Colour-Coordinated Dining

Tonight I tried out a newly-opened restaurant in the Sanlitun Village called Element Fresh.

It's contemporary Western food that's supposed to be healthy, and it is.

The menu features a series of salads, sandwiches and seafood, meat and pasta dishes with enticing pictures to boot.

And today being Halloween I thought I'd dine orange.

I tried the butternut squash with penne (58RMB), and it was a good portion cooked home-style, with soft chunks of butternut squash that would have been even better roasted. It came with a handful of hazelnuts, which I wasn't too crazy about. Pine nuts would have been an improvement, as the hazelnuts were too crunchy for this soft textured dish.

There are also a series of fresh juice combinations and smoothies, but I opted for the carrot/orange juice (26RMB) that hit the spot and my vitamin C quota for the day.

The ambience in the restaurant is on the dark side, but good for casual dining with friends. Other mains can run up to 148RMB.

The girl sitting at the next table ordered a salad and it was a giant plate piled high with green leaves. Maybe she's detoxing.

It's a pity there aren't any soups in this place, which would be a good starter. Also, while diners get bread plates, no bread is served as you wait for your dishes to arrive.

Nevertheless service is not bad and worth another visit.

Element Fresh
The Village at Sanlitun
833 No. 8 Building
19 South Sanlitun Street
Chaoyang District

6417 1318