Get Running & Train: HeyRunning Spring Camp 2012

This past Sunday, I joined Heyrobics for their monthly People’s Run in Chaoyang Park.  Running 5K total, they took us all through Chaoyang Park, stopping only for interval strengthening exercises like arm lifts, push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, etc.) My first major work-out of 2012, I have literally been so sore that my legs haven’t been working the past two days.

But this is just a taste of how effective Heyrobics and HeyRunning work-outs are. With an upcoming 10K run for the Northface 100 Challenge and a half marathon in June with the Genghis Khan Festival in Inner Mongolia, I’m convinced that the best way to prepare for both races is with the aid of HeyRunning!

Once again, they are hosting their annual HeyRunning Spring Camp in just a few weeks!  Starting March 11, 2012, they just opened registration this past Sunday, Feb. 26.  Don’t wait to sign up because the first 50 slots get to sign up for discounted price of RMB 500 (normal price is RMB 700) for 10 weeks of non-stop running training with at least two sessions every week and personalized coaching from running pros (yes, I consider the HeyRunning team to consist of an elite team of running coaches)!

And Heyrobics Founder Linus Holmsäter said that last year, the 50 slots sold out in just 7 days, so hurry before this deal runs out! To sign up, just email heyrunning@heyrobics.com with your name, age, contact info and goals of signing up for this running camp (training for a marathon or just joining to get fit?)

LDS Hook-Up: Free Slow Boat Craft Beer at Home Plate

Slow Boat’s last Craft Beer Night at Home Plate Bar-B-Que

Last week, Slow Boat hosted a very successful pop-up craft beer night at Grinders (see LDS post here).

This Thursday, March 1, their next event will be back at Home Plate Bar-B-Que, where Slow Boat will be releasing the first of twelve seasonal beers of the year!

Introducing their American Porter, here’s what the Slow Boat guys had to say about their new beer:

“Medium Bodied, with a creamy mouth feel, this Porter is uncharacteristically easy to drink.  Roasted malts are balanced with some up-front hop kick for a distinctive flavor.  Reminiscent of its Old world cousin only (in our humble opinion) much better.  This is not your normal Porter!” 

Not only will Slow Boat founders Chandler Jurinka and Daniel Hebert be present to introduce their new beer child, they will also be serving plenty of pints of their American Pale Ale and Pacific Northwest Red Ale.

Slow Boat Founder Chandler Jurinka Busy Pouring Pints

Already a huge fan of Home Plate (see here for my previous LDS review), I’ll take any excuse to return for some more of that pulled pork goodness! If you’ve been to Home Plate, you know what I’m talking about, but they also have a great range of menu items that go hand-in-hand with some nice American craft beers.  Burgers, Ribs, Brisket and all that barbeque meat is just begging for some quality craft beer to quench your thirst. 

Here’s what Slow Boat founder Chandler Jurinka had to say about beer and grub pairing at Home Plate:

“My favorites are the pulled pork sandwich and the coleslaw but I’ve also tried the beef brisket sandwich, buffalo wings, ribs and rib tips.  Spicy dishes go well with our American Pale Ale, the Red Ale goes with just about anything and the Porter goes best with meat (although I believe it goes with most anything like the red but the color makes most folks think that it must only go with meat or heavier dishes).” - Chandler Jurinka, Founder of Slow Boat Brewery

To get yourself hooked up with a FREE pint of Slow Boat’s craft beer, just see below.

LDS HOOK-UP

Thanks to Chandler Jurinka, one of the two founders of Slow Boat Brewery, a few lucky LDS readers will get the chance to win FREE craft beer at their upcoming Slow Boat Brewery event at Home Plate Bar-B-Que.

For your chance to win FREE CRAFT BEER at Slow Boat Brewery’s next event, answer the following question in the comment section:

From among the 3 craft beers on tap at Home Plate (American Pale Ale, Pacific Northwest Red Ale, and American Porter), which menu items do you think would go best with each beer? 

To answer, click here and scroll down to comment section.  Be sure to leave your email address so I contact the winner directly!

Deadline is Wednesday, February 29 at 6PM.

Event Details:

• Date: Thursday, March 1
• Time: Starts at 7PM
• Location: Home Plate Bar-B-Que
• Address: Go down alleyway behind Kro’s Nest on XiaoYun Lu and turn left on food street to Home Plate, 35 Xiaoyun Lu courtyard, 朝阳区霄云路35号院（Kro’s Nest后面200米）远洋新干线美食步行街; Tel: 5128 5584

Baihe/Lily’s Vegetarian 百合素食: Fake Meat Frenzy

Baihe Vegetarian Restaurant 百合素食 feels like a very authentic vegetarian restaurant…but is it really?

From the minute you walk in, you are greeted by incredibly friendly staff who bring you inside their restaurant reception, down corridors, through various sized rooms to accommodate both big and small dining groups until you maze into their intimate dining tables furthest inside, just next to a Chinese courtyard.  A lovely touch about Baihe are the green trees and plants all over the restaurant, Buddhist images, high shelves filled with books and traditional Chinese scriptures written along the walls.  By the reception, they even have shelves and a table displayed of various “Organic Products” which looked like a collection of various herbs, spices and bath products. I just had a quick look so I can’t be entirely sure what they were selling.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Baihe Vegetarian Restaurant 百合素食:

But where Baihe Vegetarian Restaurant fails is a similar problem that plagues many other vegetarian and vegan restaurants in Beijing: a menu full of fake meat!  I’m not sure the draw of eating a Beijing duck made out of tofu.  It’s as if the menu was designed for newly-turned vegetarians who are going through meat withdrawal.

I am obviously not a vegetarian, but knowing the nutritional benefits of eating more veggies, I try to incorporate more greens into my regular diet.  So a vegetarian restaurant seems the natural choice, but then the menu is full of fake meat.  Where are all the greens? Where are all the green veggie dishes not trying to pretend they are something they’re not? I managed to pick my way through their menu, picking out what “normal” veggie dishes I could.  My foodie friend and I agreed – no fake meat please!

Highlights of our meal were the Braised Bamboo Shoots (RMB 25), Nuts Soup (RMB 28) and Radish Cake (RMB 22).

