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Beijing - China

Located near the Drum Tower, in north-west Beijing, Paper is a restaurant with contemporary Chinese cuisine. "Paper's" formula is to combine simple and organic ingredients in a clean environment.

Located near the Drum Tower, in north-east Beijing, "Paper" seems modest. The front of the restaurant shows neither neon signs nor billboards but rather presents a minimalist gray door from which emanates a ray of light. Even before entering, the restaurant's mood is set.

On the ground floor, you will find a large taintless window to your left that looks onto the exterior. Similar to a giant screen, it lights a white counter surrounded by three wooden bar stools. On the right, a staircase leads upstairs. Here, white dominates down to the smallest corners of this large room divided into three parts. Everything is purified, from the chairs to the walls, without forgetting the furniture and the cutlery. All of this adds up to a resolutely clean decor.

Some prints depicting Chinese gymnasts are casually posed on the edge of windows. Majestic bouquets of white lilies have the pride of place on chests and on the longitudinal table dressed in the center of the room. In a remote corner there is a sitting room separated by a gray brick wall, which offers leather seats, coffee tables, piles of magazines, and loads of twisted branches in vases. The white, enhanced by a few colored pastel cushions, is still omnipresent.

The attentive waiters, dressed in white as well, speak decent English and present the dishes and specialties which are written in both English and Chinese on the cardboard menus. The food is a mixture of Chinese, Cantonese, Sichuan and Southeast Asian influences. This last one is hardly surprising given that the manager is none other than Cho Chong Gee, a Malay already heading Sambal, Sambal Urban and The Bed club in Beijing.

Neither oil nor MSG

When you find out that the decoration is done by Alan Tan, a renowned Singaporean in his field, you can only have high aesthetic and culinary expectations for this fourth establishment. At "Paper", there has been a lot of work done right. The chefs have been trained. The ingredients have been carefully selected and embellished. "The dishes are cooked without oil or glutamate and most ingredients are organic," said Alan Tan, manager of the restaurant. "It's a simple but substantial cuisine," he adds.

When you find out that the decoration is done by Alan Tan, a renowned Singaporean in his field, you can only have high aesthetic and culinary expectations for this fourth establishment. At "Paper", there has been a lot of work done right. The chefs have been trained. The ingredients have been carefully selected and embellished. "The dishes are cooked without oil or MSG and most ingredients are organic," said Alan Tan, manager of the restaurant. "It's a simple but substantial cuisine," he adds.

The 150 RMB menu offers 11 courses depending on the seasons. We were rather tempted by the Deep Fried Goose Liver rolls (45RMB), a surprising combination of crunchy cucumbers and goose liver wrapped in a sheet of seaweed. The minced duck on lettuce (45RMB) is presented in a lettuce head embellished by celery and water chestnuts; they were gone in a mouthful. The restaurant is mirrored on the table, the portions are modest and presented in white plates.

Dinner continued with a lotus roots and fresh parsley salad (35RMB) served in an apple vinegar sauce, which went perfectly with the crunchy vegetables. The lychee chicken (70RMB) was a sweet and salted delight despite its obvious frugality.

Finally, we tried the braised eggplant stuffed with shrimp, pork, water chestnuts and mushrooms (70RMB). For those who are still hungry, why not finish the meal with some warm brownies or biscuit egg rolls. Desserts range from 35 to 40 RMB. A side note, Alan Tan plans to organize evenings with DJs spinning away each quarter as well as exhibitions and night to discover new flavors.

Practical Information:
Paper: Open daily from 5PM to midnight.  138 Dong Gulou Dajie, Dongcheng District. Tel: 010.86.10.84.01.50.80
RMB 300 should cover a meal without wine for two people.

Text: Aurélie Palancher
Photos: Wang Zhuo
July 2008