The CUT Steak & Seafood Grill
FAIRMONT BEIJING

Dear Cherry,

One of the top Culinary scenes in America, I have fond memories of my many travel exploits around

San Francisco over the past 28 years, many of which included drinking in the bar of the venerable

Fairmont Hotel. I was happy to learn that Fairmont entered the China market in Beijing “Where

ancient dynasties merge with modern wonders”. I anxiously awaited the completion and opening of the Fairmont Beijing Hotel. Recently I decided to try their elegant steak & seafood grill called “The CUT”, so I hopped on the subway and in just 2 stops, I was there! I had been hearing good things about the food and service and the high quality drinks at The Champagne Bar, created by Mixologists.  From official hotel press materials, “With its signature rose-gold glass curtain façade and exceptionally crafted architecture, the Fairmont Beijing offers the ultimate in presence, grandeur and elegance taking its rightful place amid the great landmarks, both modern and historic in the heart of Beijing’s downtown district. Touches of local flavor and overtures of contemporary flair are evident throughout the design elements. Fairmont Beijing’s magnificent lobby design was inspired by traditional artistic themes and motifs and also boasts such wonders as the 16 meter artisan-crafted ‘Dancing Sleeves’inspired Crystal Lighting, an investment of 1 Million USD, which upon closer inspection resembles hundreds of fish, a symbol of prosperity in China. The CUT and Champagne Bar, Fairmont Beijing’s latest gastronomy invention aims to uplift the three concepts of food, wine, and service. Introducing the dynamic duo who will present their expertise to create the ultimate dining ambience – the food blends International cooking method with local flavor; while the experience will pamper guests with discreet service experiences and selections of bubbly and fine wines. The CUT, Fairmont Beijing’s uniquely refined Steak and Seafood Grill with 56 seats sizzles with a combination of exacting service and inspired cuisine under the expert eyes of award-winning Chef de Cuisine – Marcus Routbard. The CUT elevates cuisine to a level beyond that of just a grill as he crafts fine dining based on a formula

that sees classic favorites reinterpreted with a contemporary Asian-inspired flair. From the Prime

Australian Wagyu beef to the Spiny Lobster, all dishes contain authentically local influences, which are prepared in the restaurant’s dazzling show kitchen.  On top of that, CUT & Champagne Bar Manager and Sommelier – Faisal Majeeth adds up the ambience with service experience and the perfection of wine pairings to every plate. Guests are invited to sample The CUT’s exclusive three-course ‘Food ‘n’ Wine’ pairings that feature innovative combinations from both land and sea.  A series of ambrosial desserts and international wines and Champagne add to the exquisite offerings of the venue, truly making it a ‘Cut’ above the rest. Traditional steakhouses evoke memories of dark-wood paneled walls and traditional decor; however The CUT will contradict all pre-conceived notions of what it means to be a steakhouse.  The overall color theme of rose-gold, accented with silver pink and rose- gold furniture offers guests a chic and fashionable destination on the Beijing culinary scene with its sleek and modern interpretation of classic steakhouse dining.  For those with an appetite for a more intimate celebration, the adventure detours to the Champagne Bar, positioned outside The CUT. 

With plush furniture and creative appetizers, the Champagne Bar offers an overwhelming selection of champagnes, fine wine and signature molecular cocktail collections.”

Upon arrival I went straight to The Champagne Bar for my usual drinks. Bartenders Peter Yue and

Sam Liu prepared my Martini and my bitters and soda. We talked about cocktails and I discovered

that they were Mixologists and they had many different kinds of bitters and custom made concoctions for making creative cocktails and I was amazed to find out that they had Crème de Violette, a violet flavored liqueur from Austria so they can make an Aviation Cocktail, a tasty 1920s American relic designed to celebrate the fighter pilots of World War I.  A lover of the Aviation, I thought I might be the only one in China to own a bottle of Crème de Violette, which I brought from America.  I knew then what I would be doing after dinner! While enjoying my Martini I had a great talk with Reto Borer, Director of Food & Beverage and Culinary Operations, and Faisal Majeeth CUT & Champagne Bar Manager and Sommelier about the wine scene in China and my plans for the evening.

