Aleia

The Room

Aleia is the Spanish entry in the Metropolitan Oriental Plaza Michelin cluster. A modern Spanish grill restaurant with one Michelin star, specialising in the Galician and Basque grilling traditions applied to both imported and Chinese ingredients. The concept is explicit: this is the first serious Spanish fine-dining restaurant in inland China, and the mission is to argue that Spanish cuisine deserves the same recognition in China as French and Italian.

The signature dish is grilled octopus. The Galician pulpo a feira reinterpreted with Chinese Sichuan pepper and smoked paprika. And the restaurant's Josper charcoal grill produces a suckling pig that reviewers have called the best Iberian pig preparation in China. The tasting menu runs through tapas-style small plates, a grilled seafood progression, the suckling pig or a grilled lamb course as the main, and a Spanish cheese and dessert progression that borrows from both the traditional and modernist Catalonian traditions.

The room is the most visually modern of the Plaza cluster. Light wood, warm amber lighting, a central grill that is visible from most of the seating. Seating is around sixty; the chef's counter seats twelve facing the grill and is the table to request for food-focused diners. Private rooms for eight to ten are available for business dinners.

The wine list is the deepest Spanish-focused list in inland China. A serious Rioja page, strong representation from Ribera del Duero and Priorat, and a Sherry programme that is unusual in this region and genuinely excellent. Pricing at ¥1,500-2,800 per person with wine places Aleia alongside the other Plaza Michelin rooms. Reservations require two to three weeks' notice.