Never Say No to Noodles: 1949′s Noodle Bar

When the weather is rainy and I’m feeling blue, a steaming hot bowl of freshly pulled noodles will, more often than not, do the trick and turn that frown right-side up!

Considering we’re in China, we are all spoiled for choice when it comes to having awesome noodles to slurp on never further than an arm’s length away.  Whether it’s your local, hole-in-the-wall noodle stand right in your local hutong (click here for one of my all-time favorite local noodle joints) or you’re balling out on some fancy-pantsy noodles, it’s totally your call.

During my first years in Beijing, I was all about grubbing in super grimy, street-side spots that were consistently packed out with local Chinese taxi drivers. From that initial streak of adventurous dining, I’ve since upgraded to venues I trust to serve food that is both clean and use only high-quality ingredients. As the saying goes, “you are what you eat”, so why wouldn’t you only consume the best? Must I remind you of the days when they discovered jiaozi containing cardboard mixed into the meat?

The Noodle Bar in 1949-The Hidden City still stands as one of my favorite places to get my noodle fix. Walk straight back through the main courtyard of 1949 and you will meet double doors that you will need to literally pry apart (they are quite heavy-duty).  Step inside the unassuming doors and you will see a total of 12 seats lined around an open kitchen with kung-fu chefs hand-pulling wheat noodles in front of you.

The Noodle Bar concept is super simple and straightforward – a concise menu with boxes you check off to order your appetizer and noodle dishes. Obviously, this little cave is big on giant, steaming bowls of beef noodle soup (with beef brisket, beef tendon, or beef tripe) or mixed wild mushrooms (a thoughtful vegetarian option), fresh, seasonal veggie dishes (choi sum, kale or lettuce), and a selection of 9 cold appetizer dishes.

An easy, breezy ordering system, you no longer run the risk of getting the wrong order or miscommunication with the waitstaff.

I recommend ordering the set menu for RMB 42 (bowl of beef brisket, tendon and tripe noodles with a small appetizer and Oolong Tea). Boom. Done.

But I’m also a sucker for tendon, so that’s what I order every time, without fail. Check out these super thick noodles soaked in fragrant broth and thick chunks of tendon. Your table setting also comes with a handy set of condiments you can conveniently help yourself to.

Try their range of tasty appetizers. Keep in mind that all are served cold and all are rather pungent. The spinach and enoki mushrooms dish was a little too drenched in overwhelming horseradish/mustard dressing and similarly the bamboo shoots was also too spicy and oily for my liking, but you can’t go wrong with the fresh vegetables and marinated egg & tofu dish.

Spinach & Enoki Mushrooms with Mustard (RMB 10)/ Bamboo Shoots in Chili Oil (RMB 18)

Marinated Egg & Tofu (RMB / Seasonal Kale (RMB 20)

With only 12 seats in total, this is a great spot for a quick, casual lunch with a friend or two (not more considering the limited seats).  It’s small and cozy rather than intimate and romantic. It’s not pretentious or aiming to be anything more than simply what it is: A Noodle Bar.

Review of Noodle Bar: At 1949- The Hidden City. Courtyard 4, Gong Ti Bei Lu, Chaoyang District, Sanlitun. Opposite Pacific Century Place South gate. Tel: 6501-1949

Best Part:

• Delicious giant, steaming bowls of beef noodle soup 
• Cozy setting, casual atmosphere – easy come, easy go
• Kung-fu noodle-pulling chefs that pound, beat and pull thick noodles right in front of your eyes
• With an open kitchen, you can see how everything is spick and span. Most likely the opposite to every other local noodle joint you come across.  
• Straightforward, bilingual menu and ordering is made even easier with check boxes to tick off

Comments:

• There are only 12 seats that wrap around the kitchen, so don’t expect to come in a group larger than 2 or 3 and still sit together.
• Definitely not conducive for big groups, but perfect for you to come on your own and not feel awkward about it (definitely a rare opportunity when it comes to eating out at a restaurant).
• Similarly, this is also not the appropriate place to sit and chat and hang out for hours.  Much more of an “eat and leave quickly” style of dining.
• I recommend this place to anyone who loves to indulge in oodles of noodles at a reasonable price considering the quality you’re getting!
• Seats may fill up quickly, but rest assured that wait won’t be long!

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

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

BJ FOoDieS: ‘Bread’ Charity Dinner at SWITCH! Grill

BJ FOoDiEs Venture Over to the new SWITCH! this Saturday for Charity

The first time I tried the original SWITCH! restaurant in 798 Art District was thanks to the monthly charity dinner organized by BJ FOoDiEs back in 2010 (click here for original post) so I’m happy to see that the BJ FOoDiEs team will once again be introducing their cult of foodie followers to the new SWITCH! Grill in Regent Land Apartments on the southeast corner of Dongsishitiao this coming Saturday, April 21 starting at 7:30PM. (*Note that this dinner will be held on a Saturday, instead of their usual Sunday night.)

More than just a delicious Western, fresh grill menu, foodies will also get to test out some of their phenomenal, innovative cocktails. To this day, I still think their Strawberry Chili Martini is one of the best cocktails this city has to offer.

“The Switch team is going to play some hip-grooving music & also wanted to test their drinks on the addicts so there will be massive specials on drinks allll night long!”  - Xixi Cheng, Founder of BJ FOoDiEs

Once again, BJ FOoDiEs works hard to win their foodies an amazing meal at a ridiculously low price of RMB 100 for the entire dinner menu + glass of wine.

So instead of just coming with the minimum to pay for the meal (the RMB 100 per person goes directly to the hosting restaurant), please remember to pack a bit more heat in your wallet to contribute to the good work of this month’s featured charity organization – Bread of Life Bakery, a local NGO that creates jobs at an American-style bakery and a good working environment for older, disabled orphans. Funds raised will allow wheelchairs and other orthopedic equipment to be purchased or repaired for children all over China.

SUMMER LOVIN’ FOODIES FEAST AT SWITCH!

RMB 100 includes dinner menu + drink

To Start!

SWITCH GREENS

w/ Marinated sliced asparagus, fresh endives, secret dressing

Grill Time!

SMOKED GRILLED OYSTERS

w/ mushroom, ground peppercorn & in-house BBQ sauce of love

ROASTED ORGANIC MEDLEY

w/ Spicy bean mix, charred broccolini, honey-glazed baby carrots

YUMMY CARBS

w/ snow mashed & sauteed potatoes two ways

Sweeties!

PROFITEROLES

w/ double dip chocolate sauce 

+ Glass of fermented grape juice

“Indulge for a Cause”

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, April 21, 2012
  
• Time: 7:30-10:30
• Location: SWITCH! Grill Restaurant
• Address: Regentland, 66 Gongti Beilu (across from Swiss-Hotel) 工体北路66号
• Tel:  6553-5691
• Cost: RMB 100 includes dinner menu + drink
• RSVP: E-mail BJ Foodies Team – bjfoodies@gmail.com

April Charity Theme: ‘BREAD OF LIFE’

The charity to receive this months proceeds will go to ‘BREAD OF LIFE’ – The NGO creates jobs & a good working enviornment for older orphans who are disabled. All profits from the bakery goest to help orphans & other children who have orthopedic needs.

For more information: http://www.breadoflifebakery.org/

About BJ Foodies Group:

Organizing monthly group meals at about RMB 100/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 the clubbing-disease we all suffer from called Vics/Mix.
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

—-

Related Articles: 

• Savvy SWITCH! Grill at New Dongsishitiao Location

• SWITCH! Grill Switches Back On in New Location

• LumDimSummary: BJ FOoDiEs at SWITCH! 

Fez Alfresco Rooftop Bar Re-Opens Friday, April 20

Fez Rooftop Bar Re-Opens for Spring and Summer

One of Beijing’s finest rooftop bars, Fez Bar on the 6th floor of Nali Patio just above award-winning Spanish restaurant Agua will be reopening its al fresco lounge starting tomorrow, Friday, April 20.

A perfect place for pre- or post-dinner drinks, weekend afternoon lounging (they have a great brunch that they will plan to relaunch this year), Fez is a preferred destination to sip on quality cocktails and champagne in a stylish, upscale atmosphere.

