Phoenix House: Where HK Hot Pot Meets Dim Sum

HK Hot Pot & Dim Sum Deliciousness

With “dim sum” literally 2/3 of my blog’s name, there should really be no surprise that I have a soft spot for dim sum.

Part of my family’s heritage, dim sum is a tradition I grew up with in California. Something we’d enjoy together as a family for brunch on the weekends, dim sum has essentially become my comfort food since living in Beijing. An indulgence that I treat myself to far less often than I’d like, I’ve managed to surround myself with friends who love dim sum with the same levels of passion and exuberance.

If you were a fly on the wall, you could fully expect to hear us critiquing every dim sum dish as each steamed basket was served, saying where one has had a juicier Cha Siu Bao, how this Cheung Fun compares to Lei Garden or where in Hong Kong you can find the best Egg Tarts. It’s a funny dynamic, because although there are pretty decent options for classic dim sum in Beijing (Lei Garden, Heng Shan Hui and Dragon Court 粤菜王府) and the recently opened Furongji that serves playful dim sum with a twist, there will never be too many and I will forever be on the look-out for more dim sum options in the capital.

And I’m excited to now share one of my go-to dim sum choices – Phoenix House 囍凤楼! I’ve been saving Phoenix House for a little while now as I think this dim sum house hits a sweet spot that reminds me so much of the Cantonese restaurants I knew growing up. In addition to serving up dim sum that is on point, they also offer Cantonese hot pot too!

Located in Beijing’s CBD at the corner of Guanghualu and Dawanglu, Phoenix House is well worth a trip if you are craving Cantonese food.

First thing to note is that the standards of interior decoration have improved markedly for Chinese restaurants. Phoenix House is actually quite cool inside and is constantly ram-packed so don’t expect to just turn up without a wait (especially on the weekends). There are gold phoenixes on the bright red walls and columns decorated with dragons, fresh tanks of exotic seafood line one wall by the staircase when you enter the main dining room and glass bottles of VitaSoy milk line the drinks bar. It has none of the hallmarks of a half-assed effort from a disinterested designer. A combo of nostalgic throwbacks with some slick modernities, Phoenix House truly stands out from the bland and forgettable to the tacky interior designs that other Cantonese restaurants showcase.

LDS Snapshots of Phoenix House:

Street Entrance at the Corner of Dawang Lu and Guanghua Lu

1st Floor Reception with a Long Line at Any Given Time of Day

Phoenix House’s Logo

Neon Signage Dedicated to their Specialties

Drinks Bar Lined with Tea and VitaSoy Milk in Glass Bottles

Main Dining Tables with Black Partitions between Table Sections

Our Dining Throne with Two Large Tables Reserved for Big Groups and Our Own Sauce Station

Sitting at what feels like our dim sum throne, we waste no time with ordering. One person takes on the task of ordering dim sum for the table while another flips through the hot pot options and starts picking a selection of dishes to dunk into our sticky chicken broth.

Dim Sum Menu to start Marking Down Your Own Order

Their A La Carte Menu with Mostly Hot Pot Specialties

Phoenix House’s Hot Pot Specialty: Fish Maw & Chicken Soup Base

(RMB 298 for half chicken or RMB 498 for full chicken)

It’s important to start with a range of dim sum as these come out pretty quickly and will help you pass the time while you impatiently wait for your massive pot of chicken soup to come to a boil. This is pretty much the order things came out in – our first batch of dim sum followed by all the Hot Pot dishes and then our second batch of dim sum and finishing with a few of our favorite dim sum desserts.

LDS Snapshots of Dim Sum & Hot Pot Dishes:

Curry Fish Balls 咖喱鱼蛋拼盘 (RMB 58)

BBQ Pork Cheung Fun 叉烧肠粉 (RMB 28)

Steamed Quail Egg Shaomai 鹌鹑蛋烧卖 (RMB 32)

BBQ Pork Buns 蚝星叉烧包 (RMB 25)

Simmering Fish Maw & Chicken Soup Base (Half Chicken for RMB 298)

Hot Pot Sauce Station & Pu’er Tea Pot (RMB 38)

Free-Flow Hot Pot Sauces

Broth that’s so good you drink it before you dilute it for Hot Pot

Australian Wagyu Beef (RMB 198)

Sliced Grass Carp Fish (RMB 68)

Imported Fatty Beef from the US (RMB 188)

Fried Rolls (RMB 38)

Fresh Shrimp Dumplings (RMB 38)

Sliced Pork Neck (RMB 68)

Fresh Bamboo Stalk 鲜竹笙 (RMB 68)

Fresh Prawns (RMB 498 per 500grams)

Beef Chow Fun (RMB 48)

Chao Shou (RMB 32)

Deep-Fried Pork Puff  安虾咸水角 (RMB 26)

Glutinous Rice Cake 白糖糕 (RMB 20)

Egg Tarts (RMB 25)

Egg Waffle Dessert (RMB 18)

While we went to town on the hot pot this time with all the expensive wagyu beef and fresh prawns, I’ve been back since and been a bit more sensible with our hot pot selection. Generally, our preference is to eat our fill of dim sum and have that gorgeous, sticky fish maw and chicken soup just to drink!

