Step Back into Ancient China at Yao Qin 瑶琴

I first heard about Yao Qin 瑶琴 through a great e-newsletter I received ever-so-often called the Expatpackage (you can subscribe here to receive their witty and informative email updates). The way they praised Yao Qin as the perfect destination to bring out-of-town visitors made me all the more eager to try it out myself.

“Introducing Yao Qin. The interior feels like the China foreigners wish existed, with its stone sculptures, wood paneling, subdued lighting and well-spaced couches all giving a modern nod to the China of old. One can even order from an iPad (at least until it’s seized by authorities for trademark infringement).” – Expat Package

Recruiting a family of foodies, we made our way over to the little strip of restaurants across from Yu Yang Hotel.  The entrance is a massive scribed wooden wall which houses a two-story space. The first floor is a beautifully set-up tea room with well-lit block displays of ceramic and clay tea sets and a chunky wooden table top where I assume is used to pour their teas. This room was empty upon our arrival and exit, but I hope this room is functional.  It would be a shame if it was just an unused display for guests to walk past on their way up the stairs into the main restaurant dining area.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Yao Qin 瑶琴:

Wooden Scribed Entrance

Yao Qin’s First Floor Tea Room

The second floor was pretty desolate with only 2 tables of two and one other group of foreigners in the entire space. The space with spread out with loungey couch seating in the center dining space, a stage area for their regular seven-stringed guqin performance that takes place every day from 7-9PM, and an entire section of the restaurant devoted to tea pouring with a wall of traditional Chinese tea supplies behind a dedicated tea brewer sits at an elaborate wooden table.  As we were a bigger group of diners, we opted to sit in curtained booth seating encircling the exterior of the room.

Looking around, you can’t help but notice the details and efforts put forth by Yao Qin to recreate the feel of ancient China using old-fashioned décor in every corner of the restaurant.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Yao Qin Restaurant Decor:

Yao Qin specializes in Zhejiang cuisine. I’m not as familiar with this type of Chinese cuisine relative to others, but the presentation was elaborate and I was not expecting to be ordering dishes off an iPad screen. (Click here to see PDF for Chinese names of dishes recommended by Expat Package).

Most of the dishes were quite pricey ranging (RMB 40-200), but we selected a decent range of dishes and were most satisfied with the DIY crispy pork buns and mustard prawns.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Yao Qin’s Dishes:

Review of Yao Qin 瑶琴: No. 6 Xinyuan Xili Dongjie (diagonally across the street from Yu Yang Hotel) 朝阳区新源西里东街6号, (渔阳饭店北门的斜对面); Map: Click here. Tel: 8451-7877, 8451-2633

Best Part:

• The venue’s detailed decor is sure to impress out-of-town visitors with its “ancient China” feel

• Every evening from 7-9PM, Yao Qin features a lovely guqin performance on the restaurant’s centered stage. This adds an additional touch of authenticity and elegance to Yao Qin.

• The restaurant has a dedicated tea brewer who has an area I presume is his own “performance stage” devoted to the art of traditional Chinese tea.

• The bathroom sink faucets are lion heads. So badass.

Comments:

• This venue was recommended by Expat Package and although I was pleased to have checked it out, I was much less impressed with the food than with the restaurant decor and ambiance. The food was also beautifully presented, but everything was very pricey and really not that memorable.

• I can definitely imagine out-of-town visitors loving this place, but I would prefer to bring them to venues like Dali Courtyard for great Yunnan in a phenomenal courtyard setting or Karaiya Spice House for authentic Hunan food that makes this place a must-try destination whether you like spice or not.

• It was a shame how desolate the restaurant was. We went on a Thursday evening and there was really no one else there.

• Regardless that we were among the only diners in the entire restaurant, the service was painfully slow and rather unfriendly. No smiles, no encouragement, just the bare minimum or coming over when called and serving food as it come out of the kitchen. 
  

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

• Food: 6

• Atmosphere: 8

• Service: 6

• Overall Experience: 6

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

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

The New and Improved 1949 Duck de Chine Jinbao Jie

This place is gorgeous. I was so in awe of my surroundings that I spent 30 minutes just wandering around taking photos of everything.

