Village Café: From Smoothie Bowls to Poké Bowls

When it first opened, The Opposite House was the talk of the town. It changed the perception of the entire Sanlitun street which was previously notorious for tourist-trap bars with bad KTV, pole dancers and fake booze. Classy and modern in design, The Opposite House was opened alongside Sanlitun Taikoo Li South (previously known as Sanlitun Village), all run and managed by Swire Properties. Not only a smart and cool boutique hotel, The Opposite House was a dining and party destination itself with restaurants producing some of the best food in the city and Punk was one of the go-to places for hipsters to get drunk and dance to sick beats every night of the week.

Somewhere in the last few years it lost some of that sparkle. Punk was replaced by Jing Yaa Tang, a duck restaurant where everyone goes for the all-you-can-eat dim sum deal, Bei closed and Sureño has seen a few turn-overs in head chefs.

Fortunately, in the past year or so, there has been somewhat of a renaissance and the Opposite House has upped it’s game once more.

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Hatchery Hosts Bird On A Wire: Socially Responsible Rotisserie Chicken

The Hatchery are back at it, this time bringing in Bird on a Wire from New Zealand. A restaurant that is passionate about spreading the word regarding sustainable farming practices, especially those towards poultry, the focus here is on rotisserie chicken and the Hatchery have been excited about hosting their Beijing incubator for a while!

A successful brand with three restaurants in New Zealand, Bird On a Wire has developed a strong local following by making delicious handmade takeaways and meals with free-range chicken, that are nutritionally and ethically guilt-free. Bird on a Wire “believes in delicious food that nourishes our bodies” and their mission is to “feed the world better food”.

Whilst free-range chicken has not yet become mainstream in China, BOAW and Hatchery are passionate about the potential education and leadership opportunities to promote more ethically-sourced chicken. “Ultimately it’s about giving our customer the confidence they are eating the safest, tastiest and best cared for chicken in town,” remarked BOAW’s Ben Grant. “If we can help China progress in their ethically-sourced food journey and share some of our knowledge from New Zealand, that’s a big tick in our books for our international strategy.”

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Q Mex’s Taqueria: Go for 1/2 Price Taco Tuesdays!

Q Mex was, in my mind, the classic business in China story where investors open a restaurant, bring in a good foreign chef to consult and after great first impressions, the foreign chef departs and then begins its slow descent into oblivion, only drawing crowds for their 1/2 off food specials and extended happy hour drink deals.

Q Mex seemingly has defied this trend and resurrected itself and in the process, opened up a new branch: Q Mex Taqueria: Taco & Tequila Bar.

Focused on tacos and tequila (as their signage says), it is located just north of International S.O.S. aka Raffles Medical Center, next to Bottega’s massive new relocation.

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Sheng Yong Xing 晟永兴: The Roast Duck Restaurant We’ve Been Waiting For!

One of my favourite comfort-food restaurants in Beijing used to be Lau Pa Sak (RIP). Located opposite the Canadian embassy, it was unceremoniously demolished and refurbished last year. It moved to a new location in Sanlitun SOHO, but doesn’t seem to have survived the traumatic event. I went through a period of mourning and then noticed that a Beijing roast duck restaurant had taken it’s place. Skeptical, I put off going for a while, but finally curiosity got the better of me. I rounded up a few foodies who were keen to try the new Sanlitun duck spot and we all knew that Chinese food is always better when you can order a feast! With low expectations going in, we braved ourselves for the worst.

First impressions of Sheng Yong Xing Roast Duck Restaurant were pretty jarring. This restaurant is very tastefully designed. Light and airy, it is a beautiful space with greenery dispersed throughout the space and a balance of grey bricks, wood and smart Chinese touches. I’m a big fan of their glowing screen lanterns hanging over each of the larger round tables and strategic use of screens as space dividers, giving private tables a sense of intimacy without being in separate rooms. The duck ovens are located on the second floor and you can go gawk to your hearts content. The chefs were patient and dealt with our intrusions with aplomb.