My biggest qualm with Phoenix House is the long wait on the weekends (try to go for a late lunch if you can’t get a reservation) and their picture-less dim sum menu is not ideal since I’m not always sure what everything is. While we generally know how to order all the classic dim sum favorites, I’ve also gotten it wrong a few times – i.e., I ordered the quail egg shaomai instead of the normal shaomai with crab roe on top.

Overall, Phoenix House delivers the whole package – the restaurant ambiance is stylish and fun, the service is quick (they give you a button to press when you need someone), the dim sum is on point and that fish maw + chicken soup is heavenly.

Phoenix House’s Contact Details:

• Address: At the southwest intersection of Guanghua Lu and Dawanglu, L101, Bldg A, Winterless Center, 1 Xi Dawang Lu, Chaoyang District

• 地址：朝阳区大望路温特莱中心A座1楼L101

• Tel: 6592-7708

• Opening Hours: Saturday and Sunday from 10AM-2:30PM and 5PM-12:00AM, Monday-Friday from 11:00AM-2:30PM and 5PM-12AM

Other Suggested LDS Articles:

• Furongji: Playful Dim Sum with a Twist

• Dragon Court 粤菜王府: Classic, Old School Dim Sum

• Ho Lee Fook in HK: The Holy Grail of Wagyu Ribs

• Heng Shan Hui 衡山汇: New Dim Sum Discovery

Tease by CreatureS: Intriguing Modern Singaporean w/ a Beijing Twist

Tease by CreatureS is an unusual restaurant in an unusual setting.

Located on a back street just down the road from the eye-catching Romanesque St. Joseph’s Church in Wangfujing, Beijing, Tease by CreatureS is on the first floor of a unique housing concept called Stey Wangfujing.

Upon our arrival, we were first given a quick tour of Stey, which is a new startup that promises minimalistic and functional communal housing designed for young professionals. While I won’t go into too much detail, I did want to give a quick introduction to this concept as I found it really interesting and surprisingly well-executed.

The interior of these spaces were very Scandinavian – clean, modern and well-designed with furniture that can move around and hidden closet spaces that can be converted into desk spaces, etc.  They offer two sized apartments – one studio and one slightly larger apartment with an incorporated living room space with a lounge area that can be separated from its bedroom. If you’re wondering, the bathrooms in both apartments are gorgeous. In addition to your personal bedroom and living space, Stey residences offer communal lounges, a large kitchen, laundry room, gym and 24/7 security and check-in. Stey is somewhere of a cross between a hotel, a student dorm, a community centre and a traditional block of flats. I guess a major perk is that they have a regular cleaning service and they’ll even help you to manage any Air BnB bookings for you if you’re traveling for a short or longer extended stay. This is an ideal set-up for individuals new to Beijing, keen to meet others and in a job where regular travel is necessary.

Continue Reading » Tease by CreatureS: Intriguing Modern Singaporean w/ a Beijing Twist

BJ FOoDiEs: Indulge in Furongji’s 12-Dish Dim Sum Feast!

Love Dim Sum? Sign Up with BJ FOoDiEs and Eat Your Heart Out!

People are raving about Furongji, and it’s easy to see why.

Not only is this restaurant in an incredibly hip and modern setting in the hutongs just near the iconic Drum and Bell Towers, it also serves dim sum like you’ve never seen in any Cantonese restaurant.

Continue Reading » BJ FOoDiEs: Indulge in Furongji’s 12-Dish Dim Sum Feast!

Mio: Reborn as One of the World’s Best Italian Restaurants

That’s right, Mio Italian Restaurant in the Four Seasons Hotel is being awarded recognition left and right with the recent honor of being listed as one of the Top Italian Restaurants 2019 by elite Italian restaurant guide Gambero Rosso.  And that makes Mio a pretty big deal.

Before I get ahead of myself, I want to start this post by giving a bit of context to my initial impressions of Mio. Over the past few years, I have held some serious prejudices against Mio because the first time I went about 6 years ago now (see review here), our entire group of friends left feeling incredibly disappointed thinking the food was very mediocre considering the price tag (RMB 2000 per person) and the fact that we were there for a charity dinner made the whole thing umpteen times worse.

Since then Mio has seen a lot of changes – though they haven’t changed the glitzy, Gongti night club interior, they’ve replaced the chef more than once and over time, we started to hear a very different picture of the same restaurant, with Mio’s head chef Nello Turco winning multiple awards in both Beijing and from international publications.