If you have ever been to the original Duck de Chine in 1949 Hidden City in South Sanlitun, the decor of both venues run in similar themes with the same red lanterns hanging from the ceilings and green/teal floral paintings along the walls, but this layout is even better. Housed in a large siheyuan with an open courtyard in the middle surrounded by clear glass walls with views into the kitchen, bar area and dining space, this is really a space you can explore.

LumDimSum Snapshots of the New Duck de Chine in Jinbao:

I could really go on and on about how stunning this venue is, but considering this is a restaurant review, I will move on to equally as important matters – the food (in this case, the DUCK).

The DUCK of Duck de Chine: 

One whole roast duck will set you back RMB 238, but the presentation and service is flawless and the sauce is a show in itself. This is my favorite part (second to the decor) as it is utterly unique and a swirl of perfection.  A waitress comes around and adds in extra sauces and with one swish of the sauce bowl, it becomes a work of art.  Literally.  It’s marvelous.  In general, I was most impressed by the duck’s sauce and also their Tofu & Duck Soup (RMB 58 per person). Almost USD$10 for a small bowl of soup, but it is soothing and a perfect compliment to duck pancakes.

Chefs Roasting Ducks in Open Kitchen / Family Dinner Pic

Enjoy duck served to you table side (RMB 238 for whole duck)

Tofu & Duck Soup (RMB 58 per bowl) / Swirl of Duck Dipping Sauce (duck fixings are RMB 8 per person)

Aside from the two ducks we ordered, we went to town on the other dishes on their menu.  Highlights include their Bamboo Shoots in Chili Oil (RMB 48), Deep-fried Tofu (RMB 68), Sauteed Shrimp in Chili Oil (RMB 168), and their Sauteed Chicken Bones with Gingko in Maggie Sauce (RMB 128).  Yes, the chicken bones are awesome…that is, if you like your food chewy and crunchy at the same time. A bit oily, but very tasty.

Every dish served was clearly very high quality and tasty, but the prices are just on another level compared to even higher-end Chinese restaurants. The portions were small considering it’s meant to be family-style and shared.  Although it was good, you are definitely bound to pay a pretty penny at Duck de Chine (and that goes for both branches).

Other Dishes by Duck de Chine:

Dry Plum Infused Pumpkin (RMB 38) / Marinated Black Fungus with Spring Onions (RMB 48)

Bamboo Shoots in Chili Oil (RMB 48) / Chinese

Sauteed Shrimp with Chili Sauce (RMB168) / Poached Chinese cabbage with Wild Mushrooms in Chicken Soup (RMB 98)

Deep Fried Tofu with Salt and Spice (RMB 78) / Sauteed Chicken Bones with Gingko in Maggie Sauce (RMB 128)

Stir-fried Beef with Spring Onions in XO Sauce (RMB 148) / Sauteed Been Vermicelli with Wild Mushrooms and Dried Shrimps (RMB 88)

Fried Noodles with Shredded Chicken & Bean Sprout in XO Sauce (RMB 88) / Pan-fried Pork Dumplings (RMB 32 for 3)

Dessert & Fruit Platter

Review of the NEW Duck de Chine: 1949 Hidden City 2, 98 Jinbaojie, Dongcheng district 东城区金宝街98号; Tel: 6521 2221

Best Part:

• Hands-down, the DECOR is the best part about this venue.  It is stunning and if you’ve seen the first Duck de Chine, it’s already hard to believe this one is even more beautiful. This is an ideal place to take out-of-town visitors who want to try Beijing duck.
• The location of this new Duck de Chine branch is even better as well.  Of course Sanlitun is closer to me (and most people in the East side of Beijing), but this location is much closer and more accessible when you’re playing tour guide and closer to the vicinity of Tiananmen, Forbidden City and Chang An Jie. 
• The statues all around are pretty sweet and I love the giant faceless bear statues outside in the center courtyard.
• The duck’s sauce! I can’t get over how pretty sauce can be with just a swirl. The duck itself is good, but I’ve had better (Made in China is still my favorite and you can see my top Duck hit list). 
• The roast duck ovens are blocked off by floor-to-ceiling glass walls, so it’s completely open for all to see, a very nice touch.
• They have a giant bar stocked with bottles of champagne chilling on ice.  Quite fancy and if anything, a bit intimidating.
• Recently opened, this is a very swanky place to check out for those on the hunt for new and impressive finds. 

