theBeijinger’s 8th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards: Hatsune Wins Best Japanese 7 Years Running

On Monday, March 21, Hatsune took home Best Japanese for the 7th year running at theBeijinger’s Reader Restaurant Awards!

Considering this was theBeijinger’s 8th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards, that’s pretty much a perfect record.

Congratulations to Alan Wong, owner of the Hatsune Empire, for holding it strong and staying on top of the game 7 years straight.  That’s gotta be the longest-running record in town!

Get excited because this year Hatsune will be celebrating its 10 year anniversary in August 2011. If you thought Hatsune’s 9 year anniversary party and Chi Fan for Charity After Party was wild last year, you are in store for a treat this coming August.  Stay tuned for details….

Other big winners from the awards ceremony include:

• Maison Boulud – Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Best French, Wine List, Most Romantic Meal, Best Service
• Da Dong – Restaurant of the Year (Chinese), Best for Impressing Visitors, Best Beijing Duck, Best for Impressing Visitors
• Capital M – Best high-end brunch, Afternoon Tea, Outdoor Dining,
• Mosto – Best Business Lunch, Best Steak, & MODO got Best New Restaurant

For a complete list of all Beijinger Dining Awards Categories and Winners, click here.

Maison Boulud & Da Dong Collect “Restaurant of the Year”

Dali Courtyard / Capital M

Modo / Agua / Biteapitta

SALT / Gung Ho! Pizza

Michael & Joanna Crain for Culinary Event of the Year: Chi Fan for Charity 2010!

While many of this year’s winners are very deserving of their awards, I was disappointed to see a few of my favorite restaurants without any recognition – Bei (in the Opposite House), Black Sesame Kitchen, Karaiya Spice House, and Madame Zhu’s Kitchen to name a few.  And I am really fed up with repeat winners  - Annie’s winning Best Italian (come on people, it’s not best delivery service), Ganges for Best Indian (really not that great), and Element Fresh for Best American, Best Sandwiches, and Best Affordable Brunch? I only approve of their smoothies and salads and boycott the rest.

theBeijinger’s Restaurant Award Winners vs. LumDimSum’s Votes:

Afternoon Tea

• Beijinger Winner: Capital M

• LumDimSum Vote: Capital M

American

• Beijinger Winner: Element Fresh

• LumDimSum Vote: Chef Too

Beijing Duck

• Beijinger Winner: Da Dong

• LumDimSum Vote: Made in China

Brunch (High-End)

• Beijinger Winner: Capital M

• LumDimSum Vote: Fennel

Brunch (Affordable)

• Beijinger Winner: Element Fresh

• LumDimSum Vote: Vineyard Cafe

Burger

• Beijinger Winner: Let’s Burger

• LumDimSum Vote: Let’s Burger

Business Lunch

• Beijinger Winner: Mosto

• LumDimSum Vote: Alameda

Cantonese (High-End)

• Beijinger Winner: Lei Garden

• LumDimSum Vote:  Zenses, Westin Beijing Chaoyang

Cantonese (Affordable)

• Beijinger Winner: Jin Ding Xuan

• LumDimSum Vote: Heng Shan Hui 衡山汇

Culinary Event of the Year

• Beijinger Winner: Chi Fan for Charity (Nov 6, 2010)

• LumDimSum Vote: Chi Fan for Charity (Nov 6, 2010)

Décor

• Beijinger Winner: LAN

• LumDimSum Vote: Capital M

Dim Sum

• Beijinger Winner: Din Tai Fung

• LumDimSum Vote:  Heng Shan Hui 衡山汇

Family-Friendly Restaurant

• Beijinger Winner: Annie’s

• LumDimSum Vote:  The Orchard

For Impressing Visitors

• Beijinger Winner: Da Dong

• LumDimSum Vote:  Duck de Chine

For a Romantic Meal

• Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud

• LumDimSum Vote:  Capital M

French (High-End)

• Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud

• LumDimSum Vote:  Maison Boulud

French (Affordable)

• Beijinger Winner: Brasserie Flo

• LumDimSum Vote: Crepanini

Hot Pot

• Beijinger Winner: Haidiliao

• LumDimSum Vote:  Haidiliao

Hotel Brunch

• Beijinger Winner: Bubbalicious, Westin Beijing Chaoyang

• LumDimSum Vote:  Bubbly Sundays at Senses, Westin Beijing Financial Street

Indian/Pakistani

• Beijinger Winner: Ganges

• LumDimSum Vote:  Punjabi

Italian (High-End)

• Beijinger Winner: Sureño, The Opposite House

• LumDimSum Vote:  Sadler Ristorante

Italian (Affordable)

• Beijinger Winner: Annie’s

• LumDimSum Vote:  LMPLUS (Central Park)

