Kranzler’s Restaurant, Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, China

Ordered at Kranzler’s Restaurant & Bar in the Kempinski Hotel, Beijing, China.

We had a simple plan on Friday night: walk to a Japanese restaurant, eat some noodles, veggies, possibly some gyoza, and have an early evening. But which Japanese restaurant? We wanted to try somewhere new, and with the weather improving, we thought taking a stroll to find a hidden treasure would result in learning about a new delicious restaurant.

Well, the night took a slightly different turn as we went exploring.

The first Japanese restaurant looked fantastic… but as we perused the menu, we realized they only served hotpot, and with warming weather tonight was just not the night for hotpot.

“Let’s check out these other Japanese restaurants I know about,” said Rachel as we left the first spot. She had taking tutoring lessons “not far” from here and remembered “some other Japanese restaurants that looked great.” After a “short” 45 minute walk, we came upon a new construction complex that had replaced the Japanese restaurants… so much for that! We were tired and hungry… what now?

I remembered the Kempinski hotel being not too far from here, so I quickly checked their website on my phone – 5 different restaurants plus a brewery… this place looked like it had great options, including a Japanese restaurant, so we hopped in a taxi, spent 10rmb, and went straight there. Our first stop was the Japanese restaurant, Honzen, apparently a “hidden gem” in Beijing. The menu said otherwise… there was nothing special about this place, besides the extremely high prices.

Out of the corner of our eyes we see another restaurant, quiet and empty. “What could that be?” we asked each other. It was Kranzler’s Restaurant & Bar, an establishment centered around a massive buffet with a menu offering the best of international cuisine. Honestly, it wasn’t what we were looking for but the menu stood out – the Caesar salad looked great, as did the tuna tartar, and to top it off the menu boasted a “Signature Wagyu Club Sandwich,” something I decided on the spot I was craving.

Even though the buffet was overflowing with food, the restaurant was entirely empty except for 2 tables, one full of drunken Chinese patrons who filled the entire establishment up with noise, providing the appearance of a busy restaurant. We sat down, ordered our food, and as we shared a delicious salad and tuna tartar, I waited patiently for my wagyu club. And then it came.

The Kempinski Signature Wagyu Club Sandwich has no defining classic club attributes. It goes against tradition in nearly every way – and I definitely wasn’t complaining. Of course, it’s mainly thanks to the incredibly delicious wagyu beef they used. Yes, I knew the Kempinski Beijing had a deli in it, but I was not expecting decent meat here, or anywhere in China for that matter… it’s just impossible to find. But I guess if you pay $30 for a wagyu club sandwich, it better be good, and I was glad to see the Kempinski cared.

What else was there to rate with the sandwich since this club was entirely meat? The ciabatta bread had been baked in garlic butter, which was a delicious touch. The few green rocket leaves didn’t add much at all, and neither did the pear chutney (it was delicious, but only 2 bites worth). This was literally sliced meat on two pieces of garlic butter soaked bread. Again, no complaints here; they decided the meat was the most important part of the sandwich and just stuck with that. Kudos to the chef for being so confident. To top it off, the French fries were perfectly cooked and a great way to finish the meal after filling up on the greasy bread.

Rachel and I left the meal completely satisfied – although compared to the noodles we originally wanted, this restaurant had put a serious dent in my wallet. But we stopped at the lobby lounge for some drinks and enjoyed the evening thoroughly, where we were quickly reminded how much we love being in a hotel environment, even in our “hometown.”

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