Back for Comfort: Chef Too’s Weekend Brunch

Last year, there was a point I when my friends and I were going to Chef Too for brunch every Sunday for months.  Chef Too was our Sunday tradition.  I’m not sure what changed, but after a few months in a row (of literally going every Sunday), we just stopped going back.  Probably because some of our gang went on holiday or maybe I’m also partly to blame because I wanted to start going to more of a variety of restaurants, I saw an opportunity to gain LDS material (I know, so selfish!).

So when I went back to Chef Too last weekend (after almost a year break), it was such a comforting experience. They had updated their menu slightly, added a few new dishes, removed a few older ones, but generally it was just as I remember it.  Always pretty busy on weekends, we had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, but it was worth the wait.

There is nothing particularly exciting about Chef Too, but it’s just consistently good, hearty American food and great service.  A bonus is that most all of their staff speak English and some are Filipino, so they speak practically perfect English.

And whether you see this as a positive or negative thing, you definitely feel like you’re walking into your grandmother’s house when you eat at Chef Too.  It feels very much like a home more than a restaurant or diner.

When I used to come more regularly last year, I used to always order their ginormous Cobb Salad, California Omelette or Eggs Sardou with creamed spinach and an artichoke bottom. Click here for my previous LDS Review of Chef Too.  But this time around, I wanted to try one of their new dishes so I went for one of the most expensive items on their menu – Chef Too’s “Eggs Gin Lane” (RMB 148) – Eggs Benedict with imported crab salad and a side of creamed spinach and buttered vegetables.  While the eggs benedict was amazing with the crab, I was disappointed with the mini portion of buttered vegetables – I literally got two pieces of carrot and two pieces of broccoli.  RMB 148 is a little pricey, but it was super tasty and I’d probably order it again.

Chef Too’s “Eggs Gin Lane” (RMB 148)

My brunch buddy was ravenous by the time we sat down to eat so he went for the “Steak and Eggs” combo (RMB 138).  Two eggs any style you like – we agreed on poached eggs, a slab of steak and for sides – hashbrowns and buttered vegetables.  Unfortunately, the steak was a bit smaller than expected and it seemed the portion was not as big as he had hoped. Same story with the vegetables- two small pieces of carrots and broccoli and hashbrowns were more like potato chunks.

Chef Too’s Steak & Eggs (RMB 138)

There’s always room for dessert, so we each picked one – NYC Cheesecake with blueberries and their Apple Pie a la mode with homemade vanilla ice cream. All the desserts on their menu was RMB 38, with the exception of their Waffle platter, which I am dying to order one day.  The apple pie was the highlight of our meal – it was perfect. Served hot, the crust was crispy and the warm apple inside was tasty and gooey. But after a bite of the apple pie, we went in for a bite of the NYC Cheesecake.  While it looks creamy and perfect, it actually tasted like nothing.  We kept taking bites because we weren’t getting any flavor. And it was not creamy, but the consistency was more fluffy and more similar to cake than cheesecake.  I probably wouldn’t order the cheesecake again, but the apple pie was a delight.

 Chef Too’s NYC Cheesecake (RMB 38)

Chef Too’s Apple Pie a la Mode

Check out:

LumDimSum’s Weekend Brunch at Chef Too

Chef Too’s Contact Details:

• Address: Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu, 朝阳公园西路枣营南里小区东门南 

• Tel: 6591-8676

BJ FOoDiEs ‘Magic’ Dinner & Hilton’s Charity Auction

The first BJ FOoDiEs event of 2012 is setting up to be a double-whammy!  Switching things up, this is one of the very first times that a BJ FOoDiEs dinner will not be held on a Sunday, but on a Friday night. And since most of those in attendance have a charitable heart and generous spirit, it only makes sense to see BJ FOoDiEs teaming up with the Hilton Beijing, The Beijing Beatles, and Hoegaarden for the 2012 Charity Auction!

So mark you calendars for next Friday, February 10 for a night dedicated to the spirit of generous giving and good food. Not only will foodies be spoiled with a special dinner, those who make the highest bids for Beijing’s Dashing Bachelors and Bachelorettes will again be once again rewarded with another dinner at One East!

The night’s rundown is quite packed in, so by signing up for the BJ FOoDiEs dinner, you’re also signing yourself up for a full-on charitable evening with all proceeds going to two very special charitable organizations: Morning Tears and Magic Hospital.

First off, foodies are treated to an indulgent, 3-course contemporary American meal at One East in the Hilton Beijing hotel.

