Slow Boat’s 3-Story Flagship Brewpub in South Sanlitun

From a teeny, tiny little taproom on Dongsi Batiao, Slow Boat Brewery has decided to go the other extreme with their new flagship brewpub in South Sanlitun (across from the new Intercontinental Hotel) with a gigantic 3-story building with a bar on each level and a grand total of 36 taps (4 taps on the first floor and 16 taps on the 2nd and 3rd floor). Not only is this is huge game changer for Slow Boat Brewery, this new brewpub now takes the title for biggest brewpub in Beijing.

More than just a new flagship location for Slow Boat, this also marks the first branch where all brewing will be done on premise and their 18 brewing tanks are in full view like an open kitchen for their brew process.

“Beer brewed on premises will be consumed on premises directly from the tanks or from freshly filled kegs. Twenty different beers will be available – some only at the Sanlitun location. All water used on premises goes though a reverse osmosis filter before usage. Over three floors there is a total of 18 brewing tanks with an annual capacity of 2,200 bbls or over 550,000 servings.” - Slow Boat Sanlitun Flagship

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Migas’ Anniversary: 6 Courses to Celebrate 6 Years!

Bar 4 Nine 泗酒城: A Beijingy Speakeasy

I am coining a new adjective in this post: Beijingy. Bar 4 Nine 泗酒城 is really Beijingy.

It represents the flourishing of something that I have hoped to see for the entirety of my time in Beijing. Local Beijingers, skilled and knowledgeable with regards to the modern, but proud of their heritage putting forth really high quality products in a thoughtful, quaint atmosphere.

Bar 4 Nine is named after an old name for the city – the 4 representing the 4 inner gates to the Forbidden City and the 9 being the 9 outer gates that now follow the circular Line 2 Subway. A bar created between 3 owners (2 Chinese bartenders and an American), the one who created the concept for the bar is an old Beijinger (old as in he is local – 老北京, not in reference to his age as he is quite young!) and wanted to demonstrate that China may well be modernising and adopting Western habits, but Chinese culture still has a lot to offer.

Located above a chicken restaurant just south of Xianlaoman Dumpling House 馅老满- the best way to find it is to look for the large red “鸡” sign that hangs outside on Andingmen Nei Dajie – then walk through the restaurant and up the stairs in the back. But if you are coming to the bar after 10PM (after the chicken restaurant closes), then note that they do remove the illuminating 鸡 signage and replace it with their own nicely branded sign.

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Dubujib: House of Tofu & Korean Comfort Food

Dubujib means tofu house in Korean, and the restaurant specializes in tofu-based Korean soups. Located in the basement of the Liangmaqiao Grand Summit, it is tucked away in the farthest corner, next to the currently shuttered food court. Don’t let that put you off, it is worth the visit!

Knowing that they are jam-packed daily during weekday lunch hours with lines out their door with hungry foodies who don’t want anything other than Dubujib, we strategically timed our visit at 8pm on a Monday night cause waiting for a table when you’re hungry is the worst.

As soon as we sat down, we had a glance through their 2-page menu that opens like file folder. The menu is very focused, mainly geared around tofu soups and bibimbaps, bulgogi and a couple of signature seafood items.  While you really can’t go wrong on the menu – everything we had was excellent and it’s not “hit or miss” like other places. That being said, I’ve still got a solid selection of recommendations based on reflections.

LDS Snapshots of Dubujib:

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La Dolce Vita: Italian Delight

Thanks to a tip-off by a fellow foodie Ms. Sophie Van Pelt, I learned that La Dolce Vita was a new gem that needed to be rediscovered after a new Italian manager/chef that’s come on board. After doing some research, I discovered that La Dolce Vita has actually been open in Beijing for 13 years (since 2003)! It has, however, recently come under new management and moved locations. Tucked away behind Sanlitun’s infamous Bar Street, round the corner from Smugglers and next to The Tree, the new La Dolce Vita is on the second floor of the Youth Hostel Building. It is simply decorated, yet feels very warm and homely and sets the stage for the entire experience.