“This exotic chill-out oasis for cool cocktails and parties adopts a Moorish andMediterranean theme, Fez Bar will be open from the end of April to the end of September, open every day of the week from 5PM to late night.”  - Fez Bar Team

Opening party will have a RMB 35 mixed drink deal, but starting April 21-April 30th, Fez’s soft opening drink deals will also include a selection of other cocktails for the same RMB 35 price.

“Cocktails mixed in a tent-style bar at the rooftop venue will include perfectly done tequila & rum based classics (Mojito, Piňa Colada, Margarita), excellent summertime wines from Spain (from mucat to verdejo or albariño grapes), as well as Champagne and fine liquors.”

Just last year Fez Bar moved to Nali Patio’s rooftop from its original location in the compounds of Ch’ien Men 23 (where fine dining French restaurant Maison Boulud still stands its ground as one of the last remaining survivors of the original Ch’ien Men establishments).  Operated by Agua Restaurant Group (Hong Kong, London, Beijing), Fez’s cutting edge design was created by Hong Kong Designer and restauranteur David Yeo.

This year, Fez aims to pump up the music with international DJ’s who will hold residency at Fez Bar this year. Thursday nights will feature DJ Ba’Al from Spain playing soothing Caribbean, Afrocuban, Latin Jazz and Brazilian beats while Irish DJ Moto will take the decks on the weekends playing a mix of House, Funk, Tech House, and Chill Out Lounge.

Aside from Fez Bar’s unbeatable views of the surrounding Sanlitun area, they are also known for their innovative (and pricey) cocktails created by European mixologists, tapas menu, charming staff, and most notably for attracting the city’s most stylish clientele.

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, April 20, 2012

• Time: 10PM-onwards

• Location: Fez Bar

• Address: 6th Floor of Nali Patio above Agua, No. 81 Sanlitun North Street in Chaoyang District

• To Make a Reservation: 5208 6188 or email annie.fu@aqua.com.hk

Hunting Down Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea: Park Hyatt

Afternoon High Tea on the 63rd Floor Lounge of the Park Hyatt

On a mission to hunt down Beijing’s best afternoon tea, LumDimSum has teamed up with CityWeekend to try one afternoon tea after another to uncover which in the city will hail as the best of the best.

After the first afternoon tea feature at the very glitzy, glamorous Ritz-Carlton (see LDS review here), the next stop was the afternoon tea at the swanky lounge on the 63rd floor of the Park Hyatt.

While the Ritz Carlton’s atmosphere seemed to suit the more traditionalist tea drinkers who enjoy reminiscing and socializing as the age-old, classic English tradition goes (envision Downton Abbey-style, English upper-class), the Park Hyatt’s slick, contemporary lounge on the 63rd floor was a stark contrast, catering to a savvy and sophisticated generation of business elites and those seeking to impress guests with the 360 view of Beijing’s CBD.

The view is impressive regardless of Beijing’s over-hanging polluted haze, so I can imagine that the views from such great heights on a clear day would be breath-taking.

View from the 63rd Floor Lounge of the Park Hyatt

As suspected with anything associated with a 5-star hotel, especially when you are sipping on tea on the 63rd floor of the Park Hyatt, prices are sky high.  For two people, the Park Hyatt’s complete set of afternoon tea is RMB 360 +15% service charge (more than double the Ritz Carlton and works out to be about RMB 200 per person), and includes a display of mini sandwiches, a double-tiered display of Asian delicacies and sweets, a choice of two desserts from their dessert menu and a choice of coffee, tea or herbal infusions with a lemon Madeleine.

While my British counter-part predictably went for the classic English Breakfast tea, I was eager to try one of their four Herb Infusion Teas (Peppermint, Camomile, Jasmine or Yellow Chrysanthemum).  Tea was served in what looked like a silver-coated teapot, which is lovely in theory, but poorly designed and not at all functional as the handle was so hot to the touch, I could barely grip it long enough to top-up my own tea cup.

Peppermint Flavor Herb Infusion Tea Set

Once tea was served, out came an impressive display of multi-tiered silver tray racks – a single tray with six mini sandwiches (two of each of the three varieties) and a double-tiered display with an Asian-themed bottom layer (also two of three varieties) and an array of sweets on the top tier.

LumDimSum Breakdown of the Park Hyatt’s Afternoon Tea Displays:

Three Layers of Delicacies on Multi-Tiered Display Racks

Single Layer Mini Sandwich Display

Each of these mini sandwiches were beautifully presented, but I find that all mini cut-out sandwiches suffer from the same stale bread dilemma. I’ve seen it over and over and unfortunately, the Park Hyatt was no exception. I had expected the 24-month aged Parma ham with Brie Cheese and Melon to really stand out, but what should have been a bite of soft, creamy cheese complimented by rich, fragrant Parma ham and juicy melon, in actuality was quite disappointed to find that the surface of the cheese had a hardened coat and the melon was a bit tasteless.

Tuna Sandwich with Avocado & Lemon Mayonnaise / 24-months aged Parma ham with Brie Cheese and Melon / Egg Sandwich with Shallots & Watercress

 Double Tiered Display of Delicacies

Bottom Tier of Mixed Asian Delights

The bottom layer of this double tier was an interesting mix of vegetable spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce to dip, crab quiches and sweet egg yolk custard buns. The crab quiche with the spring rolls and sweet bun seem a strange mix to put together in one layer, but each of these three items were the winners of the entire Park Hyatt’s afternoon tea set.  All three were served hot and tasted a lot more fresh and flavorful than the majority of the delicacies served. They also win extra points for creatively using green onion to tie two spring rolls together in one neat pile. I appreciate thoughtful details and this was a nice touch.

 Garden Vegetable Spring Rolls / Maryland Crab Quiche / Egg Yolk Custard Bun

Top Tier of Scone & Sweets

The sweets in this layer were a hit or miss. The scone paired with clotted cream and raspberry jam was unusually tall, very dense and quite stodgy.  It should have had a much lighter, flakier texture. The apple beignet was under baked with a damp, spongey exterior dough that should have been crispy. The fruit on the fruit tart was a nice mix of fresh berries, but the soft filling was too much of a stark contrast to the dry and brittle crust. The real only win on this tray was the mini strawberry macaroon which couldn’t have been any better.

Fresh Fruit Tart / Baked Apple Beignets / Scone with Raspberry Jam & Clotted Cream

In addition to the multi-layered tiers of sandwiches, sweets and snacks, guests are also treated to a choice of two desserts (one per person) from the Park Hyatt’s Patisserie. Inside the glass counter lies a glorious display of lavish desserts including tiramisu, creme caramel, mango pudding, raspberry cheesecake, cherry-chocolate cake, cinnamon baked apple, caramel apple slice, black forest cake and slices of orange-praline.

Feast your eyes on the delectable desserts on display -

Desserts from the Patisserie

Selecting Your Choice Desserts from the Patisserie

We both went for the Raspberry Cheesecake and the Creme Caramel. The Raspberry Cheesecake was the highlight of our afternoon tea. It had a gentle cheese taste while still maintaining a rich flavor and creamy texture. Our only gripe was the crusty and sticky marshmallow tubes fencing in the very perfect cheesecake dessert.  The Creme Caramel was bland in comparison to the cheesecake and it was much more solidified than it should have been.  I had a small bite of the Orange-praline slice, which was not my cup of tea, but very rich and nutty.

Raspberry Cheesecake / Creme Caramel

Orange-Praline Slice

By the time we finished the complete afternoon tea set, several hours had passed and we were stuffed with a sugar high to last us days after. The sun was setting, leaving a soft shadow over the lounge.  While the space was still full when we left, I think the biggest miss of the Park Hyatt’s lounge is the lack of music for added ambiance.

Overall, the Park Hyatt’s Lounge on the 63rd floor is worth going for the view and the view alone. The afternoon tea is a lovely compliment to the superior sky-high view, but I wouldn’t say it’s something I would go out of my way for, taking in consideration also that this is also one of the priciest afternoon tea deals available in town.