To our disappointment, the Hunan Style Eggplant in Casserole (RMB 36) was way too salty and saucy for our taste. The green and orange colored Jiaozi looked cool, but were quite bland and nothing special. I’ve definitely had better vegetarian dumplings elsewhere – (click here for previous LDS review of Bao Yuan Dumpling House 宝源饺子屋 on Maizidian and  Xian Lao Man 馅老满 on Andingmennei dajie.)

LumDimSum Snapshots of Baihe Vegetarian Dishes: 

Braised Bamboo Shoots (RMB 25) / Natural Fungus in Flavored Dressing (RMB 22)

‘Green Vegetebles in Bow’ Soup (RMB 28) / ‘Nuts’ Soup (RMB 28)

Hunan Style Eggplant in Casserole (RMB 36) / Gold & Green Vegetable Dumplings (RMB 20 for small)

Radish Cake (RMB 22)

We came to Baihe with our health in mind and didn’t feel like it was a mission accomplished. Next time, if I were to return, I would just order from their veggies page in the back of their menu (but also similar to what’s offered at all other Chinese restaurants).   Overall, it was a nice experience, but food came out quite slow, service was very slow (considering we were 1 of 3 tables in their entire restaurant) and

Review of Baihe Vegetarian Restaurant 百合素食: Off Dongzhimen Nei Bei Xiaojie, 23 Caoyuan Hutong 东直门内北小街草原胡同甲23号, Tel: 6405 2082

Best Part:

• Lovely “vegetarian” vibe with Buddhist scriptures, statues and books all over restaurant and shelves full of “organic products” for sale 
• The perfect place for newly turned vegetarians going through meat withdrawal – the menu is full of fake meat, fake fish and all the staple Chinese dishes but entirely vegetarian.
• Very reasonable prices
• Nice, simple decor with different rooms to accommodate dining parties of all sizes 
• They have a menu full of pictures and English, making ordering simple enough. 
• Staff was friendly and they win major points because the guy outside who greets customers as they walk in, noticed that the chain on my bicycle fell off and got down on his hands and knees to fix it without me even asking!  That was very unexpected and very kind of him.  If I could base my whole “service rating” on this kind, young man, I would give a 10 out of 10, but with our waitress in consideration, I have to give a lower score.

Comments:

• Why oh why do all “vegetarian” restaurants pack their menus full of fake meat as opposed to more stir-fry veggie dishes, or salads or just dishes not pretending to have fake meat or fish. Even Veggie Table – “Beijing’s Vegan Center” has a menu full of fake meat from burgers to chili. 
• But if you are into eating fake, imitation meat, then I hear their imitation Chicken Wings and Sweet & Sour Pork are worth a try. I guess for the novelty of it, should be interesting more than anything else! 
• Their Chinese name is Baihe, but they are also called Lily Vegetarian Restaurant. 

Rating: (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best)

• Food: 5
• Atmosphere: 7
• Service: 7
• Overall Experience: 6 

Run Harrowthon 2012 & Fund Two Baby Operations

Harrow International School Beijing is partnering up with The Hutong Team to put on a 10k Fun Run on March 18, 2012 (their 3rd Annual Harrowthon) to fund surgeries for two babies at Feng Tai Orphanage.

With a goal of raising RMB 50,000, they hope raise enough funds to give two babies life changing operations.

“Zhao Chang Hao is a 3 month old baby suffering from a cleft lip and cleft palette. Chang Hao is hoping to have his first surgery in March and a further operation six months later to solve both problems. His operations will cost 10,000RMB.”

“Zhao Pu Si is a 13 month old baby girl. She has hydrocephalus, also known as “water in the brain”. The condition is caused by a build up of spinal fluid in the brain and can cause increased pressure inside the skull and progressive enlargement of the head, convulsion, tunnel vision, and mental disability. Hydrocephalus can also cause death. Zhao Pu Si’s operation will cost 40,000RMB to remove the fluid from the brain and allow her to live a healthy life.” – Harrow International School

Race will take place at Harrow International School Beijing Lower School in Grassetown at 10AM.  Click here for SIGN UP FORM.

With a minimum age requirement of 11, expect runners of all ages and skills including Harrow’s students and faculty. Fee for Participating Adults is RMB 100 and for those Under 18, the fee is RMB 50.

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, March 18, 2012
• Time: 10AM-Noon
• Location: Harrow International School Beijing Lower School in Grassetown
• Sign Up: Click here.

Back for Comfort: Chef Too’s Weekend Brunch

Last year, there was a point I when my friends and I were going to Chef Too for brunch every Sunday for months.  Chef Too was our Sunday tradition.  I’m not sure what changed, but after a few months in a row (of literally going every Sunday), we just stopped going back.  Probably because some of our gang went on holiday or maybe I’m also partly to blame because I wanted to start going to more of a variety of restaurants, I saw an opportunity to gain LDS material (I know, so selfish!).

So when I went back to Chef Too last weekend (after almost a year break), it was such a comforting experience. They had updated their menu slightly, added a few new dishes, removed a few older ones, but generally it was just as I remember it.  Always pretty busy on weekends, we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, but it was worth the wait.

There is nothing particularly exciting about Chef Too, but it’s just consistently good, hearty American food and great service.  A bonus is that most all of their staff speak English and some are Filipino, so they speak practically perfect English.

And whether you see this as a positive or negative thing, you definitely feel like you’re walking into your grandmother’s house when you eat at Chef Too.  It feels very much like a home more than a restaurant or diner.

When I used to come more regularly last year, I used to always order their ginormous Cobb Salad, California Omelette or Eggs Sardou with creamed spinach and an artichoke bottom. Click here for my previous LDS Review of Chef Too.  But this time around, I wanted to try one of their new dishes so I went for one of the most expensive items on their menu – Chef Too’s “Eggs Gin Lane” (RMB 148) – Eggs Benedict with imported crab salad and a side of creamed spinach and buttered vegetables.  While the eggs benedict was amazing with the crab, I was disappointed with the mini portion of buttered vegetables – I literally got two pieces of carrot and two pieces of broccoli.  RMB 148 is a little pricey, but it was super tasty and I’d probably order it again.