LDS Snapshots of La Dolce Vita:

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¡Ay, caramba! Avocado Tree

Avocado Tree: Serving Up Guacamole in All It’s Glory

As a Californian, I was a Chipotle regular but admittedly more out of convenience and peer pressure (my friends were hooked). For those who aren’t familiar with Chipotle, it is widely known as the ”healthy” fast-food Mexican grill chain that spread like wildfire across America. Over the past few years in Beijing, I’ve heard people talk about Avocado Tree 油梨树, but mostly in comparison to Chipotle. While I was keen to reminisce the days I used to eat at Chipotle multiple times a week, Avocado Tree’s older branches have been based out in Wudaokou, Shunyi and Sanyuanqiao – all out of arm’s reach and I’ll be honest – I was never all that crazy about Chipotle anyway so I never made the effort to go out of my way to seek out a meal at Avocado Tree until recently.

A growing restaurant empire with 5 branches spread across Beijing, one of Avocado Tree’s newer, swankier branches is in City Mall (or PingAn Mall on the northwest side of Liangmaqiao, just west of the Westin Hotel) and after my first ever visit to this location, I have since been back 3 times in the past week in spite of the torrential downpour of summer rain that’s left our city a hot, flooded mess. Needless to say, that’s a whole lot more effort than I ever gave Chipotle back in California.

Avocado Tree has been in existence since 2010, which goes to show you that some businesses do take time to mature and hit their stride. I am very glad that Avocado Tree has had time to do just that as their branch in Liangmaqiao and most recently in Sanlitun’s food-filled Topwin Mall is a godsend if you live/work in the area and want something tasty and healthy for lunch.

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Me Café by Mercedes Me: Not Your Standard Café Menu

Not the Standard Café Food at Mercedes Me Café

If you hadn’t noticed the large Mercedes “Me” sign in Sanlitun, then congratulations on climbing out from under your rock. In a loud, brash and unsubtle move, Mercedes have shoved their brand front and center of the Sanlitun area. Having already sampled the Chinese restaurant Sifang Sanchuan upstairs, I was keen to see what other food a car company can crank out in their Me Café on the 1st floor of Topwin Center.

Directly Across from Sanlitun Taikoo Li’s Uniqlo, Mercedes Me is Splashing Out

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Pachakutiq Pop-Up: A Peruvian Party of Flavors, Colors & Music

Pachakutiq’s Peruvian Pop-Up in China Central Place

Peruvian cuisine has been one of the few major omissions from the Beijing culinary scene as it has developed over the past few years. With the recent RAW Peruvian Pop-Up by Mosto, the return of Buena Onda at the Hatchery, and now the pop-up opening of Pachakutiq in the original location of Buena Onda in China Central Place, it looks like something catching on with Peruvian cuisine in Beijing! While all of the past and current Peruvian concepts are either set to be available for a limited time frame, we still have our fingers crossed that Peruvian cuisine will find a more permanent home in Beijing. So while it’s still a bit off and on, now is the time to get your fix.

Situated in the Cafe Flatwhite in the open courtyard space of the CBD’s China Central Place (in front of the Baccarat store and south of the Ritz-Carlton’s main entrance).  Taking over the Cafe Flatwhite space every day after 5PM, this is pretty much the same deal that Buena Onda also first launched in.  While it’s not necessarily convenient for those who aren’t based near the CBD, it is a great spot in the evening for a few drinks and refreshing snacks if you work in the area.

Having learned from the Chia sibling team of two brothers and a sister – Francisco, Maria and Juan Carlos Chia, they were born and raised in Lima, Peru with a family history of making Pisco, they are now keen to bring their family’s Pisco to China and also open a Nikkei gastronomic bar with a Peruvian chef that comes from Osaka, one of the most famous Nikkei restaurants in Lima.

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