Review of the Park Hyatt’s Afternoon Tea: Located in the Yintai Center at Guomao across from China World Hotel, 2 Jianguomenwai Street, Chaoyang District, Tel: 85671838/1840. Afternoon Tea Available daily, 2:30-5:00PM

Best Part:

• The View from the 63rd floor Lounge of the Park Hyatt makes it worth the visit. The super high 360 view gives you a whole new perspective of Beijing’s CBD.
• If you’ve got a serious sweet tooth, the Park Hyatt’s inclusion of two choices from their dessert counter is an added treat. 
• The slick, contemporary decor is the perfect set-up to impress business colleagues. 
• The multi-tiered display of snacks and sweets is plenty enough to leave you satisfied all afternoon and possibly substitute for dinner even! 
• Atmosphere is quiet so you are free to chat away, read or work on your laptop with minimal disturbance. 

Comments:

• While the silver coated tea set looked lovely, it was not functional at all as the handle did nothing contain the heat and protect your hands from the boiling hot water inside. 
• Service was on the slow side, but who’s really in a rush when you’re sitting down for afternoon tea? 
• The snacks that came with the afternoon tea were a hit or miss. The mini sandwiches were all pretty stale (a fault I’m finding is consistent with all mini cut-out sandwiches thus far) and the sweets on the top tier were also a lot better looking than they actually tasted.  The winners of the tea set were definitely the bottom tier of mixed Asian delicacies and also the two desserts we selected from the dessert counter. 
• It was a lovely experience, but I anticipate this being one of the pricier afternoon tea deals in town at approx. RMB 200 per person, but I also suppose this is expected given the location and the regular clientele the Park Hyatt attracts. 

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

• Food: 6
• Atmosphere: 8
• Service: 6
• Overall Experience: 7

Click here for previous review of the Ritz-Carlton Beijing’s Afternoon Tea.

Rest assured people, I will not rest until I hunt down Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea!

Stay tuned for more Afternoon Tea reviews to come…

Bite-the-Spring with Traditional Chinese Chun Bing 春饼

Chun Bing 春饼 is like a Chinese Burrito

When a local Chinese friend first asked invited me to eat Chun Bing 春饼 for dinner, I thought he was talking about Spring Rolls 春卷 and was thoroughly confused how that would be sufficient for an entire meal.

If you haven’t heard of Chun Bing 春饼before, it’s like a Chinese burrito where you wrap up various veggie and meat dishes into a flour pancake wrap (like a tortilla). Another example that resembles Chun Bing 春饼 is a Beijing Duck Wrap but with a slightly thicker pancake wrap and (obviously) different fillings.

To give you a bit of background on this simple, delicious pancake, the origins of Chun Bing started back in the Jin dynasty where Northern Chinese would eat this pancake on lichun 節氣 to celebrate the beginning of spring and the literal consumption of this dish was called “bite the spring.”

“Bite-the-spring implies that civilians are praying for a good harvest year through eating the fresh vegetables and meat at the beginning of spring.” - Wikipedia on Chun Bing 春餅

By coincidence, shortly after my first Chun Bing 春饼 experience, I read an article in theBeijinger by Marilyn Mai (click for article) who ventured out to the exact same Chun Bing 春饼 spot I was introduced to!

I know there are Chun Bing restaurants all over town, but the restaurant I keep going back to (the same one theBeijinger reviewed) is called Chun Bing Jingwei Cai 春饼京味菜 which is located directly across the street from Cafe de la Poste on Yonghegong Dajie 雍和宫大街.

Chun Bing Jingwei Cai 春饼京味菜: A Favorite Spot to Eat Chun Bing

At this popular eatery, you can choose to order a set of 10 plain flour pancake wraps for RMB 8, but I recommend to instead go for the mixed set of wraps made with spinach, carrot and purple rice (RMB 12).

Spinach & Purple Rice Infused Pancake Wraps

Set of 10 Plain Flour Pancakes (RMB

Once you’ve got your wraps, you can go to town on filling it with as much variety as you please. A great place for vegetarians, majority of the fillings include a wide range of veggie based dishes like carrots, spinach, green beans, potato, rice noodles, sprouts, tofu, and mushrooms.

Our top picks for Chun Bing fillings included a mix of some cold dishes like Spinach with Peanuts (RMB 10) with proper Chun Bing filling dishes like the Stir-fry Shredded Carrots and Pork 胡萝卜炒肉丝 (RMB 12), Mixed Vegetables Wearing a Hat 合菜戴帽 (RMB 16) and Stir-Fried Green Beans and Pork Shreds 肉炒扁豆丝 (RMB 18).

Chun Bing 春饼 Fillings:

Stir-fried Carrot & Pork Shreds 胡萝卜炒肉丝（RMB 12) /  Saucy Duck 酱爆鸭片 (RMB 28)

Rice Noodles with Sour Cabbage 酸菜粉丝 (RMB 12) / Mixed Vegetables Wearing a Hat 合菜戴帽  (RMB 16)

Stir-Fried Green Beans and Pork Shreds 肉炒扁豆丝 (RMB 18) / Stirfry Vegetables  (RMB 22)

Cold Dishes：Spinach and Peanuts (RMB 10) / Tofu Shreds, Cilantro, Peanuts 五香豆腐丝  (RMB 7)

Sample Chun Bing Combo Fillings:

Review of Chun Bing Jingwei Cai 春饼京味菜: Across from Cafe de la Poste, 153 Yonghegong Dajie, Dongcheng District 东城区雍和宫大街153号, Tel: 6406 2183

Best Part:

• It’s a nice change of pace to wrap up your favorite Chinese dishes into a flour pancake rather than with the standard, run-of-the-mill white rice bowl. 
• It’s the next best thing to a real “Beijing duck” experience without the Beijing duck. 
• Great for vegetarians with plenty of veggie-based fillings
• A quick lunch/dinner option. As with many local Chinese eateries, you can be in and hour within 30 minutes of ordering. 
• Very reasonable prices with set of 10 flour wraps 8-12 RMB and most fillings between RMB 10-30
• They have a menu full of pictures, so you can order easy enough.

Comments:

• This is very much a local eatery, so expect your dishware to come wrapped in plastic, your neighboring tables to be loud and rowdy and most likely to also be lighting up cigarettes during your meal. 
• Don’t expect anyone to speak a word of English. 
• Hygiene is probably an issue as well, but the food is good and this is a great spot to grub on authentic Chun Bing 春饼
• Your hands are bound to get messy with your pancake falling apart after your first bite, so it’s nice that they have an available sink with soap for diners to wash up. 
• Service was standard for local Chinese eatery – remember to call out for waitress to order, to get the bill and anything else you might need. 
• Place is always really busy, but turn-over of tables is quick so you never will have long to wait to be seated should they be full. 

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

• Food: 6
• Atmosphere: 4
• Service: 5
• Overall Experience: 6

A Divine Spread of Desserts by Divina Bakery

Divina Cakes was one of three scheduled stops in my day of wedding cake and catering tastings for my friend’s wedding in September. (This was also the same day that I first visited the newly opened bakery, Milly’s Cakes in Nali Patio).

I was first introduced to Divina Cakes’ co-owner Valentina Sinis at the photoshoot for Divina’s company website when her bakery was first getting off the ground over a year ago. Divina does not have a store front and so the importance of quality photos that really translate the quality and textures of her pastries on their website is essential. Since the photoshoot needed to capture at least one of each of her selections, tasters were invited to come, taste and give feedback on each of Divina’s delectable desserts.

That day will forever be imprinted into my memory – hours spent indulging in 20+ desserts that left me on a sugar high for the rest of the week. Tasting my way through each of Divina’s desserts, discovering each of their uniquely distinct flavors and textures, they quickly won me over as one of their biggest advocates from that day forth.

For the wedding tasting I had arranged, I asked Valentina to present my fellow tasters with a range of both savory and sweet canapes for the wedding reception.  There were four of us tasters total and when we walked into Divina’s back kitchen, our jaws just dropped at the gorgeous display before our eyes.

Just presentation alone completely made Divina stand out as the most prepared and professional catering company hands-down.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Divina’s Savory Canapes:

So much more than just desserts, their Italian savory snacks were just as impressive as their array of sweets. From refreshing bruschetta to savory pastries and mini pizzas, we were more barely able to hold ourselves back (we had to in order to save some space for all the desserts that we still needed to taste our way through).

Next up: Divina’s desserts

Every one of these desserts were spectacular. Rich, smooth, creamy and delicate. Italians really know good desserts.