Chef Too’s “Eggs Gin Lane” (RMB 148)

My brunch buddy was ravenous by the time we sat down to eat so he went for the “Steak and Eggs” combo (RMB 138).  Two eggs any style you like – we agreed on poached eggs, a slab of steak and for sides – hashbrowns and buttered vegetables.  Unfortunately, the steak was a bit smaller than expected and it seemed the portion was not as big as he had hoped. Same story with the vegetables- two small pieces of carrots and broccoli and hashbrowns were more like potato chunks.

Chef Too’s Steak & Eggs (RMB 138)

There’s always room for dessert, so we each picked one – NYC Cheesecake with blueberries and their Apple Pie a la mode with homemade vanilla ice cream. All the desserts on their menu was RMB 38, with the exception of their Waffle platter, which I am dying to order one day.  The apple pie was the highlight of our meal – it was perfect. Served hot, the crust was crispy and the warm apple inside was tasty and gooey. But after a bite of the apple pie, we went in for a bite of the NYC Cheesecake.  While it looks creamy and perfect, it actually tasted like nothing.  We kept taking bites because we weren’t getting any flavor. And it was not creamy, but the consistency was more fluffy and more similar to cake than cheesecake.  I probably wouldn’t order the cheesecake again, but the apple pie was a delight.

 Chef Too’s NYC Cheesecake (RMB 38)

Chef Too’s Apple Pie a la Mode

Check out:

LumDimSum’s Weekend Brunch at Chef Too

Chef Too’s Contact Details:

• Address: Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu, 朝阳公园西路枣营南里小区东门南 

• Tel: 6591-8676

Til March 13: Dish Out Votes On Restaurant Favorites

theBeijinger.com has just launched their 9th Reader Restaurant Awards and you can cast your vote now until March 13, 2012, so get it all out on the table and start giving props to all the restaurants in Beijing you love and frequent most. 

There’s over 250 worthy Beijing restaurants nominated in 50 categories on this year’s ballot, so let the voting begin!

theBeijinger’s Reader Restaurant Categories include:

• Best Burger

• Best Indian/Pakistani

• Best Mexican/Tex Mex

• Best Italian (Affordable & High-End)

• Best Russian

• Best American

• Best Spanish

• Best Thai

• Best Japanese

• Best Vietnamese

• Best Korean

• Best Dumplings

• Best Yunnan

• Best Xinjiang

• Best Provincial Government Restaurant

• Best Beijing Duck

• Best Dim Sum

• Restaurant Personality of the Year

• Best Decor (Chinese & Non-Chinese)

• Best Pizza

• Best Sandwiches

• Best Steak (Hotel & Standalone)

• Best for Impressing Visitors (Non-Chinese & Chinese)

• Best Place for a Celebration

• Best Late Night Dining

• Best Business Lunch

• Best Hotel Brunch

• Best Brunch (standalone)

• Best Family Friendly Restaurant

• Best Value for Money

• Best Cafe

• Best Bread

• Best Salads

• Best Vegetarian

• Best Wine List

• Best French

• Best Middle Eastern

• Best Dinner Entertainment

• Best for a Romantic Meal

• Best Outdoor Dining

• Best Service (Non-Chinese and Chinese)

• Best New Restaurant (Chinese and Non-Chinese)

• Restaurant of the Year (Chinese and Non-Chinese)

I was quite surprised to see the wide range of list of “Best New Non-Chinese Restaurants” (list of 12 restaurants!).  From a cute, delivery Japanese restaurant like Obentos to specialized restaurants like Home Plate Bar-b-que and The Vine Leaf, all the way to high-end hotel restaurants like S.TA.Y or Temple Restaurant Beijing, doesn’t really seem fair to put these restaurants together in one category.

List of ‘Best New Non-Chinese Restaurants’ to Choose From:

*Hatsune Restaurant Group was Nominated for:

• Restaurant Personality of the Year (Alan Wong of the Hatsune Restaurant Group)

• Best Decor (Hatsune Sanlitun)

• Best for Impressing Visitors (Kagen) 

• Best Japanese (Hatsune)

• Best Business Lunch (Hatsune) 

• Best Non-Chinese Restaurant of the Year (Hatsune) 

Click here to vote!

Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆: Beijing’s Best Bibimbap

‘Bibimbap’ is an awesome word. What’s more fun than saying ‘Bibimbap’ five times as fast as you can is eating Bibimbap at Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆 Korean Restaurant, home of Beijing’s very best bibimbap!

I have actually eaten at Saveurs de Corée ages ago when it was still located on Nanluoguxiang and remember loving their rooftop terrace and thinking the food was decent, but overpriced.

Fast-forward like 5 years and I am now kicking myself for not coming back sooner!  Was Saveurs de Corée always as good as it is today?!? If so, why didn’t someone drag my butt here sooner?? Now, thanks to Sarah Keenlyside, city expert and founder of Bespoke Beijing travel and events company, I have finally discovered Beijing’s best bibimbap, I seriously plan to come here at least once a week.

The restaurant is now split into two venues – a Korean Grill Restaurant on Xiang Er’s and Korean Patio Gourmet at Ju Er Hutong (both located just about a block away from one another). I haven’t been to the Grill, but the Patio Gourmet is a really elegant, beautiful venue and the food is excellent and I love that the menu is filled with words like “organic” and “NO MSG”.

While many of the dishes may seem a bit pricey, they have some fantastic deals including the Chef’s Classic Set (RMB 59) which includes assorted Korean appetizers, Dubu Buchim – crispy, sauteed tofu with special Korean onion sauce, their Classic Dulsot-Bibimbap – organic rice with mixed vegetables, minced beef with a raw egg and Korean chili paste in a sizzling stone bowl and Korean traditional cinnamon iced tea. That’s an amazing deal for all that goodness!

Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆 Chef’s Classic Set:

Assorted Korean Appetizers 

Dubu Buchim – crispy, sauteed tofu with special Korean onion sauce

Classic Dulsot-Bibimbap – organic rice with mixed vegetables, minced beef with a raw egg and Korean chili paste in a sizzling stone bowl

What it looks like all stirred up

Korean Traditional Cinnamon Iced Tea

Next time I make a trip to Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆, I’ll be keen to try their Chef’s Tasting Set (RMB 159) which includes assorted Korean appetizers, kimchi jeon – Korean style pizza with homemade kimchi, Japchae – stir-fried sweet potato glass noodles with julienned vegetables, Bulgogi – grilled premium beef with lettuce OR Gochujang daejigogi – Grilled pork shred marinated in Korean chili paste, Korean signature soyabean paste soup with vegetables, mushrooms, seafood and tofu with organic rice and Korean traditional cinnamon tea.