I also met with Lin Wang, Assistant Manager of Marketing & Communications to discuss my requirements for support documents and photos for my article. Faisal brought me to my table and

introduced me to my Waiter, Peter Du, who poured some sparkling water and presented me with the

wine list and the menu. I ordered a glass of Deutz Brut Classic Champagne, which I enjoyed while

reviewing my options for the evening.

The Wine List begins with the Sommelier Selection which includes 3 wines specially selected by the

Sommelier for diners to consider: an Alfred Gratien Cuvee Classique Champagne; a 2007 Gavi Di

Gavi, by Bruno Broglia from Piedmont, Italy; and a 2008 Privada (Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend) by Norton from Mendoza, Argentina.  Next are Wines by the Glass with 3 Champagne, 1 Sparkling from Italy, 2 White from Chile & France, 2 Red from Chile & France, 1 Dessert from Chile, 2 Ports, and 2 Sherry.  The rest of the list is by the bottle beginning with Champagne & Sparkling Wines.  There is a good selection of Champagne beginning with 11 Brut Non-Vintage, followed by 6 Brut Vintage, 5 Rose Non-Vintage, 4 Rose Vintage, 2 Signature Selection Dom Perignon Oenotheque (1995 & 1975), 3 Magnums, and 3 Sparkling Wines from Italy, Spain, & the USA. Next are White & Rose Wines including 14 from France, 4 Italy, 2 Germany, 1 Austria, 3 South Africa, 3 Australia and 4 Signature Selections From Penfolds in South Australia, 4 New Zealand, 5 USA, 2 Chile, and 1 China.  Red Wines includes 36 from France, 7 Italy, 2 Spain, 1 South Africa, 9 Australia and 7 Signature Selections From Penfolds, 2 New Zealand, 7 USA, 3 Chile, 1 Argentina, and 1 China. Dessert Wines include 2 from France, 1 Chile, and 1 Canada.  Ports & Sherry has 2 of each.

The Menu begins with Starters: Big Eye Ahi Tuna Carpaccio, 4 Pepper Crust, Soba Noodle Salad,

Pickled Radish, and Ginger Sesame Dressing; Seared Foie Gras, Vanilla Sous Vide Asian Pear,

Toasted Fig Bred, and Wolfberry Puree; Crab & Coconut Bisque, Lemon Grass, Red Curry, and

Cilantro; French Onion Soup, Gruyere Cheese, and Bagel Chip; Hand Cut Beef Tartar, Stockyard

Beef Cut to Order, Quail Egg, Chili & Cucumber Salad, and Kettle Chips; Market Vegetable &

Spinach Salad, Mandarin Citrus-shallot Vinaigrette, and Roasted Beet Oil; Seared Diver Scallops &

Crisp Roast Pork Belly, Spring Pea Coulis, Micro Greens, and Pomegranate Syrup; Chinese Mitten

Crab Salad, Shaved Fennel, and Melon Salad; Colossal Prawn Cocktail, Pineapple, Avocado, and

