Along the west bank of the Hou Hai lakes glows a giant red chop that serves as the entrance marker to Ken de Rouge; the four month old fusion restaurant nestled between bars and curio shops. Fusion does not begin to do justice to this beautiful collage of Chinese architecture and Hutong styles nor the menu featuring some very non-Chinese items. When you peruse the list of delicacies and see descriptions like Thai flavored, Hawaiian, New Delhi and ingredients such as avocado, cognac and rosemary you know that this is no ordinary Chinese fair. After one sip of the house special Mao-gerita, you realize anything is possible and sit back and enjoy the show.
Hou Hai is a very unique area that is a must see for every tourist and local to enjoy. The water, the tree lined streets, the cafes all make for a very pleasant environment for a Sunday afternoon or a nice romantic getaway from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets.
With many establishments catering to every taste it can be difficult to stand out from the crowd, however Ken de Rouge does a great job. The vibrant and large chop gleaming across the water is hard to miss and the owners have done an excellent job directing you with strategically placed signage along the outskirts of the Hou Hai area to guide you in. Once you come upon the restaurant you cannot help but wander in. The décor is the brain child of an Italian designer with an obvious passion for Chinese textures and a deep love of geometric skews and shapes. Snippets of bamboo poles, sections of beautiful stone walls and wonderfully polished metal bits break down the elements of the city into beautiful vignettes of texture. You catch yourself wanting to run around and touch everything, feel the walls and explore all the private rooms. The location good not be better situated in the middle of the west bank bend giving you an unobstructed view of the water – a real treat when the rooftop area is in full swing.