Chef’s Tasting Set (RMB 159)

Delicious bibimbap aside, Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆 is a lovely restaurant set in a hutong courtyard with an open courtyard, which will be perfect during summer time.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆 Korean Restaurant:

The owner is Korean and just so happens to also have a British accent, which is kind of adorable.  He was excellent – really friendly, really helpful and attentive.  Unfortunately, the rest of his staff seems utterly lost and hopeless.  When the owner wasn’t around to tend to us, we found ourselves helping ourselves to our food coming out of the kitchen, our own water refills, extra napkins and everything you’d normally ask of a waitress.  Even just asking for the bill was a 20 minute wait, which is ridiculous because we were one of the only tables in their restaurant.

Overall, in spite of service issues, this place is fantastic and I already can’t wait for my next trip to Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆. I anticipate many future ‘LumDimSum Discovery’ posts featuring more dishes from Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆!

Saveurs de Corée 韩香馆:

KOREAN PATIO GOURMET AT JU ER’S

• Address: 20 Ju Er Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing (Near Nanluogu Xiang’s north end) 
• 菊儿胡同20号
• Tel: +86 10 6401 6083

FINE KOREAN GRILL AT XIANG ER’S

• Address: 128-1, Xiang Er Hutong, Jiaodaokou, Dongcheng District, Beijing (5mins walk from Bei Xin Qiao metro, exit-D)  
• 东城区香饵胡同128-1号
• Tel: +86 10 5741 5753

Capital M’s 2nd Annual Beijing Literary Festival 2012

Last year, Capital M was a bit cheeky in booking their first Literary Festival in Beijing at around the same time as The Bookworm’s annual Literary Festival (click here for this year’s 2012 schedule and ticket information), riding a lot of the wave and momentum of The Bookworm’s legacy for hosting Beijing’s best Literary Festival.  Capital M’s Literary Festival started in Shanghai 10 years ago and this year marks their 10th anniversary in SH and their second annual Literary Festival in Beijing. And with The Bookworm’s festival launching on Friday, March 9th, I’m glad to see that the two festivals will no longer be overlapping this time around.

Capital M’s Literary Festival 2012 will take place from this Saturday, February 25- Wednesday, March 7 with a total of 21 events, welcoming 27 internationally recognized writers and 9 moderators. Although the festival is spread across a week and a half, there are actually only events scheduled on 6 days (with most events taking place on the weekend).

See Capital M’s Literary Festival Itinerary:

A few events I have my eye on include:

• Saturday, February 25 @12:30PM with Cheryl Tan: Sex, Lies & Pineapple Tarts

• Sunday, February 26 @12:30PM with Jan Latta: Adventures in the Wild with Endangered Animals

• Thursday, March 1 @ 6PM with Jeff Fuchs: The Ancient Tea Horse Trail: Travels with the Last of the Himalayan Muleteers

• Saturday, March 3 @3:30PM with The Great Financial Times Debate: Does China’s Rise Spell America’s Decline?

• Wednesday, March 7 @12.30pm LITERARY LUNCH: Ross Garnaut: The Climate Change Review, moderated by Jonathan Watts

Click here for entire festival’s program details.  Click here for individual author’s bios.

Tickets for each of the events is RMB 65, which includes a drink. Children and students get a discounted price of RMB 20 + soft drink.

Capital Literary Festival

• Date: Saturday, February 25 – March 7, 2012

• Programme: For programme, click here or visit the Upcoming Programme section of the website.

• Authors: For author bios, visit the Literary M section of the website.

• Buying Tickets:

• In person at Capital M:  3/F No. 2 Qianmen Pedestrian Street (just south of Tian’anmen Square)

• Online / by phone at Mypiao: www.mypiao.com  or call 400 620 6006

• Shanghai International Literary Festival: For information on the Shanghai Literary Festival (March 2-18), click Shanghai Festival in the Literary M section of the website.

Simply Lovely Luce 路溪 Italian Restaurant on 旧鼓楼大街

Luce Italian Restaurant 路溪 is lovely.  It’s warm, they have a warm ambiance with candles everywhere and the flowing mist from humidifiers is a nice touch. When I dined here last week, the restaurant was busy, but it still felt intimate. The decor is simple and casual, but also elegant and modern at the same time. The service was not especially quick, but they were friendly and accommodating enough.

Jiugulou Dajie 旧鼓楼大街 seems to just get better with time, it’s beyond me why it’s so often overlooked as a more common destination for cafes, bars and restaurants.  Luce is certainly not a new restaurant, but I haven’t heard much about it.  I suppose that’s because there is nothing phenomenal about it, but there also isn’t anything terribly wrong either.  It’s simple, it’s lovely and that’s Luce.

To be perfectly honest, I was immediately impressed the moment I set foot inside.  If you can’t tell from the abundance of photos, I got a little camera-happy and that’s because it’s a really cute restaurant. Nothing elaborate, extravagant or particularly eye-catching, but it’s quaint, clean, unpretentious and kind of perfect for a sweet dinner date.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Luce Italian Restaurant on Jiugulou Dajie 旧鼓楼大街:

Similar to their restaurant decor, their 2-sided menu is also simple and pretty straight-forward.

Printed front and back on a little menu card, they offer a few appetizers, a few salads, pastas, mains and desserts.  Just a few choices in each category, you’re certainly not overwhelmed with choice and enough options so that you’re not wanting more.

As you can see here, prices are reasonable and they even place little red stars next to their dish recommendations.

Luce’s Dinner Menu:

We each picked an appetizer each, two mains and two desserts to share (which was plenty) so we didn’t get to try too many dishes off their menu, but I think I got a sufficient impression of Luce from what I tasted.