Comments:

• While the decor really blew me away, I’ve got to say I was not that impressed with the food.  I realize the quality and presentation is all very good, but portions are small and price tags are exorbitant. But as you can imagine from a place like this, it’s definitely a “special occasion” kind of place rather than a place you can frequent.
• Service was professional and attentive and their sommelier is extremely knowledgeable of wines.  Private wine dinners here would work exceptionally well.
• The place is quite big and wraps around in a giant siheyuan courtyard so space is quite separated and has a vibe that’s much more exclusive as opposed to inclusive and intimate.  
• Generally, the menu prices of their dishes are much higher than even high-end Chinese restaurants, but in this case, I guess you’re paying more for the decor and the experience of dining in such a stunning and impressive dining establishment.  Generally expect to spend avg. RMB 300 per person (doesn’t include alcohol). 

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

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 10
• Service: 8
• Overall Experience: 8

Star Shaanxi Burgers 肉加膜: Qin Tang Fu 秦唐府陕西名吃

A very popular eatery already, Qin Tang Fu Shaanxi Restaurant 秦唐府陕西名吃 is always packed with hungry diners grabbing quality Shaanxi on-the-go (I say this not because it’s fast food, but because people here eat really fast)!

It’s also quite funny to walk in to a restaurant and see everyone practically squatting down on miniature tables and chairs (like they are made for children rather than grown adults). It may not be the most comfortable furniture to dine, but it’s traditional Shaanxi style and the folk art decorated throughout is lovely and the place is always buzzing with chatter and good vibes.

Most importantly - the food is in fact superb, I am a huge fan of their Shaanxi Pork Burgers aka Rou Jia Mo 肉加膜. At only RMB 7, I can see why people go nuts for these hearty Chinese pulled pork burgers. They are bomb-dizzle and the rest of the menu offers outstanding dishes as well.  I highly recommend a variety of their cold dishes and their noodles dishes are gigantic portions and full of flavor and spice. Do not be intimidated by the size because you are sure to finish it all as it is undeniably addictive.  Once you start, you won’t be able to stop!

LumDimSum Snapshots of Qin Tang Fu’s Delicious Dishes:

Chinese Pork Burger 肉加膜 (RMB 7)

Noodles in Sour and Spicy Soup: Sao Zi Mian 臊子面 (RMB 15)

Review of Qin Tang Fu Shaanxi Restaurant 秦唐府陕西名吃: 128 Dongsi Beidajie, Dongcheng District 东城区东四北大街128号 Tel: 6407 1211

Best Part:

• A tasty, reliable and inexpensive place to acquaint yourself with Shaanxi cuisine.
• Shaanxi Pork Burger 肉加膜, Sao Zi Mian 臊子面 and Suanla Dumpling Soup 酸辣饺子汤 are all top-notch and absolutely delicious

• Their cold dishes are also excellent
• For drinks, try their Mi Jiu, which I hear is very tasty
• Prices are all very low so have your go at the menu and see how many different dishes you can try!
• Nice Shaanxi folk art decorations and traditional low seated stools and tables make for a unique dining experience
• They have 3 branches in Beijing: this one on Dongsi Beidajie and they also have a branch at Chaoyangmennei Nan Xiaojie and Yayuncun 亚运村 23-1 Huixin Xijie

Comments:

• It’s constantly packed so you may have to wait shortly for a table to be seated, but people eat very quickly here (slurping away!) so wait should not be too long.
• Tables and seating stools are all miniature, so don’t expect comfort but enjoy the novelty of the provided seating for what it is – traditionally Shaanxi style.
• Service staff is completely unfriendly and rude and messy, but whatever, the food is good.
• If only they delivered, I would get their roujiamo more regularly, it’s so good!
• Note their opening times: 11AM-2PM, 5PM-10:30PM

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

• Food: 8
• Atmosphere: 7
• Service: 3
• Overall Experience: 6

The Hutong & CHP: Insight to Beijing Through Tastes

Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center (CHP) and The Hutong are teaming up to bring you an new educational culinary event called a ‘Taste of Beijing’.

