini shallot salad and Champagne coriander sauce at 310 RMB. Meat options include a Roasted filet and ballottine of organic French farmer’s chicken, almond potato crisp and Hokkaido squash puree and natural jus for 220 RMB; Oven roasted veal chops, potato puree with onion and speck with artichoke millefeuille and morel cream for 280 RMB; Australian lamb chops slowly pan fried with herb butter and mint jus for 280 RMB; and finally a Wagyu ribeye roasted with penja pepper, wild mushroom hazelnut cocotte and perigueux sauce for 880 RMB. There are 6 Cheese and Dessert options ranging from 110 to 210 RMB which are also very interesting preparations.

 

I was indeed lucky to have Chef de Cuisine Guillaume Galliot prepare a special 5 course dinner for me, which included an Amuse bouche of Pan fried foie gras with mushroom fricassee and potato emulsion; an appetizer of Tartar of Wagyu beef, poached egg and morel cream sauce; a seafood preparation of Pan fried John Dory with creb salad and Champagne coriander sauce; a meat selection of Oven roasted veal chops, potato puree with onion and speck, and artichoke millefeuille with morel cream; followed by dessert of Araguani chocolate soufflé flavored with 150 years old Grand Marnier, with vanilla mint ice cream. I can tell you that all of this was wonderful, as was the service throughout the evening. Terence and Ovid did a great job at the bar with my martinis, served in a nicely shaped glass by Grey Goose which had a small flying goose frosted into the glass. John, Christina, Tina, Donna, Rocky, and Yuki attended me well as wait staff, always keeping my glasses full and bringing course after course of great food. At the end Helen helped me pay my check. Everyone was always smiling and paying close attention to me, always making sure I was happy. Indeed, I remained very happy throughout this entire dining experience. I want to give special thanks to restaurant manager Glen Guo, who did an excellent job managing the entire dining process. Glen also personally selected and served all wines he paired with my dinner courses. He was also very thorough in preparing me for writing this article by providing lots of insight and information about the history of the hotel, the dance floor, and the antique Bosendorfer piano. I look forward to chatting with Glen again soon.

 

My experience at JAAN was perfect throughout the evening. I must congratulate the management and staff of Raffles Beijing Hotel for creating such a delightful place as JAAN, a place of leisure, relaxation, fine flavors, and elegant design, a place to which I will often return to luxuriate in ideal surroundings. I hope Raffles Beijing Hotel and JAAN join our GRAND HOTELS Reader’s Club soon. I am confident of the long term success of this restaurant and its appeal to our readers. As for me, I hope that JAAN will always be my “Restaurant d’Elegance”.

 

With Happiness,

 

CHEERS!

 

My Best as Always,

 

Randy