My favorites were the lychee cream puffs, chocolate raspberry mousse cake made with real raspberries (no artificial flavoring is ever used at Divina) and their thousand layer cake with chantilly and chocolate chips.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Divina’s Cakes & Pastries:

Mini Fruit Tart / Chocolate Mousse Cake

Chocolate Banana Mousse Cake / Thousand Layer Cake with Chantilly & Chocolate Chips

Cream Puffs with Lychee or Baileys Cream Filling / Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Cake

Cheesecake Lollipop Sticks

And somehow we must manage to get these cheesecake lollipop sticks into the mix. Perhaps as a part of the wedding favors for each guest?*fingers crossed*

Four Happy Tasters Together with Valentina Sinis, Co-owner of Divina Cakes

Just the other day, I stumbled upon Valentina’s pictures in the most recent cover story of CityWeekend called “Secret Lives” which features six different Beijingers who lead different lives by day and by night. Check out the full story here.

 Snapshots from Divinacakes.com -

(just in case you weren’t already drooling)

Baked White Chocolate Cheesecake Topped with Fresh Berries

My favorite: Divina’s Thousand Layer Cake with Chantilly & Chocolate Chips

Out of their chocolate mousse cake, chocolate banana mousse cake and chocolate raspberry mousse cake, the chocolate raspberry won as the stand-out combination for the wedding cake-to-be.

I liked this cake so much, I recently surprised one of my best friends with this very cake for his birthday party last weekend.  Check it out here in all its glory -

Needless to say, Divina’s chocolate raspberry mousse cake was a huge hit at the birthday party and they made me look like a hero.

To order from Divina Cakes:

• Check out their website here.  

• They offer free delivery within the 5th ring road, 7 days a week until 10pm.

“We guarantee to use premium quality ingredients, including Belgian chocolate from Belcolade, imported cheese and real fresh cream. All our cakes are made by our European pastry chef. You can tell the difference once you taste our cakes.” - Divina Cakes

LumDimSummary: Hatsune Chef’s Dinner with Alan-san

Hatsune’s Chef Dinner spotlighted the man who started it all over 10 years ago, Alan Wong.  Upon my request, he put together a 10-Dish Dinner Feast featuring never-before-seen dishes from start to finish.

This was no easy task. It required soul-searching research with a mission to ignite culinary inspiration, hours spent in the kitchen taste-testing, training Hatsune’s head chefs and a whole lot of prep work/behind-the-scenes effort almost no guest will ever witness nor realize.  But with Alan-san’s relaxed attitude and hospitable personality, he pulls it off like it’s no sweat and really makes everything look so easy.

To give you a bit of background, Alan is the brains and heart behind the entire Hatsune restaurant concept and it’s award-winning menu with our legendary California-style sushi rolls. He also happens to be responsible for the design of Hatsune Sanlitun Village Branch (which most recently won Best Restaurant Decor in theBeijinger’s 2012 Reader Restaurant Awards).

In a nutshell, this guy is creative and when he is in the zone, he is unstoppable.  Never have I met someone so OCD and ADD at the same time. I swear that must be how he’s managed to keep churning out so many restaurants over the years and it’s got to play a major role in the success in his career as a restauranteur.

In any case, this Chef’s Dinner Event was a challenge that really put Alan to the test – to get his creative juices flowing, to get him engaged and inspired, to get him to roll up his sleeves, get out his slick set of super-sharp knives and get his cook-on with his top chefs for a spectacular meal designed to impress each and every foodie lucky enough to snag a seat.

Since this was his personal project, he only allowed me to seat 20 guests max to ensure the quality of service, timeliness of dishes and enough face-time both before and after the service of his 10-dish menu.

Now that you’ve all been properly de-briefed, I’ll let my photos do the rest of the talking for me.

Feast your eyes on the 10 brand-new menu created by Alan Wong for a one-off dinner party.

10-Dish Hatsune Chef’s Dinner Menu

1st Course: Truffle Salt Edamame

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san Prepping and Mixing Edamame & Truffle Salt

First Course: Truffle Salt Edamame served!

2nd Course: Organic Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san beautifying salad presentation

Second Course: Organic Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette served!

3rd Course: Akami & Shiro Maguro Tartare

topped with green onions and quail egg

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san prepping tartare & pouring sauce

4th Course: Cod-fish Saikyo-yaki Butter Lettuce Wrap

with Deep-fried Gobo Root

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san & his team wrapping cod-fish in lettuce wrap

Served! Cod-fish Saikyo-yaki butter Lettuce Wrap with Deep-fried Gobo Root

5th Course: Oden Soup with BeefballSkewer

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san & his team pouring oden & setting up skewers

Alan-san in the Kitchen: Oden Soup with Beefball Skewer

6th Course: Wintermelon Nimono w/ Pumpkin & Citrus Essence 

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san setting up Nimono and Torching Citrus

Served! Wintermelon Nimono with Pumpkin and Citrus Essence

7th Course: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Kobe Beef Lightly Salted

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san & Kitchen Team displaying & torching Kobe Beef

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Kobe Beef Lightly Salted Torched Tableside by Chef Alan-san

8th Course: Unagi & Negihama Tableside Hand Rolls

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san Wrapping & Torching Hand Rolls Tableside

Torched Unagi & Negihama Hand Roll by Chef Alan-san

Unagi & Negihama Tableside Hand Rolls

9th Course: Soft Shell Crab/Snapper/Shiso Inside Out Roll

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san Behind Sushi Bar

Served! Soft Shell Crab/Snapper/Shiso Inside Out Roll

10th Course: Dessert One Two Punch

Strawberries with Condensed Milk, Green Tea Mini Mochi in a Cookie Spoon

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san prepping strawberries and dessert display

Served! Dessert One Two Punch – Strawberries with Condensed Milk, Green Tea Mini Mochi in a Cookie Spoon

Thank a Bow, Chef Alan-san! You’ve earned it!

A fellow foodie friend recently started a blog called A to the Z (Annette_K_Z) and she re-caps her dining experience as one of the few lucky guests who got to sit in on Chef Alan’s Chefs Dinner at Hatsune here.

*To get in tune with latest news on upcoming events and promos for the Hatsune Restaurant Group, please contact me directly at kristen@lumdimsum.com and I will add your email to our ridiculously awesome mailing list.

Hatsune Restaurant Details:

The Original Hatsune (Guanghua Lu Branch):

• 2/F, Heqiao Bldg C, 8A Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District
• 朝阳区光华路甲8号和乔大厦C座2层
• Tel: 6581-3939

Hatsune Sanlitun Village Branch:

• 3rd Floor of Sanlitun Village (next to Element Fresh & across from Karaiya Spice House) Sanlitun Village South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
• 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯Village南区8号楼S8-30
• Tel: 6415-3939

Savvy SWITCH! Grill at New Dongsishitiao Location

After the move from 798 Art District, the new SWITCH! Grill had their opening party a couple weeks back to celebrate both their new location and also Chef Billy Kawaja‘s birthday. The place was packed for their grand opening party and tasty canapes pouring out of their kitchen kept me staying much longer than I had originally planned to.

This Canadian catering and special events team (the creators of both Culinary Capers and SWITCH! Grill) ceases to amaze me with their creative culinary talents and professional service.  Click to see LDS’s review of their Grand Opening Party – SWITCH! Grill Switches Back On in New Location

One of the participating restaurants in my Little Gold Book, I was happy to learn that the coupon for “Buy 1-Get 1 FREE Mains” at the original SWITCH! in 798 would also apply to the new, savvy and stylish SWITCH! Grill in Regent Land Apartment (across from Swissotel at southeast corner of Dongsishitiao). *If you don’t already have a Little Gold Book, get on it!  It’s only RMB 240 for the whole book of coupons from Beijing’s top restaurants including 50% off Hatsune, Kagen and Karaiya Spice House, it will last you all of 2012 and 30% of proceeds will benefit local community charities. What’s not to love about all that? This book is worth every last fen.

Grabbing a foodie on the way to the restaurant, we made our first foodie-venture at the new SWITCH! Grill on a Monday night.  As expected, the place was pretty desolate with only two other tables of two in the whole restaurant, but this was literally the week after they had just opened and the new space was still very much unannounced to the general Beijing foodie community.

