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

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

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

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

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

小SUSU Hosts BJ FOoDiEs Charity Feast

One of my all-time favorite spots to impress out-of-town guests – the stunning hutong courtyard restaurant serving vibrant and flavorful Vietnamese cuisine Susu has just opened a second branch in the new China World Mall (north zone) called 小SUSU.

Working with the same team who created the original Susu, a dreamy courtyard tucked in an old Beijing hutong south of 美术馆, designers Rania Ho and Wang Wei of Kupa Studios have once again done their magic with 小SUSU. Incorporating Susu’s signature cement blocks into the new venue’s design retains a level of familiarity with the original space while adapting to its new modern surroundings alongside Beijing’s growing skyline of iconic architecture.

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Indulge for a Cause: BJ FOoDiEs at Haiku by Hatsune

While often used as the guinea pigs during the soft opening of new restaurants, the BJ FOoDiEs group is very much in the loop when it comes to new restaurant openings and all too familiar with the pros and cons of hitting up these new restaurants in big numbers. While they tend to have forgiving expectations when it comes to service speed and efficiency, they still expect to be fed well and leaving every event feeling like they got a great meal in taste, portions and value. It is a charity event after all!

Well, this month the BJ FOoDiEs team is giving their entourage an invite to a meal at a restaurant that’s been around for over 10 years and part of a very well-known restaurant group – the playful and popular Californian-Japanese Hatsune brand that was the first to make creative, non-traditional sushi rolls in China. While many foodies may frequent Hatsune, they may never have been to Haiku before.

With a handful of branches in Shanghai and a couple in Beijing, the Haiku brand was previously a sister restaurant of the original Hatsune group. But after a few facelifts and a change in the management team, Haiku is back under the Hatsune umbrella and has combined two wonderful worlds of sushi and teppanyaki under one glorious roof.

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BJ FOoDiEs is Back with 京A’s Brewer’s Brunch

Try Out the New Brewer’s Brunch at Jing-A Taproom with the BJ FOoDiEs Clan!

As we welcome back warmer weather this Spring (it’s rainy and dreary now, but meant to warm straight back up in time for the weekend), it’s high time that we start getting out more during the day to soak up some much needed Vitamin D! Whether you’re nursing a hangover or not quite ready to wrap up the weekend, Sundays are always 100x more spectacular when you have a boozy brunch scheduled!

Who needs coffee when you’ve got Beergarita and Beer Belly-ni on the menu?!

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TRB Bites Revisited: New Chef, New Menu

1 Year Later: TRB Bites Revisted

New chef, new menu, same great fundamentals.

TRB Bites@The Courtyard has brought on a new international executive chef Sebastian Schafer last fall (August 2016) and we have heard excellent reviews. A restaurant known to provide excellent value, this one caught everyone by surprise when it opened at the end of 2015 and after a handful of visits with different foodie friends (including a BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner that hosted 110 guests), I was long due for a return visit.

A Grand Entrance for a Gorgeous Restaurant

Continue Reading » TRB Bites Revisited: New Chef, New Menu

BJ FOoDiEs Charity Dinner: Mediterranean Masterpieces at Galleria

“Galleria is a food laboratory. We specialize in food art and creative catering solutions. We collaborate with famous artists, sculptors and leading tech firms to make food experiences that spark applause and wonder at your events and ceremonies. From floating deserts to food shows – we bring excitement to catering and make sure your event is unforgettable.” – Galleria Team

Located on the 3rd Ring Road just south of the Nexus SOHO building, Galleria is on the B1 level of Jjiaming Center next to the Starbucks. A space that looks more like an art gallery than a restaurant, you’ll be amazed to discover that at Galleria, food and art is interchangeable and imagination here comes in all shapes and sizes (that’s as delicious as it gets).Not your average “restaurant”, Galleria showcases some of their impressive food/art commissions among the tables and chairs including the Italian embassy’s commission to create San Marco’s Lion out of sugar, a sculpture of Picasso out of chocolate, and David’s Head in a mint and limoncello flavored jelly.

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Raise a Glass to Sulyi’s Gangnam Tapas & Exclusive Soju Selection

The Topwin Center continues its opening spree. Next up on the menu is Sulyi, a Korean tapas restaurant with the former chef for the Korean embassy at the helm. Sulyi means “cheers” in Korean and with what promises to be a very nice balcony area, this restaurant could become a great destination for a fun soju-fuelled night before the cold sets in.

A project that started in 2014, Sulyi sets itself apart from other Korean restaurants in Beijing by focusing on Gangnam, Korean style tapas dishes. You may have heard of Gangnam thanks to PSY’s catchy tune and even catchier dance moves, which refers to a trendy and hip district in Seoul where fashion and style is top notch. According to Sulyi’s owners, they aim to bring “Gangnam” to Beijing’s hip hood Sanlitun through Gangnam tapas and home-made ‘Makguli’ Korean rice wine in fruity flavors at 4% and a special selection of Soju sold exclusively at Sulyi.

Sulyi is located on the 3rd floor of the food-crazed Topwin Center, next to Beyond Yakitori and opposite Cou Cou, the much talked about high end hotpot offering from Xiabu Xiabu.

Continue Reading » Raise a Glass to Sulyi’s Gangnam Tapas & Exclusive Soju Selection

Laudable Lucky Lopez: Comfort Tex-Mex from Dallas

A Taste of Tex-Mex Flavor

How this location has stayed hidden and unoccupied for so long, I have no idea, but Lucky Lopez has an apt name in managing to find such a great plot.

Hidden in a courtyard just behind Nearby the Tree in Sanlitun, Lucky Lopez has actually been around since 2010, with their first location in Jianwai SOHO in the CBD. Initially a burrito spot, they have expanded their menu for this new location and you’ll find all the comfort staples of Mexican-American cuisine.

Having the pleasure to sit down and chat with Lucky Lopez’s Executive Chef and Managing Partner June Chow, it really gave our dining experience a whole new meaning and appreciation for what June and her brother Schubert Chow have created. While June and Schubert grew up in the northeast – New Jersey/New York area with a family background of restauranteurs, June moved to Dallas about 20 years ago. She made her way to Beijing to satisfy Schubert’s cravings for quality Mexican food and this began their mission to bring Dallas-inspired Tex-Mex to Beijing.

“I am self taught and learn from my family, friends and great home cooks. I like to take liberties with recipes (aka, never follow them to the T) and operate on the notion that you find a great platform of ingredients and build ideas from it. 

Continue Reading » Laudable Lucky Lopez: Comfort Tex-Mex from Dallas