Agua
4/F, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Beilu,
Sanlitun
三里屯北路81号那里花园4层
5208-6188
Price More than Y400 per couple
- City Weekend
says -
The food at this contemporary Spanish restaurant is a treat for both the eyes and the palate, with a tendency towards homey flavors. The slightly conservative interior is sophisticated but comfortable, with white brick walls and an open kitchen. The menu is filled with hits, but you can expect especially stand-out seafood.
Reviews Been there? Add a review!
-
cityweekend
Most Recent Reviews
-
-
Prompt polite wait staff, nice ambience… Their suckling pig/s is a MUST try!
-
-
Had a surprisingly satisfying meal here. I've heard mixed reviews from friends, but my experience was positive, tasty. The chorizos are delicious, definitely worth going back for. Also had the shrimp tapas and beef ravioli with porcini, both very good. Service was good, not outstanding, but friendly and attentive. Was not too impressed with the decor and interior. But the food certainly made up for that downfall.
-
-
Nice restaurant, very calm, nice waiters and food is great.
I have just been there twice during lunch. The menu was the same and limited, bad point. I loved the starter with egg, potato and chorizo, all I like. The risotto was generous but clearly not the best in town... dessert: creme catalane is great!
However, my girlfriend did not like the dishes, if Agua could change his menu more often, they will get more customers ;-)
-
-
Maybe Agua's slacking during lunch, but I just wasn't that impressed. The salad was a bit wimpy and my salmon tartare so mayonnaise-y that I couldn't finish it. I shouldn't have strayed from my go-to lunch place--Mosto!
-
-
Don't give out your number when you make reservations at Agua. You will end up getting junk advertising sms's to your phone. They have no right to blast you with sms's to advertise their specials without one's consent. In terms of the food, I was actually quite disappointed, I had higher expectations. Will be boycotting the restaurant from now on.
-
-
Meh... My entree, a seabass, was very salty and the veggie-something appetizer was exceedingly bland (I took to eating them in same bite in order to sort of balance it out). The service was good though, and the decor is pleasant enough.
I don't mind throwing down a bit for a nice meal, but Agua was pretty disappointing and the fact that it was 400 kuai for two people certainly didn't help.
-
-
I agree maxbj. Agua is over-hyped dressed up home cooking for a hefty price tag. For some reason the local media has gone crazy about this place that serves very simple Spanish dishes that most of my Spanish friends make better. The service is so so and the garish red old-fashioned decor is terrible. The chef purports to be Michelin trained, but from some inside information (verified with the Michelin sites) he is not at all. He just says he is. Just a fraud. Spend your money elsewhere.
-
-
Is this a joke? Because if it is,it is not fun at all. Given the legacy of this place, one would definitely expect much much more from a menu that can be easily replicated at home for an extremely low endeavor in terms of time and money. What this place wants to be? Fine dining or an upscale fast food?Given the interiors and the mismanagement of the tables for customers who nevertheless booked far in advance, this place definitely falls in the second category. Definitely not worth the price at all. There are many other spanish restaurants in the city that without pretending to be what they are not, offer a tastier menu, with a better service and...a proper price.
-
-
Lobster was excellent, only it serve with nutcracker instead of double sided lobster spoon. No wet tower or warm water with lemon.
I left restaurant with smelly fingures.
Think twice before you order lobster.
-
-
First time in this Spanish place.
Incredible prawns,the chef was right, they sell them by piece !! The chef told us .... don't take this prawn if you are not going to suck the head.... hahahaha the whole table we was laughing at him, but sh..t ! he was right. I have to say it was the best prawn i never had in my life.They even serve them with a wet towel (as this man is asking everybody to eat the heads).
The whole thing was great,tapas and main courses but the hazelnut ice cream was the peak, i'm a chocolate addict and this chocolate ganach matched very well with the ice cream.
They convince us to come for brunch....... but not prawns for brunch :-(
Will visit tomorrow again for brunch.
-
-
Went back to Agua for the first time after its move to Sanlitun and I was blown away. Nice decor, very attentive service. Their chorizo was absolutely delicious. Spinach salad and chickpea humus with mackerel were good. I ordered oxtail with duck liver inside it. The manager came to my table and mentioned it's a very good choice for main. Indeed he was right, it was very delicious, especially with the pumpkin puree served with it. The flavor is very rich and strong. But I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite of it. The Spanish Torrija is an excellent dessert. It was so good I swore to myself I'll come back to this place again just for this dessert. Will try the suckling pig for main next time. Plus plus for the jazz tunes in the background and amazing artworks.
