Tea and tapas
Rose raspberry macaroons are a highlight of Fab's menu. [Photo provided to China Daily] |
The cafe provides European pastries such as Swiss rolls, rose raspberry macaroons and blueberry cheesecake, at 30 to 40 yuan ($4 to $6) each. A cup of a double espresso costs 19 yuan, and a cup of Americano is 25 yuan.
"We want to be part of the local community," says Andy Mok, vice-president of the hotel, explaining that they want the cafe to be a place where hotels guests can socialize with locals.
I had a cup of Americano with Mont Blanc, which is a cone-shaped pastry coated with chestnut cream, and stuffed with blueberry and sponge cake. A caramelized chestnut is on the "peak".
The hotel's Pink Rabbit restaurant in the backyard is more upscale.
With Prats in the kitchen, the restaurant features innovative Spanish cuisine.
Before arriving in Beijing in 2016, Prats worked in El Celler de Can Roca, which was twice selected as the world's best restaurant by Restaurant Magazine, and then in the Ritz-Carlton in Barcelona.
Prats likes to create new dishes.
He says that part of the reason he left the Ritz-Carlton hotel is that: "Five-star hotels don't give you the freedom to create something new."
For me, eating Spanish tapas is a journey full of fun and surprises.
To start, I had The Cone, which is goat cheese put in mini basil cones with pistachios inside and strawberries on top.
It looks like an icecream but tastes salty at first, and then leaves a sweet flavor in the mouth.