While the restaurant is said to specialize in Steaks & Burgers, the BJ FOoDiEs dinner unfortunately will be serving neither.  But alas, you can enjoy everything from a crustacean sea platter this eatery combines hearty US dishes with a swig of innovative californian flavors

“Be WARNED – This is going to be a night of feasting, drinking, debauchery & party-tastic times.  It’s going to be one of the best TGIF CELEBRATIONS so do join us for the night….we’ll hopefully all remember it the next morning. WoOT WOOT ” – Xixi Cheng, Founder of BJ FOoDiEs

A Home Run for Home Plate Bar B-Que

Home Plate is home of the best pulled pork sandwich of my life and let me tell you, their savory BBQ corn-on-the-cob and homemade corn bread and yummy Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter cookies for dessert were equally as impressive.  Serving authentic All-American Southern BBQ favorites, Home Plate has a wide range of BBQ burgers, sandwiches, fries, hot dogs, wings and BBQ platters.  Highlights are their pulled-pork sandwiches and briskets where the meat is slow cooked for 8 hours over apple wood.

“Smoked for ten hours, the pulled pork offers a moist, juicy bite that even the most toothless hillbilly could chew his way through.” – theBeijinger
Click here for their review of HOME PLATE.

Other than their slow-cooked BBQ meat and ribs, I also recommend ordering their homemade drinks like their Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade and Iced Southern Sweet Tea and for desserts, try their homemade cookies or their pies and cakes delivered fresh from Life of Bread Bakery.

Home Plate Bar B-Que Menu

LumDimSum Snapshots of our meal at Home Plate:

Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade (RMB 20) and Ice Southern Sweet Tea (RMB 18)

Corn Bread (RMB 5 each) and BBQ Corn-on-the-Cob (RMB 10)

Pulled-Pork BBQ Sandwich (RMB 35):

Slow-cooked over 8 hours over apple wood topped with slaw and BBQ Sauce

Homemade Cookies: Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter Flavors (RMB 5 each or 3 for RMB 12)

If our tummies allowed us, we would have wanted to consume twice more what we ordered as the rest of their menu was sure to shine, but alas, this is just an excuse for us to go back for more!

I’ve been meaning to get my foodie buddies out here for ages it seems and I’m kicking myself for waiting so long to make it!  Since the first time I went, I can’t stop singing their praises and my very foodie friend and talented Resident DJ of PUNK, Saul Diaz has been back three time in one week and I have appointments to bring more friends this coming week.  If it’s your first time to Home Plate, be sure to make not of their address and map (see below) as it’s not the easiest place to find (on parallel street north of Xiaoyun Lu along a strip of Chinese restaurants resembling a less-busy version of Ghost Street 鬼街。Biking down this road, we knew exactly when we reached Home Plate not because of the big sign posted outside the restaurant but because the outside seating was packed with foreigners (with a wait might I add).

LumDimSum Snapshots of Home Plate Restaurant:

Word-of-mouth on this little American BBQ joint has spread like wildfire and it’s easy to see why.  If you are a serious fan of slow-cooked BBQ meat and Southern American favorites at it’s finest, Home Plate may soon become your second home.

Review of Home Plate: Go down alleyway behind Kro’s Nest on XiaoYun Lu and turn left on food street to Home Plate, 35 Xiaoyun Lu courtyard, 朝阳区霄云路35号院（Kro’s Nest后面200米）远洋新干线美食步行街 Tel: 5128 5584, Open from 11AM-10PM.

Best Part:

• Best Pulled Pork BBQ Sandwich of my life
• Quality All-American Southern BBQ
• Try their BBQ Corn-on-the-Cob, corn bread and homemade lemonade!

• Burgers and Sandwiches are all great value with prices ranging from only RMB 30-40
• They will soon begin to offer delivery!

Comments:

• Some of their good stuff is not on their menu (like their corn-on-the-cob) so be sure to ask what’s available!
• I hear it is common for them to run out of popular menu items…hopefully they will never run out of pulled pork sandwiches!
• Location is definitely off-the-beaten-track and not the easiest venue to find, but your efforts to find Home Plate will be rewarded once you try their food!
• Their interior decor is nothing to write home about, but then again, who really cares when the food is this good.  While the weather is still warm, I recommend sitting outside if you’re able to wait for a table to free up.
• Service was mediocre, but owner Seth Grossman was really friendly and personable and able to make some great recommendations.
• They are relatively newly opened, so they are still figuring out their website (link here), some kinks on their menu (still don’t have chocolate chip cookies) and service (working on offering delivery option).

