Le Faroy: French food and drink for the masses

The menu at Le Faroy is a shocker, and for once, it's not because of exorbitant prices. Instead, with pains aux piments for 6 yuan, muffins for 8, tapas for 28, one wonders if this French style café and restaurant, opened in late November, truly is an authentic western establishment.

Boss Liu Jianzhong explains: "We mainly target the middle-and-low income market, providing a French-style deli and wines imported from France. Even people on a monthly income of 2,000 to 3,000 yuan can afford it."

Le Faroy's entrance hall is filled with occupied wooden wine racks. Fake grapevines climb along trellises in the wine cellar, and a table is buried under bottles, glasses and baskets. This could look terribly kitschy, but the way it's been executed, the scene is a vivid, if somewhat stereotypical vision of France.

Liu said when he traveled in Paris, he came across a Chinese restaurant with very authentic flavor. Although quite small, it had drawn many Chinese student and worker customers. "It inspired me. People living abroad usually long for the true flavors of their homeland and people with whom they can talk about matters of home," Liu said. Hence, in Le Faroy, they strive to provide a bit of French hominess in China. In the meantime, Chinese people have the chance to taste French cuisine and wine at reasonable prices. Foreign guests can read domestic newspapers, and in the near future, satellite TV will play French and English channels.

The main dining hall, has three private compartments and a spacious open dining than can seat 300, but so far, despite the appealing environment, customers are few. "We just opened last month. Usually not even up a third of the seats are filled at meal times," executive manager Shi Yaoqiang told Lifestyle.

Le Faroy's most striking highlight must be the dozens of imported French wines, with prices ranging from 49 yuan per bottle for Dom du Claouset AOC Bx Rose 2008 to 529 yuan for a bottle of Claude Chatelier Cognac Excellence. Most wines are several hundred yuan each.

"All the wines are from Bordeaux, France, and sold at two-thirds the price of other bars in Beijing," Shi said. "What we stick to is the mass market, hoping that cheap prices bring us more customers," he added.

Beyond wine, Le Faroy cocktails, liqueurs and beer, with most at about twenty yuan per glass.

To emphasize the French flavor, they have hired an experienced French chef, Rastello Frederic, to take charge of the kitchen. A taste of his savarin (a cake soaked in a sweet liqueur concoction) with the romantic Chinese name chuliandeganjue (Taste of First Love), is worth a visit all on its own.

Events and promotions

People can pay 5 yuan for a membership card or pay a 500 yuan deposit and receive a free membership card. People who visit Le Faroy more than 10 times or spend more than 500 yuan in one month are entered into a lucky draw activity for a free 7-day France chateau tour. Every month, there are four lucky guests (two men and two women) chosen. The lucky draw takes place at 8:30 pm on the last Saturday of every month. Customers may also win gifts such as a bottle of French wine. The next lucky draw date is January 30. We strongly recommend you get down there and support this noble enterprise!

Address: R 301 Longbo Plaza, No. 16 East Third Ring Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东三环16号隆博广场301室
Tel: 6595-9907
www.lefaroy.com