“Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all.”
This short, slightly nauseating poem appeared in a 1983 issue of the influential literary journal Reader’s Digest, no doubt nestled between the latest housekeeping tips and an implausible courage-in-the-face-of-adversity tale featuring a heroic dog. The poet in question, a certain Stanley Horowitz, doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page. Yet somehow his 18-word saccharine opus has spread like some benign virus.
Instagram memes, inspirational fridge magnets and a public park in Arizona now all bear his seasonal observations. This alone should make them instantly detestable. But we should never be too proud to admit when a cutesy, seemingly vacuous saying holds true.
Because it possesses particular relevance in Beijing. Sure, winter is more of an impressionist ice carving than an etching, and summer more resembles a sweaty body painting than oil on canvas. But autumn genuinely is a mosaic. So combine the fact that Mosaic is also a Middle Eastern bar-slash-restaurant in Sanlitun with the realization that it is now very much autumn, and by some warped logic you should conclude that this is probably a good time to eat shawarmas.
Enter Ashi and Jenny, the establishment’s co-owners who provide the perfect spot to do just that. Although open for about a year, Mosaic is coming into season. Not only is its outdoor patio furnished with comfortable seats on which to enjoy the last al fresco dinners of the year, but their wraps are also superb.
Have a shawarma platter of the chicken variety (three for the most affordable sum of RMB58, with fries to boot), which sees marinated meat grilled and rolled into a tender package with some tangy sauce. The wraps themselves are lightly toasted (mitigating the perennial threat of sogginess) and the accompanying garlic dip is as moreish as a group of medieval North Africans.
The menu, and indeed the owners, remain guarded about the exact ingredients of all the sauces. All power to them. We probably wouldn’t go blabbing about it either.
Elsewhere, the culinary offerings are as authentic as you’ll find in the city (as prepared by the restaurant’s bona fide Syrian chef). The standout classics include hummus (RMB28, or RMB35 with little chunks of lamb) which is served at a near-perfect consistency; falafel (RMB42); and a fattoush salad with wonderful little bites of crispy bread (RMB32, all pictured above).
The inspiration for the establishment’s name apparently came from the variety of food found across the Middle East. It seems fitting therefore, that there is some fusion on offer too. The shawarma burrito (RMB52) may be even better than the original, and why has no-one thought about putting shawarma on a pizza (RMB65) until now?
Interior-wise, we find the expected regional stylings but as renovations are imminent we shan’t dwell. All you need to know is that the well-stocked bar and shisha pipes will live on. An insulated patio is also on the way, so winter may very well be a mosaic this year as well.
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