For appetizers, we ordered the Mixed Salad with 21 vegetables, fruits and nuts included (RMB 58), which reminded of the ROOMbeijing’s 42-ingredient salad.  Needless to say, ROOM’s 42-ingredient salad kind of wins hands-down, but Luce’s 21-ingredient salad was still a decent salad. My biggest gripe was that it was just a bit of a strange presentation for the salad as I didn’t think the bowl was able to show off all the various ingredients and was difficult to mix up.

The Beef Carpaccio Rolled with Arugula and Pine Nuts (RMB 52) was a pretty big disappointment.  The beef was still frozen through and really, all I could taste was piercing, cold ice in my mouth. We decided it would be best to finish off the mixed salad to give the beef carpaccio time to thaw, but it was just really not good.

Dinner at Luce Italian Restaurant:

Appetizers: 

21 Mixed Vegetable, Fruit and Nut Salad with Honey Vinaigrette Dressing (RMB 58) / Beef Carpaccio Rolled with Arugula and Pine Nuts (RMB 52)

Main course dishes were better than appetizers.  Both the Grilled Chicken wrapped in Parma Ham on a bed of mushrooms (RMB 95) and the Rack of Lamb on a bed of Vegetable Ragu (RMB 118) were tasty and satisfying. Both cooked and prepared as we had asked and portions were appropriate (not leaving us too stuffed, and leaving just enough room for dessert). Next time though, I’d like to try one of their pasta dishes.

Main Course:

Rack of Lamb with Vegetable Ragu (RMB 118) / Grilled Young Chicken Wrapped in Parma Ham (RMB 95)

We had wanted to order the Ricotta Cheesecake with Raspberry Coulis, but they were out so we settled for the Vanilla Crème Brûlée (RMB 28).  It was OK, but not fresh and had clearly been prepared in advance and sitting in a fridge.  It was also a very small portion (served in a very little cup) and not as creamy as crème brûlée ought to be. Luce’s “Chocolate Soup” (RMB 55) is actually just a standard chocolate soufflé or chocolate lava cake. The chocolate was tasty, but it was cooked all the way through (no gooey chocolately center) and also nothing really worth writing home about.

Dessert:

Vanilla Creme Brulee (RMB 28) / Chocolate Soup with Pistachio Ice Cream (RMB 55)

Although Luce is certainly not the best Italian restaurant option in town, I would recommend it as the best option in the Dongcheng district if you are close to Gulou and it certainly boasts attractive views of the Drum and Bell Tower in their upstairs seating and I hear their rooftop terrace is a popular point of destination in the summer months.

Luce is versatile – from a birthday party to a romantic dinner for two, Luce won’t empty your wallet and it’s bound to generally please everyone. They have a great wine selection at very reasonable prices (their house red is an Argentinean Syrah wine at only RMB 200 per bottle) and a decent drink list at their bar.

Other Reviews of Luce Italian Restaurant:

• theBeijinger.com

• CityWeekend

• Localnoodles.com

• Nileguide.com

Review of Luce Italian Restaurant: Just south of Cafe Sambal on Jiugulou: 138 Jiugulou Dajie,旧鼓楼大街; Tel: 8402-4417

Best Part:

• The ambiance of Luce is quaint, simple and lovely. 
• It’s easy to find – just south of Cafe Sambal on Jiugulou Dajie 旧鼓楼大街 and close to an abundance of other cute cafes, bars and restaurants.
• Easy, elegant, down-to-earth Italian restaurant with reasonable prices. 
• Impressive wine selection at great prices. We had their house red – a great Argentinean Syrah at RMB 200 per bottle.
• Their second floor dining area has gorgeous views of Drum and Bell Tower and they have a great rooftop terrace open during the summer months. 

Comments:

• The food is pretty mediocre.  I was quite impressed by the restaurant decor, ambiance and even their menu selection, but all the dishes either were satisfactory or didn’t meet our expectations.  Nothing was really spectacular, nothing we tried made it to the “best in Beijing” category. That being said, it was a lovely dining experience and although I won’t be rushing back, I would be open to going again should the opportunity present itself.
• Service was a bit slow, but they were friendly and accommodating enough.  There was one guy dressed in sweats who I assume was the owner was busy serving customers and quite engaged, but waitress was nowhere to be found during most of our meal. 
• Prices are not cheap, but I think very reasonable and you walk away with a pretty decent meal. 

Rating: (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best)

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 8
• Service: 7
• Overall Experience: 7

Hiking to the Peak of Yang Tai Shan Mountain 阳台山

Yang Tai Shan 阳台山 is a hike I tried once last winter, but only made it halfway up through the snowfall as one hiker fell ill and my shoes were drenched wet trekking through the snow.  We didn’t summit the peak as planned, but the scenery was stunning as it had been snowing all morning and everything was covered in white snow. Click here for photos and previous post of my hike on Yang Tai Shan 阳台山.

This time around, we were lucky to score a perfect hiking day.  Not too hot and (finally) not too cold, there was little wind and hardly any one in sight.

To get there, we took the subway to Beigongmen 北宫门 by the Summer Palace on Line 4 of the subway and then hopped on Bus 346 to Bei An He 北安河 (about 12 stops from Beigongmen). Total transport time is about an hour and a half (considering we met at Liangmaqiao subway station).

From bus stop to the entrance, we found our way by just walking up towards the mountains (which took about 30-40 minutes). Passing through the town, picking up extra water and snacks for the hike, we hopped over some railroad tracks and found our way to the mountain hike’s entrance.

Getting There: Over the Railroad Tracks @ Bei An He 北安河:

Random Statues by the Railroad Tracks

LumDimSum Snapshots of Yang Tai Shan 阳台山 Hike:

The entrance of Yang Tai Shan 阳台山:

We were told the hike would take about 3-4 hours and even with a speedy hike up with barely any breaks and hopping down the mountain twice as fast as we climbed up, the total hike to the peak and back down to the entrance was probably around 3 hours (but 4 hours from bus stop back to bus stop).  The hike was not very steep, but the uphill climb of rocky stairs seemed endless and I have my sore legs to prove it! 