I won’t fault SWITCH! Grill at all for the lack of customers, and if anything, I was ecstatic when the gentleman at one of the other tables came over to say that he and his wife had come to SWITCH! for her birthday dinner based on my LDS post about the opening party!

I admit the dining experience would have been enhanced with more people in the restaurant, but this did not detract from the quality of food and, if anything, we felt like we had the whole restaurant to ourselves! (Fellow photographers will understand this was a rare window of opportunity for me to snap as many photos as I pleased without the chance of anyone asking my paparazzi parade to cease fire.)

LumDimSum Snapshots of the new SWITCH! Grill: 

Overall, our dining experience at SWITCH! was very satisfying. It speaks volumes about our meal when I say that I was too stuffed to even sample their dessert selection.

Here’s a breakdown of our meal starting with our starter salad and ending with our mains.  Chopped Lettuce and Avocado Salad with watermelon bits, pecans and spicy corn vinaigrette (RMB 65) came out too salty or not mixed thoroughly as our first bites were mouthfuls of salt, but they immediately offered to replace our salad with a second one, which was much better.

While the BBQ Pork Ribs (RMB 160) were massive, the Lamb Rack (RMB 130) was on the opposite end of the size spectrum. It wasn’t too small considering how much food we had ordered, but it was quite the contrast to the size of the BBQ Pork Ribs. The Glazed Baby Carrots (RMB 35) were another stand-out dish. Delicious and a perfect compliment to the hunks of meat.  I’ve been binging on sweet potato and I am hoping SWITCH! Grill might consider also adding a sweet potato side dish onto their menu.  Sweet potato fries, mash, chunks…anything sweet potato would be a real bonus in my book!

Overall, highlights of the meal were the ginormous rack of BBQ Pork Ribs and their Signature Strawberry Chili Martini, which still stands as my favorite cocktail in the city. It’s phenomenal and you’ve got to order it the next time you dine at SWITCH! Grill.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Dinner at SWITCH! Grill:

SWITCH!’s Signature Strawberry Chili Martini (RMB 65)SWITCH!’s Chopped Lettuce with Avocado Salad, Watermelon, Pecan & Spicy Corn Vinaigrette (RMB 65)

SWITCH!’s BBQ Pork Ribs with Steak Frites and Charred Broccolini (RMB 160)

SWITCH!’s Lamb Rack with Herb & Garlic Marinade (RMB 130)

 SWITCH!’s Side of Glazed Baby Carrots (RMB 35)

Review of SWITCH! Grill: Regent Land Apartment (across from Swissotel) No. 66 Gongti Beilu, Dong Cheng District  东城区工体北路66号瑞士公寓, Tel: 6553 5691. Open Daily, 11AM-10PM.

Best Part:

• Try their Strawberry Chili Martini, one of my favorite cocktails in the city
• A destination for carnivores to get their meat fix. They have a strong meat & seafood grill menu and their BBQ Pork Ribs were massive (enough for two to share!)
• Portions were large, good for sharing 
• Menu has a wide range of items including soups and salads (RMB 45-65), appetizers (RMB 75-85), flatbread pizza (RMB 55-65), pastas and burgers (RMB 55-88), mains and grill menu (RMB 125-210) and plenty of veggie sides (RMB 25-40) to counter the heavy-meat menu and of course desserts! (RMB 35-55) 
• Simple, quality, straight-forward North American-style steakhouse with cool decor and great food. 
• They also have a very extensive wine list at great prices with glasses starting at RMB 25. Perfect to pick and choose to pair with your meal. 

Comments:

• Although I don’t fault SWITCH! Grill for it’s lack of customers when I visited on a Monday evening just after their launch party, I also can’t imagine seeing this space packed with customers on any given night considering it’s still a point of destination with few pedestrians wandering in off the street (unlike all those venues located in Sanlitun). This is still a place you decide to dine in for a good meal with friends (also not a place for a quick bite on your own). 
• Not sure what was going on, but sitting on the mezzanine level of the restaurant, we kept feeling the ground quiver beneath our feet. I don’t mean to imply that the second floor is unstable, but there was definitely a noticeable movement throughout our meal. 
• Prices are reasonable considering quality of imported meat and big portions, but be prepared to come with a full wallet as it does add up!  
• Service was very professional.  When our first mouthfuls of the salad were overwhelmed with salt, the chef kindly offered to take it back and replace it for a new one without question. 

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

• Food: 8
• Atmosphere: 6
• Service: 8
• Overall Experience: 7

The Little Easy: A New Orleans Bar on SLT Bar Strip

This Friday, the 13th of April will be the official opening of a new bar in town called The Little Easy, a New Orleans bar with quality cocktails, craft beers, southern comfort food and live music.

This is Chad Lager‘s newest project, who is also known as the man behind Fubar, Grinders, Tun Bar and The Rickshaw (closed in 2010).

Teaming up with the guys from Slow Boat Brewery, he’ll be exclusively serving three of their craft beers (American Pale Ale, Citra Mango IPA & Amber Ale) on tap for RMB 40 for one or RMB 100 for three.

“The Little Easy is your place for Slow Boat craft beers, Hurricane cocktails, Cajun food and po’ boy sandwiches. Live New Orleans Jazz, Zydeco, and Blues. At the Little Easy, although the clock may say 2am, it’s all a matter of mind, body and spirit.” 

A New Orleans bar like the ones on the legendary Bourbon Street in New Orleans seems quite the change from the cozy, hidden speakeasy that is Fubar with its little “Dizzy Buddha” cocktails (click here for my previous “Buddha-licious” article on Fubar).

But the most fascinating part to me is the choice of location. From the secretive, under-cover location of Fubar, a speak-easy behind the front of Stadium Dog in Gongti, The Little Easy will be smack-dab on the cheesy, touristy Sanlitun bar strip right across from Sanlitun South Village.

This is renowned to be one of the worst parts of Sanlitun, with awful pop music blasting out and girls pole dancing in the windows.  This is the area I fear many clueless tourists accidentally end up while trying to find the infamous “Sanlitun Bar Street” of Beijing they read about in their travel books. I intentionally refuse to walk on this side of the street to avoid all the annoying hawkers shamelessly trying to lure people into their bars that are really nothing but over-priced tourist traps.  All that being said, perhaps The Little Easy will be the pivotal point that will change this hopeless strip into a new, better Sanlitun bar street.

“Centrally located on Sanlitun’s premier bar street – just look for the wrought iron railings and brick interior.”

Fingers crossed this marks the beginning of the end of that forsaken strip of tourist trap-bars-from-hell into a strip of quality bars with legit drinks, food and music.

The Little Easy Details:

• Address: 北京市朝阳区三里屯酒吧街54号 Beijing, Chaoyang district, Sanlitun Bar Street #54 

• Opening Hours: 11AM-late

Introducing Dali Numero Dos: The New Dali Courtyard 2

A Small Gathering to Celebrate the Arrival of Dali #2

On Easter Day, the owners of the original Dali Courtyard introduced their newest space just north of the original Dali off of Gulou Dongdajie with a little party for close friends.

There isn’t an official name yet, so I’ve been referring to the new space as Dali Squared, Dali Dos or just plain Dali #2.  The restaurant isn’t even open to the public just yet (they said it’ll be another two weeks before they start officially opening their doors), but get excited because this space is gorgeous.

It features the same attractive elements as the original space-  the discreet exterior for that added “wow” factor when you first step inside, a beautiful courtyard in the center and great food & service.

Discreet Entrance of the New Dali #2:

In theme with the original space, this second Dali is another hidden hutong gem,

tucked within the discreet walls of a traditional Chinese hutong. 

Walking through the Doors of Dali #2

If you were impressed walking into the original Dali Courtyard, you’re in for a treat with Dali #2. It’s a smaller space, making it that much more intimate, but it’s got a lovely courtyard with giant, spooky trees overhead and two pretty swanky interior dining rooms with a much more contemporary feel in comparison to the original Dali.

LumDimSum Snapshots of the New Dali #2:

Center Courtyard of Dali #2

Majestic Trees Hovering over the Courtyard of Dali #2

Contemporary Interior Design is a nice contrast to the traditional Chinese hutong setting

Party Snacks at Dali Courtyard –

This assortment of snacks is most likely not entirely representative of the food they’ll be serving once they are open, but these bite-sized nibbles were tasty and I was just happy to see their fried cheese being served.