Japanese

• Beijinger Winner: Hatsune

• LumDimSum Vote:  Hatsune and Kagen Teppanyaki

Korean

• Beijinger Winner: Saveurs de Coree

• LumDimSum Vote:  Ai Jiang Shan

Kung Pao Chicken

• Beijinger Winner: Xiao Wang Fu

• LumDimSum Vote:  Black Sesame Kitchen

Late-Night Dining

• Beijinger Winner: Bellagio

• LumDimSum Vote:  Jin Ding Xuan or my local Ch’uar stand

Mexican/Tex-Mex

• Beijinger Winner: Saddle Cantina

• LumDimSum Vote: Casa Latina

Middle Eastern

• Beijinger Winner: Biteapitta

• LumDimSum Vote: Biteapitta

Outdoor Dining

• Beijinger Winner: Capital M

• LumDimSum Vote: Dali Courtyard

Pizza

• Beijinger Winner: The Tree

• LumDimSum Vote: Gung Ho! Pizza

Russian

• Beijinger Winner:  Traktirr Pushkin

• LumDimSum Vote: Traktirr Pushkin

Sandwiches

• Beijinger Winner: Element Fresh

• LumDimSum Vote:  Hercules

Service

• Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud

• LumDimSum Vote:  Fennel

Sichuan

• Beijinger Winner: South Beauty

• LumDimSum Vote: Madame Zhu’s Kitchen

Spanish

• Beijinger Winner: Agua

• LumDimSum Vote: Agua

Steak

• Beijinger Winner: Mosto

• LumDimSum Vote: The Cut Grill (Fairmont Hotel)

Thai

• Beijinger Winner: Purple Haze

• LumDimSum Vote:  Tuk Tuk

Vegetarian

• Beijinger Winner: Pure Lotus

• LumDimSum Vote:  Samadhi Teahouse

Vietnamese

• Beijinger Winner: Muse

• LumDimSum Vote:  Banh Mi Now!

Wine List

• Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud

• LumDimSum Vote: Enoterra

Yunnan

• Beijinger Winner: Middle 8th Restaurant

• LumDimSum Vote: Aimo Town

New Restaurant (Chinese)

• Beijinger Winner: Little Yunnan

• LumDimSum Vote: Xu Xian Lou

New Restaurant (Non-Chinese)

• Beijinger Winner: Modo

• LumDimSum Vote: Modo

Restaurant of the Year (Chinese)

• Beijinger Winner: Da Dong

• LumDimSum Vote: Karaiya Spice House

Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese)

• Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud

• LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune

LumDimSum Discovery: Banh Mi Now!’s Bun

As much as I LOVE Vietnamese pho, it’s just too scorching hot in Beijing to be in the mood for hot noodle soup.  Which is how I’ve discovered my new favorite thing to order at Banh Mi Now! (see here article on their Banh Mi sandwiches) – their Bún aka Vietnamese cold noodles.

For only RMB 22, you get served a massive bowl of cold noodles with veggies filled to the brim including shredded lettuce, pickled carrots and daikons, scallion oil, cucumber, mint, basil and topped with your choice of meats.

I opted for a side of Ga Nuong – Grilled lemongrass marinated chicken (RMB 7) and Dau Phu Nuong – Chilli and honey marinated grilled tofu (RMB 8). I highly recommend the marinated chicken, which had a delicious marinade and was grilled perfectly. (both sides are pictured in photo above)

Other side options include Bo Nuong – Grilled lemongrass marinated beef (RMB 9), Thit Nuong – Grilled lemongrass marinated pork (RMB 7), Tom Nuong – Grilled caramel marinated shrimp (RMB 12), and Cha Nuong – Grilled pork meat balls & pork belly slices/Charcoal grilled pork meatballs with carrots in a sweet and tangy fish sauce (RMB 18).

Photo of Bun all mixed together:

*Banh Mi Now! is part of the Luga Empire, located above Little Luga’s in Tongli Studio.  They specialize in quick & casual Vietnamese fare from spring rolls to pho & now these authentic Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches & Summer Shakes!  41 Sanlitun Beijie, 三里屯北街41号. Tel: 135-2013-7915

LumDimSummary: Baguettes Make You Banh Mi Now!

If you didn’t happen to catch LumDimSum’s post on Banh Mi Now! passing out free mini sandwiches on Saturday, here’s what you missed:

Vietnamese White Pork Loaf Baguette

Tasty & Satisfying, these Banh Mi Vietnamese baguettes are baked fresh daily with an authentic Vietnamese recipe.

Stuffed with either 1 grilled meat or 2 chilled meats, pickled daikon and carrots, mayonnaise, pate, soy sauce, coriander, and cucumber. Served with a red-hot spicy sauce.

We tried the Vietnamese White Pork Loaf Baguette & the Vietnamese Head Cheese Baguette.

To pair with our complimentary mini baguettes, we also ordered the Goi Cuon -Shrimp & Pork Summer Rolls (RMB 23) – Shrimps wrapped with leaf lettuce, sliced pork, strips of cucumber, vermicelli, mint & Chinese chives in a fresh rice paper roll and spicy dipping sauce.

Banh Mi Now! also offers a wide range of exotic summer fruit shakes ranging from RMB 15-30 – from banana, strawberry, lychee, mango, watermelon, lime, kiwi, passionfruit, guava, coconut, durian, mangosteen, avocado, cantalope, honeymelon, pineapple, etc.

I asked Jun to make me a combination of Lychee and Honeymelon and it was absolutely delicious and refreshing. Next time, I will be more adventurous and try their highly recommended Avocado Shake.

*Banh Mi Now! is part of the Luga Empire, located above Little Luga’s in Tongli Studio.  They specialize in quick & casual Vietnamese fare from spring rolls to pho & now these authentic Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches & Summer Shakes!

Catch Free Flying Sandwiches from Banh Mi Now!

This Saturday June 3, Banh Mi Now! will be having a sample sandwich giveaway.

At 12:00PM: 20 mini sandwiches will be up for grabs.

At 5:30 PM: Another 20 mini sandwiches will be handed out.

First Come First Serve!