Molecular gastronomy—the culinary art of combining cooking and science—has been quietly sneaking into Beijing’s food scene, and it looks like it’s here to stay. Starting August 23, Raffles’ Jaan will even host godfather of molecular gastronomy Ferran Adria, along with molecular magician Chef Dani Garcia. When it comes to food, I’m a traditionalist. But that doesn’t mean I won’t try or appreciate new things, so I set out to discover Beijing’s molecular cuisine.

Migas is one restaurant that truly embraces the molecular, and their guest chef Txema Martinez offers rooftop molecular dining this summer. The air baguettes with Iberian ham (¥120) look stunning, with thin slabs of shiny meat hanging like elegant curtains from a hollow bread stick. But besides the nutty-flavored ham, the dish didn’t taste extraordinary, and the molecular elements appeared to be only for show.

But Chef Txema assured me that molecular gastronomy isn’t totally removed from familiar flavors: “[It’s] about understanding the nature of each ingredient and application of technique to each component. You cannot make molecular cuisine if you do not understand traditional cuisine.” His escabeche-style mussels and clams (¥60) prove that molecular gastronomy doesn’t just change the look of a dish but the actual essence of its flavors. The salsa poured on top first gives off a sour taste, then sweet, then fiery hot—all in one bite. The “savory moment cups” (¥48) are more of the wacky scientist stuff, featuring fun potions and interesting flavor combinations.

Ssam’s chef and owner Andrew Ahn has some dishes on his menu that have really changed my views on both molecular and Korean cuisine. “My focus on molecular dishes is first the taste, then the presentation,” he explains. “It’s imperative for me to move and develop the dishes on my menu, so there is no real end goal with my molecular menu items, but it’s more of a process.”

Recently, Ahn has taken Ssam’s beef carpaccio (¥52) and transformed it into an elegant amuse bouche. The little balls of congealed soy sauce and sesame oil give an amazing burst of flavor, complemented by the truffle aroma and wrapped up in premium beef. I was skeptical of the white tuna foam atop the kimchi soup (¥38), as I feel that some chefs just add fancy foams to make a normal dish molecular. But the jiggae still had a hearty taste, and the soup’s progression of flavors ended with a hint of white tuna zest.

Molecular gastronomy was fun to explore. Though I’m still a simple girl at heart, I’m now more inclined to experiment with the city’s molecular attractions.

DETAILS

What: Molecular Gastronomy with Ferran Adria and Dani Garcia

Where: Jaan

When: Tue, Aug 23-Fri, Aug 26

Tel: 8500-4331