And the Yang Tai Shan 阳台山 Hike Begins Up a Rocky, Cobblestoned Path:

Making our way between giant boulders and up towards the sunlight:

Slowly rising above the pollution with a better view:

Feeling ‘HAPPY’ all the way (It wasn’t me who graffiti’ed on the boulder):

At last we reach the peak:

And treated to a sight for sore eyes:

The view was a nice treat at the top, to rise above the hovering, low-hanging pollution and see the beautiful scenery around us.  On one side, we could see the trail that runs from Fragrant Hills to Summer Palace and the other side was Beijing from a distance.  

Feeling a bit like jello, with legs shaking and barely able to withstand the weight of my own body, we made our way back to Beijing the same way we came, but with a colorful sunset to bid us farewell.

A great hike, I highly recommend it to anyone who likes the great outdoors and wants to get away from the crowds of Beijing.  You’ll hardly run into any other people along the way and the scenery is lovely.  But be forewarned, your legs will turn to jello by the end!

And even a sunset as we say goodbye and return home:

A Night of ‘Pies and Ales’ at The Hutong

I’m very much looking forward to this Pies and Ales Night at The Hutong. You really can’t go wrong in making a night out of a winning combination of meat pies and a tasting of ales!

Thanks to Two Guys and a Pie, I am now totally hooked on meat pies and will prioritize any opportunity to chow down on these little treats. And to pair up these pies with great imported ales and stouts from all over the world only makes this event that much more desirable.

“From the boutique pale ales of north America to the Trappist beers of Belgium to hand crafted stouts of Australia to ‘slightly-warmer-than-you-would-like’ real ales of England, we’ve got your ale odyssey covered.” – The Hutong Team

Try The Hutong’s Tasting of Imported Ales and Stouts

Now back to the pies.

Two Guys and a Pie was started by two Aussies, Matt Wong and Andrew Papas who wanted to bring authentic Aussie meat pies to Beijing and are happy to be introducing their classic “Slow loving Aussie” with 100% pure beef brisket, fried onions in a slow simmered, and homemade beef reduction and their newest pie, “Sweet Tweet Love” stuffed with golden honey soy chicken filling, covered by a bed of sweet potato mash. This is my absolute favorite pie of theirs and I can’t wait to stuff my face with a couple of these!

If you’re keen to get loaded on pies and ales with me, sign up on The Hutong website here.  For RMB 200 (RMB 150 for members of The Hutong), you get a punch card to enjoy two pies and a tasting of six different ales.

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, March 2, 2012
• Time: 7PM-10PM
• Location: The Hutong
• Address: #1 Jiu Dao Wan Zhong Xiang Hutong 东城区九道弯中巷1号
• Contact: info@thehutong.com
• Map & Directions: Click here.

Somewhere Over the Rainbow is Somewhere Cafe

Somewhere Cafe’s Exterior

Somewhere Cafe is actually not over the rainbow, it’s in the little alleyway just south of the corner where Jiaodaokou meets Gulou Dongdajie, but it’s like you step into another world when you walk into this cozy little cafe. It’s brand new, it’s totally unlike any other cafe in the surrounding area, but since it’s just opened, it is still in the process of getting things together.

They have just opened their doors with a limited coffee/tea and beer drink menus written in marker on little cardboard sheets.

Somewhere Cafe Drink Menus

Since we were on our way to dinner, we both settled on a Milk Tea (RMB 18) and a Mixed Milk Tea (RMB 23) with Chocolate Cookie flavoring.  Instead of the sweet Taiwanese milk tea I was expecting, it was really more like an English Tea with a touch of milk and chocolate flavoring for the Mixed Milk Tea. The flavor was light and even though the tea was not impressive by any means, it was a lovely experience, which was of course enhanced by the excellent ambiance of the cafe.

Milk Tea (RMB 18) and Mixed Milk Tea (RMB 23) with Chocolate Cookie Flavoring

The service is friendly and when asked about whether or not they offer any snacks or food, they say that by the end of February this month, they will offer a selection of salads, sandwiches and pizzas.

Our waiter said that the owner of this cafe is Chinese, but the style of the cafe is like something straight out of Europe and even their music selection was surprisingly good!  The same owner is also soon to open up a courtyard cafe on Beiluoguxiang at the end of February 2012.

Stay tuned in the next month for a full review of Somewhere Cafe on LDS!

LumDimSum Snapshots of Somewhere Cafe:

Lounging and Sipping on Tea in Somewhere Cafe

Somewhere Cafe’s Bar

Somewhere Cafe’s Beer Selection

Do a Book | 做一本书 Opening at White Space Gallery

Do a Book Group Exhibition and Installation is a project that has been in the works for years and is finally opening with over 25 talented artists in White Space Gallery in Caochangdi from 3PM-6PM on Saturday, February 18, 2012. The month-long exhibition will be on display until March 18, 2012.

Curated by Katherine Don and George Chang, they say this project “is devoted to exploring the medium of artist books and text-based art works and combines our obsessions with books and art and paper things”.

“After rounding up more than twenty five artists to work with us on this, including some of our all-time favorites, its finally happening. We are really excited to make this show happen, the first of its kind in China, and hope you have a chance to come see it.” – Katherine Don, curator of ‘Do a Book’ Group Exhibition

Here is a taste of what’s to come: 

Tom Bell Hair Sketches (2007) Hair, hand-made paper, vellum 35 x 35 cm / 13 3/4 x 13 3/4 in Unique Photo Credit: Copyright Tom Bell

章 森 George Chang (b. 1973) One After Another (2004) Woodblock printing on paper and silk Box set of 8 small albums 16 x 11.5 x 1 cm 18 x 13 x 6.5 cm (box) Edition of 9

Ain Cocke Penetrating War Stories (2012) Book, Brass .45 Caliber Shel Casing, Rock Sugar, Death Valley Salt, Synthetic Fur from Children’s toy, Ink, Glitter. Size variable. Approximately 25 x 25 x 38 cm / 10 x 10 x 15 in. Unique

So what does all this mean? How are these books made into a medium of art?

“Through a variety of media and processes, the artists’ objects presented in this exhibition highlight the varied interpretations of the book: as a vessel for information or narrative, as an abstract form that transcends function, or as a medium referring to a book’s social role. The juxtaposition of these works created by artists of different backgrounds and from cities around the world provides a starting point for exploring the relationship between text and imagery, and in a broader sense, the role of the book in the arts.”