Continue Reading » Mio: Reborn as One of the World’s Best Italian Restaurants

Obentos: New Lido Branch Hosts BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner

Healthy, Tasty & Balanced Meals by Obentos

From its original branch opening in Central Park back in 2011, I have been a devout Obentos fan (aka Bento Pusher). Over the years, Obentos has been consistent in its delivery of healthy and delicious salads, satisfying bento meal sets, and fresh fruit smoothies and smoothie bowls.

And as they’ve branched out with other locations at Liangmaqiao and now their newest branch of Lido, they’ve also continued to expand their menu offerings with their small plate, main plate and sides, which are much more sociable as the dishes are designed to be shared and provide more variety when dining with friends.

Their newest branch in Lido just opened its doors last month and are currently still in soft-opening. Their new Lido branch is sleek and expansive with a fresh and natural design theme, which perfectly matches their menu offerings. Before their official opening at the end of February, they’ll be hosting a big BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner with a fabulous 12-dish feast of a menu. Read through to the bottom to learn how to sign up for the upcoming BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner happening next Sunday, February 24th!

Continue Reading » Obentos: New Lido Branch Hosts BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner

Dragon Court 粤菜王府: Classic, Old School Dim Sum

Dragon Court Excels in Fresh, Fuss-Free Dim Sum

Having recently reviewed Furongji, a very playful, creative and contemporary take on dim sum, Dragon Court 粤菜王府 lies on the opposite end of the spectrum. Where Furongji is new, fun and different, Dragon Court is traditional and more in line with what you’d normally expect from a Cantonese dim sum restaurant. And I don’t mean that as a slight or criticism.

Dragon Court may seem a bit bland and soul-less in comparison to other dim sum options in town, but it is not to be overlooked or dismissed. Dragon Court presents a great option if you’re looking for no-fuss, classic dim sum at a very reasonable price. Located on the 5th floor of a Bank of China office building at the southwest corner of 2nd Ring Road roundabout at Chaoyangmen, the interior decor is more reminiscent of an uninspired hotel lobby with a brown and yellow color scheme and crushed velvet chairs.

Note that their dim sum food menu from 11AM-3PM is 32% discounted, but there is a 10% service fee. While they also have a lot of private dining rooms, I believe the food discount only applies to diners in their main dining area. Between three of us, we ordered until we were on the verge of bursting and the total bill per person was about RMB 160 each. If you weren’t going overboard, I bet the average bill per person would end up being closer to RMB 100-120 per person.

Continue Reading » Dragon Court 粤菜王府: Classic, Old School Dim Sum

Rive Gauche in The PuXuan Hotel: A Promising Start!

If you’ve ever had the good fortune to spend a night at the luxurious PuLi Hotel in Shanghai, you’ll already be excited about this opening. The PuXuan Hotel & Spa – the newly opened Beijing iteration – located across from Meishuguan 美术馆 National Art Museum in Wangfujing is a gorgeous, stand-out building and the interior design is exquisite. Still in soft opening, this hotel has their timing on point with the recent opening of the new subway stop “National Art Museum Station 中国美术馆站” on Line 8 right outside its entrance.

While I’ll begin this post with a brief introduction about The PuXuan Hotel with a few snapshots of their gorgeous entrance and lobby (on the 4th floor), the bulk of this article will be dedicated to one of their restaurants housed within – their French restaurant named Rive Gauche!

LDS Snapshots of The PuXuan Hotel & Spa:

Continue Reading » Rive Gauche in The PuXuan Hotel: A Promising Start!

KUP KUP KUP: An Authentic Taste of SE Asian Street Foods

Have you seen/read Crazy Rich Asians?!

A fantastic trilogy that I highly recommend reading (it’s a page-turner!), the film based on the first book came out last summer and I’m not ashamed to say that I flew down to Hong Kong over October holiday to watch it in the theatre (before I knew it would be playing in mainland)! And one of the best scenes in the film is when the main characters first fly into Singapore and pig out on all the Hawker stands in a gigantic, sprawling food court. With so many of our favorite street snacks slowly disappearing/getting bricked up, you can imagine the food envy I felt as I watched that scene on the big screen.

KUP KUP KUP aims to capture this dining concept reminiscent of all the amazing food halls that you’d find all across Southeast Asia and bring it to Beijing. Serving a variety of Southeast Asian street food specialties found in Northern Thailand, Northern Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the restaurant design is a fun and playful setting with a ceiling full of dangling illumination.

Still in soft opening phase (they’ll be launching their full menu starting January 28th), we had the privilege of playing guinea pigs and taste our way through some of their dishes! Read through to the bottom to learn how to be among the first to taste KUP KUP KUP in the upcoming BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner happening this Sunday, January 27th!

Continue Reading » KUP KUP KUP: An Authentic Taste of SE Asian Street Foods