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

• Food: 9
• Atmosphere: 6
• Service: 7
• Overall Experience: 8

Map to Home Plate Bar B-Que, on street parallel north of Xiaoyun Lu

Directions: Go straight down alley by Kro’s Nest (all the way through), turn left at major street and you’ll find Home Plate on Left-hand Side

Happy America Day: Celebrating the Fourth of July

America’s Independence Day, the Fourth of July, should be a day of BBQ picnics in parks with hot dogs and burgers on the grill, water balloon fights and fireworks, but as this year falls on a Monday, most are stuck in an office for the better part of the day.

But rest assured, there’s still plenty going on and a variety of destination options available to show off your Americanism.

theBeijinger gives a nice run-down of pro-American venues (click here for article) including Saddle Cantina, Kro’s Nest, the Stumble Inn, Blue Frog, the Culture Yard’s Independence Day Cook-Out, and NOLA.

After witnessing the world’s top hot dog eater, Joey Chestnut engulf 39 hot dogs in 5 minutes at the Nathan’s Famous Wanliu Store opening and the China National Hot Dog Eating Championship a few weeks back, my gang of usual suspects we be celebrating this great national holiday by ordering in a couple dozen orders of Nathan’s Famous Chili Cheese dogs and watching Joey Chestnut live on ESPN in action at 11PM Beijing time (actual contest begins at noon New York time, so midnight in Beijing). If you have a VPN or other IP proxy, you can easily watch the contest online at this link here.

Joey Chestnut jammed down 39 hot dogs in his own 5 minute exhibition in Beijing!

To see full article of Nathan’s Famous China National Championship Hot Dog Eating Competition, click here.

To see more images and video footage of Joey Chestnut exploring Beijing, click here.

For all those with a sweet tooth, I recommend ordering some All-American Apple Pie from The Pie House (buy 2 for a 30% discount!) to celebrate!

**Happy Fourth of July!**

Don’t Expect Grandma’s Cooking at Grandma’s Kitchen

Grandma’s Kitchen is definitely one of Beijing’s old timers. Back in the hay day, Grandma’s was the place to go when we got sick of oily, cheap Chinese and craved some hearty American staples from breakfast omelets to pancakes, salads, sandwiches, burgers and a good milkshake. And there’s no denying Grandma’s presence in Beijing with locations all over the city from Jianwai SOHO to Tian An Men and my favorite location at Beixinqiao with its own bed and breakfast guesthouse and an outdoor courtyard in its backyard.

Since as long as I’ve been around, Grandma’s has continued to stay consistent – decent food with decent prices and mediocre service. Four years ago, Grandma’s was considered to be pretty decent for China standards. To me and my gang, Grandma’s was an American restaurant from a Chinese perspective – trying to be, but not quite there.

But clearly today, four years later, Beijing’s dining scene has grown exponentially into a very internationally diverse scene. And now there’s more than just Grandma’s Kitchen and Paul’s Steak & Eggs if you’re craving authentic American grub.  The choices for American food in Beijing is more than you could want -  Blue Frog, Element Fresh, All-Star Sports Bar & Grill, Chef Too, Vineyard Cafe, Union Bar & Grill, Nola, Apothecary, the list continues.

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Grandma’s, so it was nice to check out my favorite location at Beixinqiao and enjoy a relaxing lunch in their outside seating.  The menu is just how I remember and although their milkshakes are the highlight of the menu, I chose to order Fresh Squeezed Orange juice (RMB 25) and a Pastrami Sandwich on Rye Bread (RMB 40).

The toast was not the rye bread I was expecting, it was served cold, rye bread was not toasted, there was too much mayo and not enough pastrami -  overall unsatisfying and disappointing.

Pastrami on Rye Sandwich

While I was quite looking forward to my return to Grandma’s, at the end of the meal I remembered why it’s been over three years since my last there – it’s really not that great.

Review of Grandma’s Kitchen: 28 Shique Hutong, Beixinqiao, 石雀胡同28号 , Tel: 8403-9452

Best Part:

• Beixinqiao location’s airy, quaint atmosphere with outdoor seating area and guest house bed & breakfast out back.  Everything about this location is sweet, welcoming and understated.
• It’s consistent and you get what you pay for. You can get a decent American meal under RMB 100, but then again, there are better choices and bargains to be found in Beijing.

