Beijing Hutongs’ Best Kept Secret Brunch?

Since I discovered Mulu during last year’s CFFC charity dinner, I have been dying to try their all-you-can-eat weekend brunch, which is a rather exclusive affair limited to approximately 30 customers each day. This is so that customers can stay and enjoy their meal for as long as they want without being rushed. This laid-back luxury is certainly part of the charm of Mulu – a restaurant that prides itself on sustainable quality ingredients and inventive yet familiar Southeast Asian flavors.

So when Mother’s Day rolled around this year, I decided that would be the occasion for me to enjoy this special brunch. I contacted their customer service on WeChat to make a reservation, and paid a down payment of RMB 500, which is understandable given the conditions stipulated earlier. This payment is refundable should you cancel with advance notice.

Mulu is tucked inside the Xinsi hutong in central Beijing, and is just a short walk down the narrow hutong streets from the main roads. An iconic colorful samurai cat guards the doorway and you’ll notice the elegant Mulu deer logo at the entrance. Given the warming weather these days, we opted to sit out on the shady terrace that overlooked the surrounding hutong courtyards. Bugs were not a problem at all and a steady cool breeze kept us comfortable for the most part.

The interior decoration at Mulu smacks of Southeast Asian culture with modern touches of kitsch and sophistication. The courteous wait staff were always prompt and full of smiles for us as they introduced each dish with its unique ingredients and cooking methods. I later discovered that most of the young attendants had been sponsored by Mulu owner Jasmine to come to China to study, and then stayed on to work for the family-owned restaurant.

Let’s talk about the food, because there is a lot to say and yet few words do it justice. In sum: I would claim that there is no other cuisine like that of Mulu’s here in Beijing. Styled as Nanyang-French fusion, Chef Addison’s skill and daring in blending flavors and cooking methods is guided by his obvious love for his hometown (Ipoh, Malaysia) food, while his culinary training stays his hand to ensure each creation isn’t overpowering. The seafood offerings best exemplified this with the French oyster and pickled mango with quinoa combination, as well as the kalamanasi piment d’Espelette with the Japanese akagai blood clam. I won’t seek to dissect every dish, but I will point out that you are welcome to ask for seconds (or more!) of your favorite plates, which my son happily did with the kaya toast, devouring four helpings of it. But overall, my family’s favorite would be the Dutch milk-fed veal ribeye; the most tender, juicy and tasty beef complimented with perfectly mashed potato puree with natural jus that I was tempted to lick off the plate. Instead, I washed it all down with an absolutely refreshing pandan lemongrass mocktail that even my child drank copiously.

Note: Even though there is a menu you can refer to, be prepared to be surprised as dishes come and go with the season as well as with Chef Addison’s inspirations. I will say that the surprise is most likely to be an enjoyable one, though!

The Weekend All-You-Can-Eat Brunch at Mulu is definitely a must-try for Beijingers at least once, but for those who appreciate a lazy weekend spent with good company and even better food and drink, Mulu will probably lure you back in weekend after weekend…