Final Artsy-Fartsy Photo by LumDimSum.com

Stay tuned for a full LDS review of the New Dali Courtyard once it’s officially open!

For more info, you can read theBeijinger’s 2 cents of their sneak peek experience here.

Stay a little while at S.T.A.Y: Wicked Sunday Brunch

S.T.A.Y. is a point of destination. The acronym actually stands for Simple Table Alléno Yannick, but take away the acronym and they should really just leave it as one word: STAY, in all caps.

Because of its location and price point, this is not a place you stumble upon, but something you prepare yourself for.  When you dine at STAY, you should prepare to sit back, relax and indulge in all food-related guilty-pleasures that exist…cause you won’t be leaving any time soon.

Proof in point, on my first visit to STAY for their Sunday brunch (only Sundays from 11AM-4PM), I basically spent my entire Sunday at STAY with a group of us there for at least 5 hours (we hung around awhile after brunch was over because we couldn’t move). Part of the reason was because we wanted to make the most of the journey there, but mostly because we wanted to take advantage of the free-flow champagne and their magnificent dessert buffet called their “Pastry Library” for as long as possible.

To give you a bit of background, this is the new chef and concept that took over Brian McKenna’s legendary Blu Lobster restaurant. Knowing the creative capabilities of Brian McKenna, I know in its heyday, Blu Lobster was famed and relished for its exuberant molecular gastronomy cuisine.  But alas, Brian is long gone from this space, having first opened ROOMbeijing in the Park Hyatt followed by his newest projects like INO, his 16-seater private dining concept serving 30 dishes per person at a price point of about RMB 1,500 per person (more info coming soon).

While Brian’s style of cooking can be labeled as fantastical with so many unique dish creations, Chef Yannick Alléno has taken a different approach to fine dining. Also titled a “Michelin Star Chef”, he was the chef for Paris’ 3-Michelin Star restaurant Le Meurice and 1947 Restaurant at Cheval Blanc. Rather than serve fancy food, Chef Yannick is all about French basics with signature dishes like the quail egg with coral sea urchin and lobster tart (which is still pretty fancy to me).

Massive Mural of the Restaurant’s Hero: Chef Yannick Alleno

Regardless of how “basic” they claim their food to be, we’re still talking very high-end French cuisine in a Shangri-la hotel with a ceiling full of chandeliers so you can still expect to be impressed.

This quality of dining is created for those with an appreciative palette.  

Granted, this is probably the most expensive brunch in town and it’s a trek to get to (this Shangri-la is in the west side of Beijing close to the Beijing Zoo), but it was a brunch I won’t forget about for a very long time. It’s almost been a week since my visit and I can almost remind myself of the rich flavors that linger just that much longer.

LumDimSum Snapshots Stepping into STAY:

Feels more and more like Spring

A ceiling full of chandeliers

The Communal Table is a highlight in STAY

Enough about the chef, the restaurant decor and it’s concept, let’s get down to business and talk food.

Photos speak for themselves so feast your eyes on the LumDimSum Photo Gallery of my brunch at STAY.

LumDimSum Snapshots of STAY’s Weekend Brunch:

STAY’s Freshly Baked Croissant Basket

Complimentary Bread Basket

Happy Start to Our Brunch

With a few of us not going for the free-flow champagne option, I thought it was lovely when the staff came around with a trolly full of fresh juices – carafes fulls of fresh kiwi, watermelon, orange, honey melon and grapefruit juice.  Almost everyone got one and we were happy until the bill came in the end and we realized that they failed to mention that each glass of juice was RMB 70 aka, the most expensive juice EVER!  This was poor form on STAY’s part. They really should have said up-front that the fresh fruit juice was not complimentary and that it came with a hefty price tag.

BEWARE: Most expensive fresh fruit juice EVER (RMB 70 per glass)

With expensive juice and champagne in hand and some freshly baked bread baskets to nibble on, we were ready to begin our brunch feast. Each of us chose from one of three appetizers (pasture, sea or healthy) followed by one of three main course options (meat, fish or pasta of the day).

STAY’s Weekend Brunch Menu

Designed for carnivores, this set is sure to satisfy your meat cravings.  If anything, after finishing off this set, you might want to go for anything other than meat. In my opinion, it’s a meat overkill.  Good thing we ordered a variety of sets so we could all pick at each other’s dishes.

The highlight of this set was by far the Foie Gras (served in selection of charcuterie) and the Wild Mushroom & Pancetta Egg Cocotte.

STAY’s ‘Pasture’ Appetizer Set:

STAY’s Pasture Appetizer Set: Angus Beef Tartar

STAY’s Pasture Appetizer Set: Selection of Charcuterie

STAY’s Pasture Appetizer Set: Wild Mushroom & Pancetta Egg Cocotte

STAY’s Pasture Appetizer Set: Green Lentil Salad & Homemade Black Truffle Sausage

As you might have guessed, I went for the ‘Sea’ appetizer set.  There was no way I could turn down Fresh Oysters, Lobster Carpaccio and Sea Urchin Scrambled Eggs.  The presentation was stunning  (scrambed eggs served in sea urchin shell) and uniquely creative ( smoked salmon sliced to look like salmon sashimi).

If anything, this set was filling as a meal in itself!  It was so good, I finished every last bite with barely any stomach space left over for the main course…and pastry library!

STAY’s ‘Sea’ Appetizer Set:

STAY’s Sea Appetizer Set: Sea Urchin Scrambled Eggs

STAY’s Sea Appetizer Set: Lobster Carpaccio

STAY’s Sea Appetizer Set: Homemade Smoked Salmon & Cucumber Salad

STAY’s Sea Appetizer Set: Oyster, Red Wine Shallot Vinaigrette

See STAY’s ‘Sea’ Appetizer Set Together:

The “Healthy” appetizer set was much more boring by comparison to the first two appetizer sets. Healthy food can be just as delicious as rich, fatty, indulgent foods, but maybe the French have yet to master this.  Everything was quite bland and really nothing impressive.

STAY’s ‘Healthy’ Appetizer Set:

STAY’s ‘Healthy’ Appetizer Set: Grilled Vegetable Barigoules

STAY’s ‘Healthy’ Appetizer Set: Italian Burrata and Tomato Basilica Sauce

STAY’s ‘Healthy’ Appetizer Set: Egg White & Black Truffle Omelet

STAY’s ‘Healthy’ Appetizer Set: Vegetable Soup & Tofu

STAY was family friendly, bringing out a plate of baby sliders for our little 2 year old.

Little Sliders for Little Ones

Main Courses:

Fish of the Day:

STAY’s Fish of the Day Served Tableside in Pan

Final Presentation of “Fish of the Day”

Roasted Meat of the Day – Roast Chicken Main:

Creamy Mashed Potato

As much as I appreciated and enjoyed the brunch menu, everything I had consumed was completely overshadowed by the ‘Pastry Library’ by the very young and talented Pastry Chef Florian Couteau.  This guy’s only 24 years old and has been a professional pastry chef from the age of 12!  This is the most spectacular display of desserts and I couldn’t get enough.  For someone with a serious sweet tooth, I was like a kid in a candy shop.  Everything was like a taste of heaven.

The ‘Pastry Library’ highlights were the fresh fruit mix (mangos, pineapples, strawberries and blueberries in a mint syrup), their almond cheesecake balls, their cream puffs and strawberry tart.

The mini chocolate fondants probably would have tasted better hot out of the oven and the Creme Brulee was still undercooked (too liquid-y) even after being torched.

Now feast your eyes on these magnificent desserts!

LumDimSum Snapshots of STAY’s ‘Pastry Library’:

Review of S.T.A.Y’s Sunday Brunch: 1st floor of the Shangri-la Hotel, Beijing,29 Zizhuyuan Road, Beijing,, Tel: 6841 2211 ext 6727. Sundays Only: 11AM-4PM

Best Part:

• Pastry Chef Florian Couteau’s ‘Pastry Library’ – the most magnificent, impressive spread of desserts.  Best dessert buffet in Beijing, hands down!
• It was so good, I would really make the trip back just for the desserts (I’d probably skip the brunch entirely to make more room for sweets).
• Must try desserts: cream puff, almond cheesecake ball, mixed fruit jar, triple layer chocolate bar, strawberry cups.
• Of the three appetizer sets, I was most impressed by the “Sea” set. Lobster Carpaccio, fresh oysters and sea urchin scrambled eggs was impressive. 
• Simple, roasted chicken was also very well-done.  A great testament to basic French food. 