Some of the artists featured include:

Tom Bell, Lukas Birk,章森 George Chang, 张能杰 Rutherford Chang, 陳龍斌 Chen Longbin, Ain Cocke, 郭鸿蔚 Guo Hongwei, 洪浩 Hong Hao, 黄敏  Huang Min, Ravikumar Kashi, 孔国桥 Kong Guoqiao, 梁志和 Leung Chiwo, 刘任Liu Ren, 马军 Ma Jun, 掉对 Out collective, 庆庆 Qingqing, Kiki Smith, Sarah Sze, Rirkrit Tiravanija, 曾建華 Tsang Kinwah, Heimo Wallner, 王超 Wang Chao, Terry Winters & Ben Marcus, 徐冰 Xu Bing

If you’re keen to check out this exhibition, there’s also plenty other events going on in the Caochangdi area.  Make it an art day and check out other openings in the area including Chambers Fine Art, Alexander Ochs and Pekin Fine Art.

Event Details:

• Opening Date: Saturday, February 18, 2012 from 3PM-6PM
• Exhibition Dates: Feb 18^th  – Mar 18^th ,2012 
• Location: White Space Beijing 空白空间 in Caochangdi
• Address: 北京朝阳区机场辅路,草场地255号 100015, 
• No.255 Caochangdi, Airport Service Road, ChaoYang District, Beijing, 100015
• Tel: +86 10 84562054
• Curated by George Chang (章森) and Katherine Don (唐凯琳)

Chen Longbin陳龍斌(b.1964) Peeper Series 窥视系列 (2009) Used hardcover books with spyglass and model figurines Size variable. Approximately 21.5 x 15 x 5 cm; 21.5 x 15 x 5 cm; 23.3 x 15.5 x 3 cm; 24 x 16.5 x 4 cm; 24 x 16 x 3.5 cm Unique Photo Credit: Copyright Chen Longbin

Valentine’s Day Confessions

I love penguins. They are by far one of the coolest animals that exist on this planet.  And to find a cartoon of a penguin professing his love to another is quite possibly the most adorable thing ever.

If it doesn’t inspire you to follow in suit (who doesn’t love a grandiose love proclamation?!?), I hope that it at least made you chuckle.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!

You Can’t Buy Love, But You Can Buy Dinner: Beijing’s Top Romantic Valentine’s Day Dinners

Love is in the air…or so all Valentine’s Day advocates dreamily proclaim. But if you’re not a fan of all that sappy, lovey-dovey nonsense, just look forward to all the extra chocolates and treats that come along with this holiday!

This holiday gets a bad rap because of all the romantic pressure and unnecessary expectations associated with this day, but regardless of whether or not you are single, why not make the most of this day and take it for what it is. I say, think of this day as an excuse to pamper and treat yourself to a special dinner at one of Beijing’s top restaurants and milk this holiday for all its worth (you just have to bear through it once a year)!

You don’t have to be in love to love to eat good food and sweets!

Happy Valentine’s feasting to all my fellow foodies! 

Valentine’s Day Dinner Break Down: (in alphabetical order)

1. Agua

Chef Jordi has created a passionate, mouth-watering 4-course Spanish meal for two for RMB 488 per person.

RSVP: 5208-6188

2. Black Sesame Kitchen

For Valentine’s Day, Black Sesame Kitchen is hosting a candle-lit, communal dinner featuring ten aphrodisiac-inspired dishes and free-flow Jeio prosecco along with their standard selection of red and white wine. With only 20 seats available, RSVP with them early! Dinner is RMB 500 per guest.

RSVP: 136-9147-4408 or email blacksesamekitchen@gmail.com

BSK’s Communal V-Day Dinner

Pan Fried Pork and Fennel Dumplings
Fried Shiitake and Coriander Stir-fry
Pine Nut and Beef Stirfry
Yuxiang Eggplant
Garlic Asparagus
Red Braised Pork Belly
Snow Pea and Chinese Bacon
Wok-Fried Bamboo Shoots
Cashew Kungpao Chicken
Candied Bananas and Ice Cream

3. Capital M

“A sensuous, sumptuous Valentine’s dinner, our roaring fireplaces, and a breathtaking view of Beijing ~ all the ingredients to create a perfect Valentine’s evening.”

What is more impressive than Capital M’s romantic ambiance?  The 7-course line-up of treats to spoil love birds who also happen to be foodies! Check out the meal below (wine pairing list to supplement each course) -

Capital M’s ‘Love on the Square’ Valentine’s Dinner

~ From Scandinavia with Love ~

house-cured ‘Gravlax’ with sweet mustard sauce

and M’ ‘s own hot-smoked salmon with sharp horseradish cream

Loire Sauvignon Blanc Henri Bourgeois 2009 Loire Valley

**

~Lovebirds in a rich Consommé with black truffle tortellini~

Rosé Pinot Noir Yering Station 2008 Yarra Valley

**

~Luscious Turbot Fillets~

 sitting on a saffron & champagne sabayon

Bourgogne Chardonnay Vincent Girardin 2009 Burgundy

**

A Seductive Thyme & Lime Sorbet with a dash of Campari

**

~  Sweetheart Beef Wellington ~

Best fillet of beef wrapped in pastry with duxelles and foie gras, served with creamy zucchini gratin, crisp potato galette and confit’d vine tomatoes

Shiraz Leeuwin Estate ‘Siblings’ 2008 Margaret River

**

~”Folie-a-Deux” ~ Baked Alaska Flambé~

served with a pot of warm red berries

Château La Grave Sainte-Croix du Mont 2005 Bordeaux

**

Petit Fours ~ Sweet Treats for my Valentine

RMB 688 per person (With wine pairing add RMB 388 per person)

RSVP:  6702-2727, reservations@capital-m-beijing.com

4. Gung Ho!’s Heart Pizza

To celebrate this most romantic of holidays, Pizza Genius John O is literally giving you his heart (-shaped pizza combo) for RMB 198. Available from February 6th to the 19th and now you can order online!  They are also entering everyone who grabs a combo into their special Valentines draw for a chance to win some great prizes!