Spicy Cocktail Sauce; Caesar Salad, Baby Romaine Heart, Tomato & Anchovy Compote, Crisp Pancetta, Parmesan Cheese, and Herb Brioche Crouton.  Next is Chef’s Signature, including Corn Fed Chicken, Slow Roasted Chicken Breast, Confit Chicken, Cashew Croquette, Sautéed Morning Glory, and Caramelized Onion Jus; Grilled Idaho Natural Pork Chop, Taro Fritters, Pear & Raisin Chutney, Sesame Kai Lan, Hoisin Molasses, and Port Jus; Grilled Tasmanian Salmon Fillet, Corn & Cabbage Potato Cake, Shitake Mushroom, Asparagus & Grapefruit Salad, and Shaoxing Maple Gastrique; Freshwater Rainbow Trout, Almond Crust, Lentil Salad, Fine Beans, and Brown Butter Sauce; Rack of Lamb, Grilled Lamb Rack, French Beans, Seed Mustard Dauphinoise Potato, and Thyme Jus; Roasted Barramundi, Steamed Bok Choy, Nameko Mushrooms, Snow Peas, and Soy Milk Ginger Broth; Grilled Colossal Prawns & Diver Scallop, House Cured Gravlax, Lemon Risotto,and Lobster Oil; Pumpkin & Fine Herb Ravioli, Seasonal Farmed Vegetables, Rocket Pesto, and Toasted Macadamia Beurre Noisette. The next section is Charred, The Finest Prime Cuts, and Fresh Seafood & Produce from Select Farms.  All Steaks Served with a Fine Selection of Gourmet Mustards & Choice of Sauce.  Australian Stockyard Grain Fed 150 Days, 200/290 gram New York Strip Loin, 200/290 gram Filet Mignon, and 340/450 gram Rib Eye; Australian Stockyard Grain Fed 250 Days, same offerings as above but with the addition of a 450 gram T-Bone; Australian Stockyard Wagyu Marble Score 4-5, 200/290 gram Filet Mignon and 340 gram Rib Eye; Signature Cut for Two, 1100 gram Australian Stockyard Tomahawk Served with Choices of 2 sides.  The Dinner Menu ends with Chef’s Sides, 70 grams Seared Foie Gras; Garlic Fried Spinach; Sautéed Forest Mushrooms; Fine Herb Buttered Asparagus; Fresh Seasonal Steamed Vegetables; Sesame Glazed Bok Choy; Celeriac Black Truffle Mash; Steakhouse Fries; Cut Signature Fries; Spiced Yam Fries; Salt Baked Potato; and Tsingtao Battered Golden Fried Onion Rings.  The Dessert Menu includes “CUT” Apple Tart, homemade white truffle ice cream atop of a warm puff pastry apple tart; A Study of Crème Brulee, a seasonally inspired trio east meets west brulees; Passion & Cheese, passion fruit panna cotta glazed with mango sauce and passion fruit seed, and sliced home made chiffon cheese cake; Iced Green Apple “Pu-Erh” Chinese Tea, freshly spun green apple sorbet with famous Chinese Pu-Erh tea anglaise; The Pear, pear infused with Japanese Mirrin, sake & orange, diced with mango atop a reduced fat homemade cinnamon ice cream and plum foam; Chocolate Soufflé, sinful freshly baked chocolate soufflé with India vanilla sauce; Assiette of Artisanal Cheese, grissini sticks, crisp baguette, and sesame lavosh.

My Dining Experience began as I discussed the menu with Chef de Cuisine –  Marcus Routbard, and

we decided on a plan for the evening. I ordered a bottle of 2005 M. Chapoutier, Chateau des

Estubiers, Coteaux du Tricastin. Faisal presented the bottle and opened it to breath and Peter brought the Chef’s Signature Potato Bread served with unsalted butter and Chimichurri Sauce from Argentina,made from parsley, olive oil, garlic, and white wine vinaigrette.  On the table were 4 kinds of sea salt, Black, Smoked, Pink from Murray River, Australia, and White Maldon from Essex, England, served in 4 glass test tubes with little corks in a clear acrylic stand.  Reto recommended that I try the bread with butter and the Smoked sea salt, which I did and it has to be the best bread I have had in a long time.  Served hot, right out of the oven, this bread was utterly fantastic.  With a crispy curst outside and being soft, light and airy on the inside, and very unique flavors due to the potato content, it was great!  Treating it as a dinner course, I ate the whole loaf and enjoyed it with the Champagne, which were a good match, yeast and yeast. Marcus brought my Amuse Bouche of Forest Mushroom Chowder with Goat Cheese Gougere and Truffled Mascarpone. The chowder was rich and creamy smooth and packed with flavor, leaving me with the urge to ask for more but I resisted because a lot more was coming from the kitchen over the next few hours. While watching the cooks working in the totally open kitchen, I enjoyed my cold Champagne and listening to the music, modern interpretations of the “Old Standards”, coming from speakers located in the ceiling. Peter brought my next course, Hand Harvested Seared Diver Scallops & Crisp Roast Pork Belly, with Spring Pea Coulis, Micro Greens, and Pomegranate Syrup.  It smelled fabulously and the plate was beautifully decorated. The scallops were tender and cooked just enough to be done and tasted great alone. Then I tried it dipped in the elegantly seasoned coulis, then with the syrup, and finally with the pork belly which was big in flavor with crispy skin on top and tender meat below. I mixed it all up in the end for the intended

flavor effect and washed it down with the Champagne. Wow, this was a perfect combination! While

waiting for my next course I started working on the red wine.  From the Southern Rhone Valley in

