Few things are worth taking a 45-minute cab ride from Dongcheng to Shunyi for. There’s the go-karting place, which has a remarkably lax attitude towards drinking and driving, for one. Then there’s Tang Polo Club, which is largely inaccessible except for the days it throws its annual fuerdai-addled Champagne bacchanal. I, meanwhile, once traveled from Dongcheng to Shunyi to visit the city’s first Dunkin Donuts. Now that there’s a DD in every mall, I regret the error.
There is, however, a new spot in Shunyi that merits not only the 60-kuai Didi Express fare, but also your valuable time and attention for the remainder of this review, thank you very much. I’m talking about the new location of Napa, which has returned to Beijing after a sad few months’ hiatus, just… in Shunyi. And while we at That’s were fearful that would mean we’d pretty much never visit again, we should have known better. Napa’s previous location was just south of Chaoyang Park’s south gate, which many out here hutong way would consider a hike, and yet, that location was always worth the (significantly shorter) trip.
With an emphasis on high-quality ingredients, Napa’s Chef Colin Smith creates California-inspired dishes that are equal parts sophisticated and comforting. At new Napa, one long, beautiful wooden table – long enough to seat about a billion people – runs the length of the entire front wall, which itself is made of stunning floor-to-ceiling windows. The new open kitchen is connected to a bar, which will be serving cocktails in addition to Napa’s list of quality wines.
True to the spirit of ‘upgrade,’ new dishes here up the ante. To our delight, Napa is now diving into the sea, and with aplomb. Our meaty Hokkaido scallop (RMB59) makes for an excellent entry point – perfectly cooked and perched atop a simple corn stock, the natural flavor of it shines. Our Dalian-sourced clams (RMB128) come with soft, warm pita bread, perfect for dipping in the leftover buttery sauce at the bottom of the pot. And, most excitingly, Napa has collaborated with The Bake Shop to produce Beijing’s first lobster rolls – a masterwork of lightly sauced-up lobster hunks sandwiched between perfectly soft bread.
But the land provides as well. Napa’s mind-bendingly delicious caesar salad – and no, we don’t often describe caesar salads that way – is back (RMB78), this time with great hulking leaves that span the length of their serving platter. Napa’s gorgeous new wood oven is cranking out masterful pizzas, including a mapo burrata pizza (RMB128), perfect for sharing. Hearty fare comes in the form of a tender steak platter with fresh arugula, which, again – and we could say this about every dish at Napa – is masterfully lightly seasoned.
There’s dessert (an incredible black tea pudding, RMB55) and several craft beers on tap. There’s an excellent wine list and, soon, a full-on cocktail bar. It may take a while to get to Shunyi, but once you’re there, you may not want to leave.
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