Comments:

• Head Chef Yannick Alleno may come from a 3-Michelin star restaurant background, but I was honestly more impressed with the dessert buffet than I was with the main Sunday brunch.
• Really poor form that the staff failed to mention that the fresh fruit juice trolly that came around at the begin was 1. not complimentary and 2. that each glass was RMB 70!  
• The Sunday brunch was bare. We were a table of 10, but aside from us, there were only another 10 guests max.  It pains me to think of the magnificent dessert buffet that must have gone into the bin! 
• Very pricey brunch, if not the most expensive in town.  We were all fooled by the expensive fruit juice so that didn’t help the high prices of the final bill.  My total bill was RMB 620 for the brunch (RMB 468 + 15% service charge) + one fruit juice (RMB 70 + 15% service charge). 
• It’s really a shame this venue is so far west and also that it’s imprisoned in a boring hotel design.  It would really do so much better in a unique, stand-alone space like Capital M, Maison Boulud or Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB). If STAY was housed in a 600-year-old temple, that would be something special. Right now, it’s impressive, but just that much more out-of-reach and stuck to a confines of a corporate hotel chain. 

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

• Food: 8
• Atmosphere: 6
• Service: 6
• Overall Experience: 7

Stay a little while at STAY

On the Hunt for Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea: The Ritz

Traditional Afternoon Tea at the Ritz Carlton, Beijing

In collaboration with CityWeekend, LumDimSum has been sought out to take on a new blog series to hunt down Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea and our first feature is one of the very obvious choices – the glitzy, glamorous Ritz Carlton Beijing’s Traditional Afternoon Tea.

A traditionally elegant and classically beautiful setting, the Ritz-Carlton stands out as an ideal setting to spend an afternoon sipping on tea in pretty porcelain cups and snacking on both savory and sweet bite-sized delicacies.

A Pretty Princess Tea Party at the Ritz Carlton

Walking into the Ritz’s plush lounge, you can’t help but feel you ought to be dressed in high gloves, gowns and tuxedos among globetrotting millionaires and celebrities in the high-class ambiance, a signature in all of the glamorous Ritz Carlton hotels around the world.

“A time honored tradition for over a century, the world renowned afternoon tea of The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing has served England’s most beloved ritual and grandest tradition Afternoon Tea to famed royalty, celebrities and discerning guests.” 

Elegant Long Bar at the Entrance of the Ritz Carlton Lounge

A Relaxing Afternoon Lounging at the Ritz

In spite of the swanky ambiance, the prices are reasonable. A complete “Traditional Afternoon Tea” set is priced at RMB 168 + 15% service charge to include unlimited Western tea (or 1 cup of their specialty coffee) and a three-tiered display of delicate canapes.

LumDimSum Breakdown of the Ritz’ Afternoon Tea:

Three-Tiered Display of Delicacies

Top Tier Desserts -

Petit Four Desserts: Strawberry Tart, Lemon Meringue Tart, Rich Chocolate Cake, Profiterole with Custard and Blueberries

The top tier was the highlight of our Afternoon Tea, which makes sense why it’s displayed at the very top of the three tiers. Each of these sweets was perfect both in presentation and taste.

Strawberry Tart / Lemon Meringue Tart

With strawberries in full swing this Spring, the giant, juicy strawberry made this tart a favorite. The Lemon Meringue had an unexpected, but lovely, creamy lemon curd in the middle with a soft, milky texture.

Profiterole with Custard and Blueberries / Rich Chocolate Cake

The chocolate cake looked a bit dry, but it was rich and creamy down the middle. My only suggestion to improve this tier would be to add a layer of chocolate in the berry profiterole.

Second Tier: Savory Snacks

Hickory Wood-house Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream on Wheat Toast, Triple Layer Cucumber & Cream Cheese on Rye Bread, Free Range Egg Salad Sandwich with Caviar and Chive on Pumpernickel Bread and Tiger Prawn, Avocado, Tomato and Lemon on Wheat Toast

The second tier was also well done, but not as impressive as the first. Each of these savory snacks are all pretty basic, what you would expect to be served from a hotel if you request for a selection of savory canapes.

Triple Layer Cucumber Salad & Cream Cheese on Rye Bread / Egg Salad with Caviar and Chive on Pumpernickel Bread

There’s the token cucumber canape which was light and crisp, and an egg salad, which I would have liked more if it were not for the pumpernickel bread.

Hickory Wood-house Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream on Wheat Toast / Tiger Prawn, Avocado, Tomato and Lemon on Wheat Toast 

There was also the standard Smoked Salmon, which had strong smokey flavor. The Tiger Prawn looked the most impressive of the four, but nowhere could I find, taste or uncover any avocado and unfortunately, the shrimp itself was chewy and tasted a bit stale.  It had obviously been sitting out for awhile.

Bottom Tier: Assorted Fruits

 Third Tier: Assorted Fruit Salad – Watermelon, Pineapple, Honey melon and Dragon Fruit

The bottom tier was the most disappointing. With strawberries, pineapples and beautiful berries in season, the Ritz should really take advantage and serve what’s best at this time of year. The pineapple was perfect – juicy and sweet and not at all acidic. But the watermelon and honey melon were awful. The watermelon had no flavor and was not crispy or fresh at all and the honey melon was also not ripe enough to be served.

Freshly Baked Scone with Clotted Cream and Lemon Curd Berry Preserve

I’ve saved the best for last – The fresh scone was served separately, but this was the highlight. It was still warm and crispy with a flaky exterior shell and a soft, chewy inside.

Time for Tea

Western Tea Served with Milk and Sugar Cane Sticks

Most places in town will charge per person, but the Ritz’s Afternoon Tea is RMB 168 for the set which includes unlimited Western tea. So this is really an option for a couple or group of 3-4 to enjoy an afternoon together. While tea is unlimited, coffee is limited to just one, but they serve a nice display of imported coffee.

The Lounge Bar’s Display of Imported Coffee Beans

There really weren’t many people around on the Sunday afternoon I came in and to my dismay, there was no one dressed properly as I had hoped, but then again, I guess you can’t expect anyone to either follow or enforce a dress code in Beijing. While service was not the most attentive, they were friendly when they would come around and top up our tea.

Service at the Ritz: Topping Up our Tea

Review of Ritz Carlton Beijing’s Afternoon Tea: Just next to the JW Marriott, No. 83A Jian Guo Road, Chaoyang District, Tel: 5908-8888. Afternoon Tea Available daily, 2:30-5:30PM

Best Part:

• Unlimited Tea!  You can spend the whole afternoon sipping on classic English tea in pretty porcelain cups
• If you’re a coffee lover, they also feature a selection of imported coffee beans
• This classic English manor home sets the perfect backdrop for an elegant, sophisticated Afternoon Tea
• Three-tiered display of snacks and sweets is perfect to compliment your tea and plenty to leave you satisfied all afternoon. 
• Atmosphere is quiet so you can enjoy your afternoon tea in peace
• This is the perfect place to host a Downton Abbey themed tea party and ask everyone to dress up to fit the part.  
• Prices are reasonable – RMB 168 for unlimited tea and the three-tiered display. 

Comments:

• While the atmosphere is lovely, the customers there on Sunday afternoon looked entirely out of place wearing gym suits and attire that really should be outlawed from such an elegant venue. 
• Service was not the most attentive.  I had to go up to the bar myself to seek out service. 
• The snacks that came with the afternoon tea were tasty, but all pretty basic.  Nothing mind-blowing our anything out of the ordinary. Almost all of it was just as we had expected (tasty but boring), but the fruit selection was the most disappointing.  The watermelon and honey melon were practically inedible. With so much exotic, tropical fruit in season, it was a shame we were served such a mediocre selection of fruit. 
• It was a lovely experience, but there is much room for improvement and I suspect I’ll be uncovering much better afternoon tea deals in Beijing in the very near future. Stay tuned for more! 