France, it was bone dry with good red berry fruit, strong tannins, and good structure.  Interestingly, the label included brail for the vision impaired, a considerate feature.  Marcus came with the Pumpkin & Fine Herb Ravioli, with Seasonal Farmed Vegetables (Carrots, Snow Peas, Cherry Tomatoes, Squash, and Spinach), Rocket Pesto, and Toasted Macadamia Beurre Noisette. It smelled very good and I was thinking how well the wine was going to go with this dish. The ravioli was cooked al dente and the sweet pumpkin filling was truly unique, like a pumpkin pie in ravioli.  The toasted macadamia nuts added crunchiness and a great burst of flavor, while the vegetables were tender and flavorful.

Very nice.  I enjoyed the wine immensely with it and in total….it was magnificent! Peter brought

Blood Orange Sorbet as a palate cleanser. It was cold and smooth and sweet. Next was Australian

Stockyard Wagyu Marble Score 4-5, 290 gram Filet Mignon, served with 5 mustards: Tarragon, Green Peppercorn, Dijon, Mustard Seed, and Honey & Balsamic. Peter and Faisal brought my steak and side dishes including Celeriac Black Truffle Mashed Potatoes and Tsingtao Battered Golden Fried Onion Rings. The potatoes were satin smooth and rich with truffle flavor, and the onion rings were crispy and sweet, all promising to be good accompaniments to the beef. The Wagyu tenderloin was perfectly cooked and ultra tender.  I added a little sea salt and pepper and loved it as is, with an occasional dip into the green peppercorn sauce or 1 of the 5 mustards just for fun. I enjoyed the Honey & Balsamic mustard, which provided a sweet & sour taste effect, but the meat alone with a little Murray River sea salt and pepper was my favorite flavor variation, followed by a sip of the peppery wine and a spoon of mashed potatoes.  This was the process I repeated until my steak was gone. The onion rings were gone early and were a great snack with dinner.  Oh well, nothing lasts forever! Rickey Deng replaced Peter and cleared my table.  Marcus came to discuss dessert and we decided that I “needed” to try the Chocolate Soufflé, sinful freshly baked chocolate soufflé with India vanilla sauce.  Faisal brought my soufflé and it did look good and smelled even better.  I poked a hole in the top of the soufflé and poured the vanilla sauce inside while thinking about how good it would be.

The chocolate & vanilla combination was great and I stayed with the red wine because I like red wine with chocolate. This was a decadently sweet dessert and a wonderful way to end this great

steakhouse experience. Life is good at The CUT in Fairmont Beijing.  I retired to the Champagne Bar for my beloved and rare Aviation to finish off the night.  Sam made it beautifully with The Bitter Truth brand of Crème de Violette. You can try it yourself by experimenting with variations on this formula: 1 ¾ oz. Gin, ¼ oz. Crème de Violette, ½ oz. Fresh Lemon Juice, ¼ oz. Luxardo, shake with ice until very cold and pour into a martini glass with a Maraschino Cherry.  Although slightly modified by Sam to include their own lime cordial recipe instead of lemon juice, I savored my Aviation while talking with Faisal about how much I enjoyed the entire evening.  For an alternative to what you expect from a typical steakhouse, treat yourself to a special night at Fairmont Beijing beginning with a glass of Champagne or a Cocktail in The Champagne Bar, then stroll over to the The CUT for a sumptuous and delicious dining experience. I greatly appreciate the professional and attentive service I received from all team members and I am looking forward to returning soon to see everyone and to try some other dishes, perhaps the Prime Rib on Thursdays.  Thanks again and see you soon!

CHEERS!

My Best as Always,

Randy