Chengfu Banquet is probably the best place to experience a state banquet outside of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse, and it is also one of the four high-end private dishes in Beijing. Cheng Ruming, a national treasure, has served as the chef of state banquets for decades, and his skills have won the trust of several top national leaders.
The state banquet is not as extravagant and luxurious as many people think. The state banquet is based on Huaiyang cuisine, because of its ordinary, extensive, light and delicious, soft and tender taste, and complex and delicate process, which can meet the needs of middle-aged and elderly people, foreign guests, and halal people in the banquet. The state banquet also integrates folk snacks and famous dishes from various countries, and combines Chinese and Western tastes, among which Yangzhou lion head, Fujian cuisine Buddha jumping over the wall, stuffy pot Sanbao duck and so on are the representative dishes of the state banquet.
The original menu of the Cheng Mansion Banquet was drawn up by Cheng Ruming and included the important dishes he had accumulated during his lifetime. Among them, Mao's braised pork made for Chairman Mao Zedong in the early years, and Marshal shrimp created for Marshal Montgomery have been passed down as good stories, and many diners have made a special trip here to satisfy the feelings of tasting the chairman's dishes, not only for a bite of deliciousness.
Because of his apprenticeship experience, Western food is also Cheng Ruming's specialty, and there are many Western dishes unique to Cheng Fu on the menu, and the taste is highly praised by diners.
Chengfu banquet does not accept a la carte, charging per person, respectively 1080 yuan, 1380 yuan, 1680 yuan per person, and the menu of more than 2,000 yuan per person is not open to the public. The menu follows the state banquet ceremony, with four fresh fruits, four dried fruits, four flavor plates, and butter bread, these dishes taste good, but they are more used to "watch the dishes", and they look lively and sumptuous when put on the table. The menu at each price point is 13 dishes, covering side dishes, starters, main dishes, main courses and desserts, and Cheng Fu also sets up a big banquet set (1,310 yuan) and a small state banquet set (588 yuan) on the group buying website. The small state banquet set is slightly simpler, without four-flavor dishes and butter bread.
Cheng's chef used to be Cheng Ruming's apprentice, and now he is still working as the head chef in Zhongnanhai (name not to be disclosed), and the taste is guaranteed. In terms of dish collocation and taste, there is no high or low grade of set meals at different prices, and there are the same dishes such as Chengfu silver chrysanthemum soup, spice soup, and Chengfu State Banquet Nine Items Cold Plate, and they also have their own special dishes, and the difference in price mostly comes from the ingredients. For example, Marshal shrimp and Mao's braised pork, the two eye-catching dishes, are set in the set menu of 1080 and 1380 yuan respectively. Mao's braised pork is characterized by the use of brown sugar instead of soy sauce to color, the taste is soft and glutinous and sweet, and Marshal shrimp is a thin slice of prawn meat, rolled with cheese, wrapped in egg breadcrumbs and fried, the taste may not be impressive, but for the guests who come for these two dishes, you can make a reference before ordering.
The meat dishes of Chengfu Banquet are also handled very well, and the beef is especially praiseworthy. The taste of Chengfu secret sauce roast beef, fruit wood beef filet, and Chengfu state banquet beef retains the characteristics of the state banquet, and the taste is very soft and tender. Even the cheapest group purchase package of 588 yuan also appears in the Spanish 5J ham cold head plate, 5J ham is made with the highest grade of Jamón ibérico de bellota acorn black hoof pork hind leg in Spain, fat and thin, the fat is crystal clear, and melts in the mouth. This cold dish also appears in well-known restaurants such as Da Dong and Sureño, although the honeydew melon is slightly ordinary, but Cheng Fu skillfully cut the melon into cubes, and the flesh not only neutralizes the saltiness of the ham, but also does not rob the flavor. If the budget is not sufficient, choose this group purchase package, and you can basically appreciate the style of Chengfu's dishes.
The tableware is also set to the tableware and ceremony of the state banquet, with a total of two pairs of knives and forks, a pair of chopsticks, and a pair of spoons. Mackerel porcelain covers, ruyi chopstick rests, and mouth-adjusting spoon porcelain are all very chic.
Cheng's house is next to Zhongnanhai, the red gate is very low-key, only the house number, no restaurant plaque, as soon as you enter the door, you will see the portrait of Chairman Mao, as well as the introduction of Cheng Ruming's life. The small courtyard is more than ten square meters, there are no scattered seats, and the three private rooms are set up with 3, 8 and 12 seats respectively, and the style in the private rooms is simple and generous.
The reception is very meticulous and standardized, each dish will explain the name and characteristics of the dish in detail, and the water is very timely and detached, which is worthy of a 15% service charge.
Private room reservations are usually made 2 to 3 days in advance.