RSVP: • Lido GHP HQ: 5135 8557 /Sanlitun Branch: 8587 1404 / 8587 1370  or email: johnandjade@gunghopizza.com

GHP’s Heart Shaped Combo 198rmb:

One Large Heart Shaped Pizza (any kind)

One medium “Our Fave” salad

Cheese balls

Four Egg Tarts

Two “Cool Drinks”

5. Lollipop Bakery

Is it possible to love someone more than cupcakes?  I should hope so!  Show your Valentine how much you care with these cupcakes by Lollipop Bakery.  RMB 340 per dozen.

To Order: Call 13552772683 or email Cupcakes@LollipopBakery.cn 

6. Migas

“Chef Aitor Olabegoya has prepared an 8-course menu that is sure to sweep you both of you of your feet.”

Migas’ 8-course Valentine’s Day dinner menu for two is set at RMB 700, which includes two glasses of Mumm Champagne. Migas will also be offering discounts on bottles of Arzuaga wines.

RSVP: 5208 6061

7. Modo

“Share the love” over Chef Daniel’s 4-course Valentine’s Day dinner. RMB 380 per person.

RSVP: 6415-7207

8. Mosto 

Chef Daniel at Mosto has designed a very special “Be My Valentine” dinner at RMB 420 per person.

RSVP: 5208-6030

9. Obentos

If you’re having a V-Day dinner in, Obentos will also be a great option with a discount on bento boxes ordered after 6PM and two free desserts included! Try their chocolate tofu, it’s my favorite.

To Order: Call 6597 0085 / 6597 0223, www.obentos.com

 10. Pie House

Just looking to satisfy your sweet tooth with some seriously delicious desserts? These cakes looks phenomenal.

I’m seriously tempted to order their Strawberry Cheese Mousse Cake and eat it myself. This cake is RMB 169 for 6 inch cake. Or you can also order their “Berry Romantic Gift Box” for RMB 189 (includes both strawberry and raspberry mousses in heart-shaped cakes). Available from Feb. 12-15.

To Order: www.piehouse.com.cn  or call 010-51664464 (free delivery within 5th Ring Road)

11. SALT

SALT has designed a romantic 4-course Valentine’s Day Dinner for RMB 428 which includes a Rossini Cocktail made with pureed strawberries or glass of bubbly.

RSVP: 6437 8457; contact: info@saltrestaurantbeijing.com

 Tuesday February 14, 2012, 6-10.30pm

4 Courses + Rossini Cocktail or Glass of Bubbly 428 rmb

Duval Leroy Champagne 588 rmb

I

Poached Prawn Bisque, Fennel, Orange, Basil, 

Semi-Dried Tomato Open Lasagna

II

Veal-Foie GrasTortellini, Crumbled Aged Pecorino, Truffled Veal Consommé

or

Smoked Cheese-Grated Spinach-Ricotta Tortellini, Pesto,

Seasonal Mushrooms, Parmesan (v)

III

Beef Tenderloin, Smoked Aubergine Puree, Portobello Mushrooms, Grilled Garlic Shoots, Madeira-Truffle Sauce

or

Cider Braised Cod, Truffled Cod Brandade, Cauliflower Emulsion, Black Olive Bread, Green Apple, Mediterranean Vinaigrette

or

Parmesan-Wild Mushroom Risotto, Cep-Truffle Cappuccino, Parsley Oil, Ruccula, Balsamic Reduction (v)

IV

Passionfruit Panna Cotta, Red Fruits, Strawberry-Champagne Infusion

or

Seasonal Fruits, Orange Tulip, Warm Swiss Chocolate Fondue

or

Reversed Apple Tart Tatin, Cinnamon Caramel Mou, Walnuts, Vanilla  

13. Sureno

Sureno’s V-day dinner is split into two “Valentina” and “Valentino” set dinners – she is treated to seabass, crab bisque, lobster and a white chocolate dome with raspberry while his menu features foie gras and Wagyu beef. Is it wrong if I prefer the “Valentino” option? RMB 628 for each of the 4-course menus and a glass of champagne.

RSVP: 6410-5240

14.Temple Restaurant Beijing(TRB)

As expected, Temple is going all out for couples with a 6-course dinner menu inclusive of poached lobster, Wagyu beef and passion fruit parfait for dessert. Price per couple is RMB 1,288 plus surcharge.

RSVP: 8400 2232

15. Terra

Terra’s 3-course Valentine’s Day dinner is also is packed with options per each course and a full of fresh seafood and roast options.

RSVP: 6591 9148

Terra’s 3-course Valentine’s Day Dinner Menu

I

Clementine Salad, Ruccula, Figs, Ricotta, Pistachios, Beetroot, 

Champagne Vinaigrette (v)

or

Hot Prawn Ceviche, Citrus Crustacean Broth Poached Prawns, Baby Carrots, Asparagus, Fava Beans, Glazed Sweet Potato      

or

“Chupe” South American Seafood Soup,Rice, Corn, Quail Egg, 

Fresh Cheese

or

Wild Salmon Anticucho, Garlic-Parsley Baby Potatoes,

Argentinean Chimichurri 

II

South American Style Roast Suckling Pig, Spiced Apples, Char-Grilled Vegetable Salad, Polenta, Cider-Pork Reduction

or

Duo of Duck: Duck Leg Confit, Smoked Duck Breast, Foie Gras, 

Corn Soufflé, Figs, Mini Vegetables, Roast Duck Jus

or

Braised Cod, Potato-Cherry Tomato Tatin, Saffron Scent,

New Zealand Mussel-Manila Clam Hearty Broth

or

Wild Mushroom Risotto, Mascarpone, Ruccula, Parmesan (v)

Optional: Scallops and Prosciutto

III

Passionfruit Tres Leches, Strawberry Foam, Vanilla

or

     Yoghurt Panna Cotta, Truffle-Lavender Honey, Red Fruits, 

Raspberry Foam

or

Chocolate Soufflé Cake, White Chocolate Centre, Passionfruit, Vanilla

or

Indulge in Hummingbird’s Spa Treatments

Whether you’re single or not, who doesn’t love some extra “me” time? Hummingbird is treating you to an extra foot massage with each facial booked or a free head & shoulder massage with every 90 minute massage.

Happy Valentine’s Day