Sitting down at the table, we inspected the menu and began the ordering process. It is a process because the menu is gigantic. Beginning with their specialty dishes highlighted at the front before moving into cold starters, mains, and starchy staples at the back. The menu has the classics, but also a bunch of unexpected dishes like giant prawns with black truffle, roast duck topped with caviar and even some Australian wagyu beef. Some fancy pantsy dishes aside, we found comfort in the menu’s dishes that were more familiar and all for great value. The only one glaring Chinglish example: “Fried Enema”. #Chortle

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Chandeliers & CCTV Views: Dining at F Bistronome

As the new China World building ramps up to full power, more and more of the promised F&B heaven venues are opening their doors. Amongst the newer openings is F Bistronome on the 7th floor. With the know how of Brasserie Flo in the kitchen and a view of Beijing that one day will be quite nice (at the moment you get to look at a few buildings still under construction), F Bistronome has all the hallmarks of being a great new destination. Read on to see how it shapes up.

Brasserie Flo is one of the Beijing stalwarts and it’s no secret why they’ve not only maintained a strong reputation, but they’ve continued to expand their brand with various locations across the city, offering different menus at different price points. While each “Flo” restaurant (by the FLO group) has its own unique style (which is evident in the restaurant ambiance and menu), each concept always produces quality food, professional service and a sophisticated environment. F Bistronome is no exception.

Located on the 7th floor of the new wing of the China World Mall in Guomao, it’s gorgeous with plush couches, a glowing bar area and large chandelier centerpiece. As noted above, the floor to ceiling window views can showcase the CCTV tower (from certain angles), but is generally unfortunate at the moment because all you get to see is a collection of soon-to-be skyscrapers taking shape, oh and the 3rd ring road. This is especially the case with their outside dining terrace where all the buildings in view are under heavy construction. *cough*

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TRB Forbidden City Hosts Michelin Chef Koen Verjans

After two years of being known as the more casual dining concept called TRB Bites@The Courtyard, the TRB Hospitality Group announced earlier in Spring that they would revamp the venue for their guests to enjoy sophisticated meals. Renamed TRB Forbidden City, this is your answer when your driver refuses to drive down that narrow hutong to the original TRB and you’re looking to impress your guests with the best that Beijing has to offer.

“[Where] one is expected to find comfort in elegance that he/she has come to associate TRB with, the only difference lies in that instead of dining in the historical temple compound, they will now be feasting in the regally enchanting shadow of the adjacent Palace”.  – Ignace Lecleir, Founder and Owner of TRB Hospitality Group

LDS Snapshots of TRB Forbidden City:

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The Orchid’s Toast Restaurant: There’s life in the Hutongs yet!

With the bricking up of the hutongs, it is easy to get depressed and believe that all your favourite small spots are going to be forever snatched away from you. Thankfully, The Orchid looks to be in no danger and indeed has gone from strength to strength.

If you haven’t been, the Orchid is one of my favourite spots to send visiting friends from abroad.

A gorgeous courtyard boutique hotel on Baochao hutong, it is not just a beautiful setting. The staff have always been attentive, helpful and personable in a way that large hotels never quite manage.

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From Foie Gras to Fondant: BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner at Bistro 108

Having generated a lot of interest, my previous review of Bistro 108 features a new restaurant gem. While there are certain restaurants that appear that everyone knows about as soon as they open, there are others that seem to fly under the radar but that you get told about by the fans. This is a prime example of a recommended restaurant by fellow FOoDiEs who really know their food.

Tucked away in a strange complex just opposite the US Embassy, Bistro 108 is hospitable and cozy and the French dishes were all spot on and very reasonably priced.

Bringing together foodies from across the city, this Sunday, June 11th, the BJ FOoDiEs team is hosting their monthly charity dinner at Bistro 108 with a fantastic 3-course menu featuring their signature menu dishes.

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