Pak Pak (CBD) Soft Opening + BJ FOoDiEs Dinner

Posted: December 11th, 2014 | Author: LumDimSum | Filed under: Charity, Foodies & Dining Scene, Hot Tips, Upcoming Events | Tags: Amy Li, BJ Foodies, Charity, Charity Dinner, coconut, crafty cocktails, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Jonathan Ansfield, Pak Pak, Pak Pak Thai Kitchen, Thai Curry, Thai food, Yoopay | 5 Comments »

By the same culinary geniuses behind Susu Vietnamese restaurant (which just so happens to be one of my all-time favorite restaurant destinations in Beijing), Pak Pak’s owners Amy Li and Jonathan Ansfield have thankfully decided to open up a second branch of Pak Pak Thai Kitchen in the CBD’s Guanghua International Building just across the street from the east entrance of The Place Shopping Mall, just south of Central Park.

With the original branch in Wangjing, I admit I only made it out to that location once in spite of how wonderful I thought it was. From the restaurant’s authentic Thai dishes to its elegant wood-paneled venue design, it was all fine and dandy…but it was in Wangjing, a place that I realize isn’t as far as some like to think, but still not nearly as convenient for those of us living close to Sanlitun.

Aside from both restaurants named with 2 syllable repeat words that are fun to say, Pak Pak is fundamentally very different from Susu.  Dedicated to an entirely different Southeast Asian cuisine (Thai vs. Vietnamese) and located in completely different parts of Beijing (Susu’s tiny tucked away hutong spot vs. Pak Pak’s big branches in Wangjing and now CBD), they still share one essential thing in common – owner Amy Li and Jonathan Ansfield are behind both establishments which means that authenticity, quality and presentation will be top-notch and worthy of many return visits.

Their newest CBD branch of Pak Pak’s bright and beautiful interior design credit goes to American designer Phil Dunn (who was also responsible for Janes and Hooch and Tribe). Aside from all the green you see lined against all the walls of the restaurant’s windows, the signature trait of this branch is its open kitchen and cocktail bar illuminated with softly-lit, multi-color glass panelling with a theme of lime green, sunshine yellow, marine blue and beige – all the colors of Thailand.  The back wall still looks a little bare, but with the restaurant still in soft-opening stages, I’m sure that they have something good in store to brighten up that back wall.

LDS Snapshots of Pak Pak in the CBD:

Having been warned by both Jonathan and Amy that we should expect plenty of adjustments and changes to be made within Pak Pak’s soft opening period, I still wanted to try of their menu as much as I possibly could. Having been a long-time admirer and loyal customer of their restaurants, I wanted to show my support and be among the first to rally a big group of foodie friends to taste our way through the menu and with Middle Kingdom Fitness gym just a 5 min walk away from this new branch of Pak Pak, this is the perfect place for all of us hungry Crossfitters to chow down and treat ourselves after a tough WOD.

So here you have it – this massive gallery of photos below sum up basically everything we managed to consume between 8 of us. From a full-on menu with 7 starters, 9 salads, 3 soups, 7 meat dishes, 6 seafood dishes, 4 curries, 8 veggies, 4 rice/noodle dishes and 8 desserts, we chowed through pretty much all of their starters and desserts, a handful of salads, meat and seafood dishes but only managed 2 curries and 1 soup. Since that first massive feed, I’ve since been back and already seen changes and developments and I look forward to hosting the final BJ FOoDiEs charity dinner of 2014 at Pak Pak Thai Kitchen this Sunday (details below!).

LDS HOT TIP!

All soft-opening customers receive a 10% discount on their total bill! 

*As lighting was soft, forgive some of the darker photos and artificially lit ones to compensate for the dim lighting.

Choose from Over 10 Creative Cocktails (RMB 45-60)

Fresh Coconut (RMB 30)

Pak Pak’s Starters & Salads:

Miang Kham – Herbs, Spices, Peanuts, Coconut to Wrap in Betel Leaves (RMB 52)

Gai Yang Khamin – Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce (RMB 48 for 6 sticks)

Tod Mun Goong – Shrimp Cakes with Sweet-Sour Sauce (RMB 48 for 4 pieces or 68 for 6 pieces)

Som Tam Thai – Bangkok Street-Style Green Papaya Salad (RMB 38)

Pla Tod Samun Prai – Fried Perch and Herbs to Wrap in Lettuce, Chili Lime Dip (RMB 68)

Sai Krok Isan – Sour Sausage Northeastern Style with Pickles and Herbs (RMB 58)

Larb Moo – Nests of Lettuce with Minced Pork, Mint, Basil (can also choose chicken or beef) RMB 48

Yam Ma Muang Goong – Shrimp and Mango Salad (RMB 58)

Yam Makheua Yao – Grilled Eggplant with Dried Shrimp and Egg (RMB 58)

Meats & Veggies:

Gai Hor Bai Toey – Marinated Chicken Wrapped in Pandan Leaves (RMB 48 for 4 pieces or RMB 68 for 6)