-
-
Went here for the set lunch menu which sounded like a good deal - and is (RMB 88 for 2 course, RMB 99 for three), however the options are very limited and were not particularly exciting (vegetable tartare, mackerel...). I'm told this changes every two weeks however, so better choices might just depend on your luck/timing! Ordering outside the set menu it gets expensive, but the food is excellent, well presented, and served in a timely manner. The staff are well trained and attentive, topping up water and bread baskets, and management is likewise friendly and keen for any feedback you may have. A great place to take guests, for a business lunch, or to impress a date.. I am definitely interested in going back, for dinner next time!
-
-
I had a very great time here today. Food, wine and service, they're all perfect! It's rather pricey for the small portions but the taste is good and worths every RMB. Extra point for fast, attentive, and knowledgeable Chinese staffs! They're friendly and, wow, they do know about their food and wine. It's quite rare for Beijing even in high-end and mid high-end restaurants. Makes me feel relax to sit there having a small meal on weekend afternoon. I like how they came back to check if I enjoy the wine they recommend. I want to go back there already!
-
-
two aspects for rating: 1. food 2. service
On the first point, i have to say this restaurant is definitely one of the best culinary experiences in Beijing. Went with a large group and we started off with a variety of tapas and appetizers for sharing. the iberico ham was, of course, amazing (but pricey! for a few shavings of ham it sets you back 198rmb). the freshly made breadrolls, the potato and mushroom croquettes, fried mushrooms and gambas al ajillo were all fab; the plate of ravioli, which for its portion could probably go as a main, you could tell was pasta made in the moment, delish filling and in a nice mushroom sauce. The mains were OK -the suckling pig looked great but was a little fatty and i think heavy for everyone who ate it; the fish dishes seemed to be enjoyed by my friends; my pureed eggplant dish with lots of capers was also something new and interesting to try. for desert i'd highly recommend the apply tart.
service. the chinese staff on the floor were quite attentive and seemed to be on the ball. the french manager? appalling. one of my friends called in advance to ask what the corkage price was. '200 a bottle' was the reply. my friend bought a 1500ml bottle. when they saw the size of the bottle, the staff initially said no, we need to charge you 400rmb for this bottle, to which we replied that it was unfair as they did not clarify at the time of calling that it was 200rmb per a particular size of bottle. the waitress went to her floor manager who then agreen to let us have the bottle corkage for 200 rmb. they open the wine and pour. 2 minutes later the french manager comes out of his room and says something along the lines of 'im sorry, this has to be charged as a double bottle, there is no other way about it, end of story' and walks off without waiting for a reply. throughout the evening he went up to every other table in the room but didn't come back to us -the largest table there. we easily dropped 5k that night -why be rude and treat your clientelle poorly over 200 rmb? even though the food was great, that initial confrontation soured my mouth for the rest of the evening.
-
-
Sorry i forgot the stars
-
-
The best St Valentines day i remember since i met my girlfriend. It was my first time at this restaurant, wooooow !! Impressive setting and deco. All in wood, floor,half way walls,perfect light,velvet courtains, very romantic. They offer us two menus, and the second one seemed better than the first, of course more expensive, but St Valentines is once a year ! Five hundred something per person. We loved the glass of champagne on arrival, the appetizers including a reserve belota ham, the lobster rice....... just AMAZING,juicy inside, the rice perfectly cooked, not like a crackling rissotto, we could feel the sea in our mouth. Outstanding was the wagyu beef tenderloin..... tender,with a thin salt and pepper crust, we ordered medium rare and was perfect.
Very impress about this Spanish restaurant. The restaurant was packed and service,cuisine and ambience was 10 points.
We will come back to try the a la carte menu.
-
-
The best set lunch ever.
I went to Agua because i heard that the lunch was not too expensive and what a surprise. I found the best quality price around Sanlitun. I tried the soup with a fried pork chunk, so tender, and i picked the mousaka as a main course, the combination of eggplant layers and shreded meat was outstanding and very well decorated.
For sure i´ll be back. 88 Rmb? for this price ?? In a fine dining restaurant???
-
-
OK, I admit that I love this place! The food taste devine.
I was invited by the building owner to dinner in Agua. Her description was pretty exaggerating but I have to say she's right!
We took the VIP room - it's 2 become 1 when you have more guests. The lighting was just perfect with 2 beautiful chandeliers. I love the 2 big windows even there's no garden outside, afterall, a real view is precious in VIP rooms.