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

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

A Spanish Visit at Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB)

My first meal at Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) was a private business lunch a few months ago when they were first in soft opening period and not even open outside of dinner hours. It was a few months ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. Everything from the food to the service was impeccable and every detail was looked after. Granted they opened the restaurant just to accommodate our party of 10, which is an ideal situation to leave a perfect, lasting impression. (Click here for previous review of TRB)

I’ve only had the opportunity to dine at TRB once since it’s opening, and yet it’s still the top new place I recommend to others for special occasion celebrations and out-of-town guests. And when I first heard about TRB’s “Spanish Visit”, I immediately found my excuse to rush back to TRB for a proper dinner event.  The event featured a gastronomic 5-course meal paired with Spanish wines and a presentation of 5J Iberico ham for only RMB 480 all inclusive was a deal I could not miss.

Arriving at TRB for the first time in the evening, it definitely has a different vibe than during the day time.  It’s a lot of mysterious and you really feel the 600 years of history within the temple much more.

LumDimSum Snapshots of TRB’s Courtyard Entrance by Night:

Within TRB’s restaurant, we gathered at the bar for glasses of sparkling wine and all the Iberico ham we could stomach.  Complete with warm, toasty cheese balls, it’s amazing I had enough self-control to leave stomach room for the 5-course wine pairing dinner. Not going to lie, we were all over that Iberico ham and devoured more than our fair share.  Such a treat to see it sliced right in front of you.

TRB Welcome Drinks & Iberico Ham:

And now to the best part – TRB’s impressive 5-course dinner with paired Spanish wines. Highlights of the meal were definitely the Salt Cod Egg White and Garlic Soup starter, Fillet of Monkfish and the generous spread of beautifully presented desserts.

LumDimSum Snapshots of TRB’s ‘Spanish Visit’ Dinner Event:

TRB Spanish Visit’s Center Table for 20

TRB’s Spanish Visit Dinner Menu

Salt Cod Egg White and Garlic Soup paired with Luna Creciente, Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain 2010

Pigs Head Pate with Goose Liver, Sherry and Fig Paired with Matsu, “El Picaro” Toro, Spain 2010

Fillet of Monkfish, Clams, Red Wine Sauce paired with Beryna, Alicante, Spain 2010

Roasted Pork Loin, Pimentos, Aubergine, Garlic, Lentils Jus paired with Pagos Del Mormeayo S.L. Gernacha, Vera de Moncayo, Spain 2010

Iced Saffron Parfait 

The Beijing Family at TRB’s Spanish Visit

 *If you missed out on this dinner but would be interested in joining in on more events like this one, check out this link here to the next Chi Fan for Charity Napa Wine Dinner where 5 participating restaurants (Brasserie Flo, Grange, Maison Boulud, TRB, and Vasco’s) are sponsoring spectacular set dinners paired with wines from Napa Valley’s top wineries.  I’ve booked my seat at TRB once again, but any of these restaurants would be a great choice to enjoy fabulous food with even more fabulous wines. 

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, April 17, 2012
• Time: Dinner begin at 6:30PM 
• Location: At the 5 Participating restaurants
• Website: Click here.
• Questions: Email MDC@chifanforcharity.org

Milly’s Cakes: Pretty Princess Sweet Shop

Milly’s Cakes is a new cupcake boutique that just opened up in Nali Patio a few weeks back in early March.

In an effort to help my friend plan her wedding in September, I’ve been arranging a few cake and canapes tastings around town. I already had a few different places lined up, but I heard Milly’s is absolutely adorable and definitely a spot worth checking out.  Always eager to try out new venues, I called to book an appointment for a tasting here as well.  I was fortunate to speak with the owner Emily (which I assume is where the name Milly comes from), who was both friendly and accommodating.

On the day of our tasting, our group of tasters were delighted to walk into this dream-like fairytale of a shop. It’s adorable with chandeliers from the ceilings, big mirrors hanging on the walls, a large glass showcase of their assorted cupcakes and even wedding gown displayed in their shop.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Milly’s Cakes:

Probably my favorite part of their shop is their separately enclosed showcase of creative cake designs. They had everything from designs for children’s parties to designer brand name accessories (mini Chanel and LV purses on cupcakes), glamorous gowns and themed cupcake designs.

One woman was actually working on a few new designs and explained that since these designs are for display only, they are made from clay. Still, it’s incredibly impressive with what someone can do with clay! Very detailed and professionally done, this was an impressive display of designs.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Cake Design Showroom:

Milly’s is definitely a good choice if you’re looking for a looking for a specific, unique design for a themed celebration. The only other place I can think of that is able to do these types of elaborate cakes is CCSweets, who makes all kinds of cool designs for both kid’s birthday parties and weddings. Click here to see a few of their cake designs.

And I have to say, while their store front is adorable, their designs are elaborate and impressive, I was disappointed with the actual taste of their cupcakes. The four of us tasted an assortment of six different cupcake flavors: chocolate, green tea, blueberry, strawberry, tiramisu and lemon and none of us were in love as we had very much hoped that we would be.

Perhaps we are accustomed to enjoying much sweeter, richer desserts as all of us are either from the US or Hong Kong, and these cupcakes were probably catered to the local Chinese audience.  In any case, Milly’s may not be for us, but it is perfect for what it is. As the place was pretty busy on a rainy Sunday afternoon, I have no doubt they are doing exactly what they should be for the demographic they are targeting.

I imagine this is the perfect place for a thoughtful boyfriend to treat his girlfriend who loves all things pretty and sweet.

Review of Milly’s Cakes: 3rd Floor Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang district; 朝阳区三里屯那里花园C308, Tel: 5208 6071. Open daily, 11AM-10PM

Best Part:

• Adorable store front that makes you feel like you’re in a dream-like fairy-tale with chandeliers and see-through white curtains
• Presentation is impressive for serving cupcakes and tea sets
• Showroom with an entire wall lined with elaborate cake and cupcake designs
• Staff are friendly and accommodating and many speak English

Comments:

• Cupcakes are not rich for those with a serious sweet tooth. Definitely designed to cater to local Chinese market as they generally find most Western desserts unbearably sweet. If you’re like me, you probably prefer the rich, moist cupcakes from either Lollipop Bakery or Sweet Tooth.
• As this place is very pretty, expect that it’s also a little pricey. Cupcakes are reasonably priced, but they are smaller and not as satisfying as other dessert shops in town. Desserts aside, just a set of tea is around RMB 60-80. 

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

• Food: 5
• Atmosphere: 8
• Service: 8
• Overall Experience: 6

Hatsune Chef’s Dinner with Culinary Master Alan-san

Chef Alan-san fully focused in his kitchen

The man behind Hatsune’s legendary sushi rolls and really the entire menu of fresh salads, sashimi, seafood dishes, teppanyaki and California-style Japanese fare, Alan Wong, is getting out his slick set of super-sharp knives, rolling his sleeves up and getting his cook-on in the original kitchen where all the magic first took place – the Original Hatsune branch on Guanghua Lu.

This is an event that has been in the works for months and we are finally ready to announce this exciting upcoming dinner. Alan is opening this dinner up to the first 20 people who are quick enough to sign up for his very own Chef’s dinner on Wednesday, April 4.

Created from scratch and new inspirations, this dinner will feature 10 never-before-seen dishes from start to finish. Be among the very first to sample these new creations that could very well end up on the Hatsune menu. The menu is design to impress, with each dish unique to anything already on the Hatsune menu.

Pretty-ing up his famous California-style Japanese sushi rolls

This is a must-attend dinner for all Hatsune fanatics who have tried every roll on the menu twice and are aching for something new. The set dinner is RMB 380 per person and like I said earlier – we’re only giving out 20 seats MAX so hurry and book your seat! Reservations are essential so get on it..!

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, April 4, 2012

• Time: 7:30PM-9:30PM

• Location: The Original Hatsune (Guanghua Lu Branch)

• Address: 2\F, Heqiao Building, Bldg C, A8 Guanghua Donglu, CBD/Guomao    

                       光华东路甲8号和乔大厦C座2层

• RSVP Required: Limited to 20 seats only. 

  Contact: kristen@lumdimsum.com or call 18610046093

I should note that Alan Wong just won the Outstanding award for theBeijinger’s Best Personality Award in this year’s 2012 Reader Restaurant Awards, so you’re guaranteed to have a blast at his very own Chef’s Dinner!