Beijing Food Tour: Chef Li Wenlong and his high-end Japanese Omakase

By Zhang Andi, Wang Ruoxin, Gu Siyu, and Zhang Junye

Sushi Ryu, located in Maizidian community alongside the Liangma River, was one of the most famous exquisite Japanese restaurants in Beijing. Omakase, literally meaning ‘I’ll leave it up to you’, is used to describe the procedure where the chef decides the ingredients, cooking methods, and taste, and serve them to the customers. The chef would ask for the customers’ preferences and allergies in advance to adjust the menu, he or she would also take the time and season into consideration to add seasonal specialties to the course.

Li Wenlong, the head chef and co-founder of Sushi Ryu, learned Japanese cuisine in Hong Kong in his early career, before he came to Beijing and worked for a prestigious Japanese restaurant in the Workers’ Stadium area in 2016. In 2018, Li and his friend opened Sushi Ryu, a high-end Omasake restaurant, which was pioneering in its kind back then.

On our trip to find authentic International food in Chaoyang District, Beijing, Sushi Ryu is a stop we cannot miss. Sushi Ryu is selected by the 2022 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide by Meituan, and awarded a one-star restaurant.

Check out the video to hear what Chef Li has to say about opening an Omakase restaurant in Beijing, and how Sushi Ryu and the community embrace and improve each other.