Raviolis of beef and porcini was my favoriate. How can they make these round dumplings so yummy?
Suckling pig, always the classic brand dish, Chef Jordi push the trailer in like a magician, cut the little darling into 8 pieces - I want to say "Can I have the bigger part" but I hold it back successfully.
Those tapas... so good to share, garlic shrimp was cooked just right, tender and fresh like no one can present this way.
Set lunch always has the best pricing, I can see they charge only RMB88 for 2 dishes and RMB99 for 3 dishes -- so convenient for me!
-
-
Really tasty authentic food and the suckling pig is as good as I've had anywhere in the world.
But the real star of the show is the amazing photo hanging of the wall of the male flamenco dancer. Captured in mid-hop, this guy is wearing the most astonishing pair of trousers I've ever seen; supported by braces, the waistband comes up to his chest. Go for the photo and have some food while you are at it.
-
-
Agua impresses me with its details in the quality of food ingredients and preparation, in its impeccable service and the up-market ambiance but with a touch of warmth that you don't usually find in high-end restaurants.
Chef Jordi is a friendly guy. He made an effort to get to know the guests and explained in his animated ways how the food was prepared. His passion in food is evident. No wonder the food tastes so wonderful. When I went back agan with friends, my friends were equally impressed by the food and the impeccable service.
Agua has quickly become our favorites for Spanish food. While the restaurant is centrally located, it is one of our top choices to get together.
If you are looking for a nice place with good food and ambiance, Agua is a good choice.
-
-
2 friends in our table of 4 wanted to try the Chef's Tasting Menu. The management informed us in no uncertain terms that if even 1 person in the table orders the Chef's Tasting Menu, we ALL have to order the Chef's Tasting Menu. (This requirement was NOT mention in their menu.)
We offered to slightly separate the tables so that 2 friends sat at 1 table and the 2 friends who wanted the Chef's Tasting Menu sat at the "other" table. Nope. The manager didn't even attempt to be nice about it, and WE were being nice and trying to find a solution.
Now, I've met chef Jordi before. He seems nice. His homemade sausages seem delicious. But, I doubt I will ever get to try them. All 4 of us got up and left. Only the waitress seemed sorry and apologized. So, for that, Agua gets 1 star.
I suppose Agua is Franco's Spanish cuisine where the management tells you what you will order to eat.
-
-
I went there the other day, decor is simple but ok, a cloakroom would not be too much for such a place in the winter. Service is excellent, nice, quick, smiley and efficient. Food is good but no surprise... I have not tasted the suckling pig, will get back there just for that...
[HTML_REMOVED]Making a Splash[HTML_REMOVED]
[HTML_REMOVED] This former Ch’ienmen 23 restaurant has made a truly welcome return to the Beijing dining scene. Chef Jordi Valles impresses with his talent and dedication, and the food is a treat for both the eyes and the palate. The unique contemporary Spanish cuisine is on par with Mosto for excellence, with a tendency towards homey flavors and a lack of pretention that is particularly commendable.
[HTML_REMOVED] This lack of pretention extends into all aspects of the restaurant. Servers are professional but friendly, and seem to genuinely enjoy their jobs. The ambiance is more relaxed than at Ch’ienmen 23. The slightly conservative interior is sophisticated but comfortable, with white brick walls, an open kitchen, nice lighting and pleasant jazz at just the right volume.
[HTML_REMOVED] The food is stunning. Beef and porcini ravioli (¥98) are intensely flavorful, served in a gloriously creamy sauce. The sea bream (¥185) is topped with a stimulating, slightly smoky mixture of pimentos, capers and thin slices of pickled garlic, and cooked in sherry vinegar. The fish is infused with a subtle sourness which contrasts perfectly with the sweet rounds of pumpkin served with it. Slow cooked Wagyu veal cheek (¥180) is so tender it almost falls apart on the plate, adorned with marinated plums for a rich, autumnal flavor.
[HTML_REMOVED] The coulant of Caraibe chocolate (¥58) is a lava cake-like dessert, made fresher and lighter by the very subtle addition of basil. It pairs very well with a glass of Spanish sherry (¥40). Still, we can’t get enough of Agua’s signature torrija (¥48), a creamy dessert we’ve missed deeply in the restaurant’s absence.
[HTML_REMOVED] Already booked full on weekends, it’s clear that Agua is making a splash, and we can’t wait to return.
[HTML_REMOVED] [HTML_REMOVED]Sienna Parulis-Cook[HTML_REMOVED]