Man Farang Mash – Chef Tang’s Mashed Potato with Red Curry, Chili, Lime Leaf (RMB 48)

Gaeng Kiew Wan Gai – Green Curry with Chicken (RMB 58)

Koh Moo Yang – Grilled Pork Neck with Tamarind Dip (RMB 68)

Pad Phak Boong – Stir-fried Morning Glory with Chilies (RMB 38)

Whisky Seekhrong Kae – Grilled Lamb Chops Marinated in Thai Whiskey, Drizzled with Tamarind Sauce (RMB 88 for 2 chops)

Pad Makheua Mao Neua – Stir-fried Minced Beef and Eggplant (RMB 58)

Gaeng Phanaeng Neua – Panang Curry with Beef Brisket (RMB 58)

Pad Buap Liam – Sponge Gourd Stir-fried with Chilies (RMB 42)

Desserts:

Coco Cici – Chocolate Mousse with a Tinge of Chili Pepper (RMB 42)

Sakoo Ma Muang – Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Mango (RMB 25)

Khanom Chan – Layered Pandanus and Coconut Sweet (RMB 38)

 Kanom Durian – Durian Custard Tart (RMB 40 for 4 pieces) 

Nam Kang Sai – Purple Sticky Rice with Mango & Coconut Juice (RMB 48) – see mixture below!

Nam Kang Sai – Purple Sticky Rice with Mango & Coconut Juice (RMB 48)

Kanom Mo Kaeng – Coconut Tart (RMB 40 for 4 pieces)

Foodie Friends Join Me to Eat Through Pak Pak’s Soft Opening Menu

Upcoming BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner @Pak Pak:

It’s been about a year since the BJ FOoDiEs gang last hosted a charity dinner at the original Pak Pak in Wangjing, and now you can enjoy sensational Thai cuisine in the CBD with the new opening of the second branch of Pak Pak in the Daimler Tower right next to Annie’s (across from the east gate of The Place Shopping Mall).

Delighted to finish off 2014 with another guaranteed-to-impress, foodie-worthy feed, come and indulge in a 10-dish tantalizing Thai menu featuring your favorite Thai classics – Green Papaya Salad, Tom Yam Goong soup, Red Curry Tofu, Chicken in Pandan Leaves, and Pad Thai with Prawns.

If you were impressed by the drool-worthy dish photos above, help the FOoDiEs team spread the word and call on your foodie friends to get together at Pak Pak Thai Kitchen for a phenomenal Thai feast this Sunday!

Tuck in to a Tantalizing Thai Feast

Starter: 

SAI KROK ISAN
Sour sausage northeastern-style with pickles and herbs

Coco Cici
Chili chocolate mousse

Choice of Beer, Wine or Soda 

Knowing that BJ FOoDiEs and Pak Pak have made such an effort to arrange a steal of a dinner deal for you this Sunday, Dec. 14th, please come prepared to donate a bit extra to this month’s charity of choice- the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, an organization leading the fight against cancer by providing the best possible treatment today while developing tomorrow’s cures through cutting-edge research.

Please take a minute to pre-pay online with seats first come first served through online bookings on Yoopay. Thanks to the Yoopay team, all foodies can pay with both local AND international credit and debit cards. Yoopay Link to book your FOoDiEs seat here.

• Date: Sunday, December 14, 2014

• Time: 7:30-9:30PM

• Location: Pak Pak Thai Kitchen (CBD Branch)

• Address: Northeast side, 1/F, Building AB, Guanghua International, 10 Jintong Xilu (Opposite East Gate of The Place), 北京市朝阳区金桐西路10号远洋光华国际AB座一层东北侧（世贸天阶东门对面)

• Tel:  (8610) 8590 6956

• Cost: RMB 100 includes dinner menu + drink – Yoopay link here.

• RSVP: E-mail BJ Foodies Team - bjfoodies@gmail.com

Last Year’s BJ FOoDiEs Dinner at the Pak Pak Branch in Wangjing 

December’s Charity of Choice:

Fight the Good Fight with the Dana Farber Cancer Institute

For more info, check out their website: http://www.dana-farber.org/

About BJ Foodies Group:

Organizing monthly group meals at about RMB 100-150/head with food/drinks included, this group of dedicated foodies is all about “satiating their inner-foodie appetites for good quality food, conversation & fine wining/sake-ing/cocktailing/beering while indulging for a cause”.

BJ FOODIES PURPOSE: 1. Just to eat a nice meal & catch up with real people & friends outside worklife and boozy nightlife. 2. Opportunity to contribute our little bits to society while doing something we love – EATING. The Charity aspect is a supplementary & added bonus BUT NOT the main purpose of the group. 

Other Suggested LDS Articles:

• CHI + 京A’s Taps + Tapas Pop-Up Brunch

• Sureño @The Opposite House: Marvelous Mediterranean

• Fiume First Impressions: Soft Opening Visit

• I Crêpes you NOT: Dutch Pancake Catering

• Oh Kale Yeah: “Juice by Melissa” Opens Shop!

---