Spain is a monarchy and China isn’t. But if Beijing’s restaurants had a queen, it would be Migas, the Spanish restaurant-cum-bar-cum-nightclub whose second location now rests atop the new China World Mall like a crown with LED lighting.
And what a crown it is. Migas Mercado was arguably this year’s most anticipated opening, and its debut does not disappoint. But while the original Migas – an icon of Sanlitun – has a roof so long and wide you could play football on it, Migas Mercado’s setup is different. Its terrace forms the outline of a semicircle, snaking its way around the mall’s cylindrical atrium, which vaguely resembles some sort of centrifuge, giving the place the vibe of a spaceship, blasting off to Planet Groove. When it’s nice out – and September is nice – you can gaze upon the CCTV Building, and down on the unfortunate Beijingers navigating the Third Ring below. When it’s not nice out, you can go inside.
There we find the rack for Migas’ many hats. There’s fancy Migas, cocktail Migas, lunchtime Migas, grab-and-go Migas – each of which is equally tasteful. It is a testament to the brilliance of Migas’ designers that all these hats share the space seamlessly, one concept blending into another, distinct yet interconnected. Aesthetically speaking, here’s our main takeaway: Dope lights, more purple.
To be sure, the standout experience here is dinner. Food in Migas Mercado’s dining room is largely similar to that in Migas’ first location (this is a very good thing), with slightly more emphasis on ingredients. Mercado means ‘market,’ after all, and the goal of many dishes here is to make its key ingredient shine.
Our fish comes largely unadorned, cooked with olive oil and salt. Chefs here understand something that far too few in this city have realized: The best pairing is simply a glass of wine.
After a megawatt multicourse dinner featuring such impressive players as shaved truffles, dry ice and seemingly never-ending cava bubbles, it’s easy to feel like Migas Mercado is some ultra-exclusive dining club. But as we leave (several drinks later), we pass shelves full of the same Traitor Zhou’s bagels we’ve eaten at 2am while taking a break from dancing on the original Migas dancefloor. It’s not every restaurant that sells both high-end and drunk food. But damn, we wish it were.
Images by Yuka Hayashi
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