An A for Bistrot B

Bistrot B features a variety of treats including the foie fras burger, a pate maison with artisanal mustard and the roast lamb shank. Photo provided to China Daily

Respectable portions start with starters. The charcuterie board is a generous sampling that includes a Verbiak trademark, a pate maison with artisanal mustard. You can also order that hearty, coarse, country-style pate a la carte－or opt for smoother turns of liver: a silky chicken-liver mousse or a foie gras au torchon with a dollop of lively spiced fig confit on the side.

At a recent lunch, the "roast of the day" was lamb leg, which was beautifully seasoned, sliced and served in a bean cassoulet. Olives gave the dish a bright, briny edge. Served with a farm-style salad, the daily special is 140 yuan ($22.50)－a mere bagatelle for such a savory feast.

Stars of the dinner menu include steak frites, duck-leg confit with cassoulet beans, Moroccan-style Merguez grilled lamb chops and the slow-baked black cod with bacon-wrapped endive and truffle au jus. Lighter appetites may be tempted by the superb Angus burger with cheddar cheese, crispy onions and smoked bacon－or its flossier cousin, the Wagyu beef burger with foie gras, black truffles and comte cheese. The spicy Merguez lamb is also available on a sandwich.

The restaurant boasts an extensive wine list and a shorter selection on the daily menu, including a smooth but robust bruciato that makes any accompanying red meat sit up and sing.

Still to come: The restaurant will open its outdoor courtyard soon, and there are plans for a Sunday brunch. As the hotel's soft-opening evolves, look for a hotpot restaurant next month.

If you go

Bistrot B

Rosewood Hotel, Jing Guang Center, Hujialou, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6597-8888