Comments:

• Anything you crave on Grandma’s menu, you can find better in Beijing. Everything on the menu is mediocre, there’s nothing particularly unique or extraordinary about any of the food items.  At least Paul’s Steak & Eggs is still the place to go for Poutine (fries covered in mozzarella cheese and gravy – a popular Canadian dish).

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

• Food: 4
• Atmosphere: 7
• Service: 5
• Overall Experience: 5
  

Weekend Brunch @ Chef Too

A consistently satisfying brunch spot, Chef Too offers a hearty American-style brunch menu featuring massive salads, 3-egg omelettes, eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes, pastas, club sandwich, and a burger.

Out of their full brunch menu, I highly recommend Chef Too’s salads and egg dishes. If you are an omelette fan, I recommend either the California Omelette (RMB 98) – a three-egg omelette with herb cheese folded inside and smoked salmon and slices of avocado on top or the Western Omelette (RMB 68) – a three-egg omelette with ham, onion, peppers, tomatoes and cheese.

Some other egg dishes I’d recommend are  the Eggs Sardou (RMB 98) – Poached Eggs on an artichoke bottom with creamed spinach and hollandaise sauce. This is a great alternative to the standard eggs benedict on top of an english muffin with ham.  We also were pleased with the  Texas Chili Eggs (RMB 68), which includes Texas “two alarm” Chili atop scrambled eggs with pepper jack cheese.

A bonus that I should emphasize is that any egg dish also includes your choice of two side dishes: Wheat or White Toast, English Muffin, Hash Browns, Creamed Spinach, Buttered Vegetables, Crispy Bacon Sausage, Fried Liverwurst, Grilled Ham.  Out of all of sides, I’ve gotta say the big winners are the creamed spinach, sausage and hash browns.

Food aside, the service is friendly, many speak English and the venue is cozy and inviting.

Review of Chef Too‘s Brunch: Chaoyang Gongyuan Xilu, 朝阳公园西路枣营南里小区东门南, Tel: 6591-8676

Best Part:

• Simple, quality American-style brunch
• Service is very friendly and most speak English
• If you get there early, they give out complimentary mini cinnamon buns
• Free refills of coffee.
• Their homemade ice cream is definitely worth trying.

Comments:

• The place is packed on weekends, so be sure to make a reservation in advance.
• If you don’t like to be surrounded by a bunch of families with small children aka recovering from your hangover, it’s best to arrive after 1PM.
• Prices are a bit on the expensive side – expect to pay around RMB 100-150 per person.

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

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

All-Star @ Your Door Step

What’s better than dining out?

Snuggling up on your couch with a great DVD and food delivered straight to your door.

I know for a fact that 99% of all Beijing deliveries is probably from Annie’s or your local cheap Chinese spot, but now you have a new delivery option – from All-Star Sports Bar & Grill!

With free delivery on orders over RMB 99 within 3 kilometers, this is a great option to get your fix on American grub with the American gourmet burgers, pizza, pasta, Mexican classics, hot soups, salads, and chili-cheese fries.

Delivery Hours:

• Monday-Friday: 5pm-Midnight
• Saturday-Sunday: 11am-Midnight

To Order, just call +86 1338 -131- 0777

See All-Star’s Delivery Menu here:

Wine Bar Enoteca Serves Up a Sweet Weekend Brunch

Turns Out – Enoteca (Located in The Place Shopping Mall), known for their fine wine selection, just served up another reason to extend your weekend stay – they just started a sweet weekend brunch! Shanghai’s ever-popular wine bar is now also a great Sunday Brunch destination. Who knew?

*Enoteca just launched a new menu 2 days ago and I’m a big fan of their brunch:

I highly recommend:

Enoteca’s Brunch (available Sat-Sun until 4pm) RMB 120, includes:

• Salmon Tartar
• Quiche (today it was mushroom)
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• Brie + Emmental Cheese paired with Parma Ham + Cooked Ham
• Egg ‘a la coque’ with caviar
• Bread
• Butter Croissant
• Jam
• Fresh Yogurt
• Fresh OJ/Grape Juice

Enoteca's Brunch

For those who prefer a more typical American brunch, try their American Plate for RMB 98

• Eggs Benedict (choose from ham or salmon)
• Pesto Sauteed Mushrooms
• Pork Sausages
• Grilled Bacon
• Hash Brown
• Baked Tomato
• House Salad
• Fresh OJ/Grape Juice

For those who prefer a lighter brunch option, I recommend their

3 Tomatoes Salad for RMB 45 (all salads are RMB 45):

• Sundried, Roasted + Fresh Tomatoes, Feta Cheese and Olives