“Savor the wonderful flavors and exquisite tastes of Beijing while learning more about the ancient city through its famous traditional dishes.”

They will be teaching guests how to cook three traditionally treasured Beijing dishes, using fresh and seasonal local ingredients, and explaining the story behind each of the three recipes.  The three traditional Chinese dishes will include Ma Doufu (stir fried fermented tofu paste), Jiemo Dun (mustard paste with cabbage), and Zhajiangmian (Beijing style noodle with soybean paste).

Passionate foodie and chef Suer Zhou will be hosting the class this Saturday, August 6 (the next class will be held on Saturday, September 17).

“Born in rural Zhejiang province, Sue can still remember her grandparents making homemade potato starch noodles, homemade tofu and tending to vegetables and chickens. She loves making dishes from scratch, shuns additives, loves pure ingredients and believes that high-quality food doesn’t have to be expensive, but fresh ingredients are a must to create delicious dishes.”

As there are only a few seats left, sign up now before the class fills up! Click here to visit the Hutong’s calendar and to sign up for class.

Event Details:

• Date: Saturday, August 6 & again, Saturday, September 17
• Time:  14:00-16:30
• Price: 240RMB, 200RMB (CHP & The Hutong members)
• Location: The Hutong
• Address:  1 Zhongxiang Hutong, Jiudaowan, Dongcheng district  东城区九道湾中巷胡同1号
• Tel:  159 0104 6127
• Website: en.bjchp.org/

About the Hutong:

The Hutong’s Chinese Kitchen series is designed to teach you the basics and beyond. Each of our cooking workshops covers wok and cutting techniques, tips on how to combine spices and provides the Chinese namesof ingredients. You’ll learn how to make best use of fresh seasonal produce and prepare balanced Chinese meals for you, your friends and family. Take a gastronomic tour of China’s regions in our Chinese Kitchen. Only at The Hutong. Sharing Culture. Sharing Knowledge.

About Beijing Culture Heritage Protection Center (CHP):

CHP is a pioneering Chinese NGO that empowers local communities to protect their cultural heritage. We give Chinese people a voice through capacity building, education, training, networking, and support.

Healthy, Handmade Dumplings: Jiao Lai Jiao Qu 饺来饺去饺子店

After my last review on my choice dumpling spot Bao Yuan Dumpling House 宝源饺子屋, I made bold claims of finding one of Beijing’s top dumplings houses. But then my good friend and LumDimSum fan May Cheng (owner of my favorite spa, Hummingbird Spa Retreat) offered to introduce me to her favorite dumpling house in Beijing called Jiao Lai Jiao Qu Dumpling House 饺来饺去饺子店。

We set a date and met at Hummingbird and she arranged a car (so VIP status) to her favorite local dumpling spot.  I had no idea where it was, what it was called, but May raved about the quality ingredients and freshness of the dumplings.

After about a 30-minute car ride through bad traffic, we arrived at the Joy City Mall on the east side of Beijing (past east 4th ring road), we climbed the tallest escalators I’ve ever witnessed, and we entered dumpling house Jiao Lai Jiao Qu 饺来饺去饺子店.

A giant open kitchen with dumpling ingredients prepared for all to see, you know you are safe in this dumpling house, which is a rare find among most local restaurants.   Although you can’t see how delicious this dumpling is by looking at this photo (below), don’t let it’s normal appearance deceive you.  All handmade from scratch, these dumplings really were spectacular. It was among the best I’ve ever tasted, you can literally taste its freshness and quality ingredients are clearly distinguishable from other dumplings I’ve tried.

With plenty of vegetarian options, I most highly recommend their “health-focused” dumpling selection.  With unique ingredients and traditional Chinese herbs, these dumplings were among the best that we ordered in our batch of over 6 different flavors.

LumDimSum Food Shots at Jiao Lai Jiao Qu 饺来饺去饺子店:

LumDimSum Snapshots of Restaurant Exterior:

LumDimSum Interior Restaurant Shots:

Review of Jiao Lai Jiao Qu Dumpling House 饺来饺去饺子店: In Joy City Mall East 4th Ring Road, 朝阳区青年路28号朝阳大悦城7楼7F02号铺(朝阳北路口) Tel: 8552－3603

Best Part:

• The freshest, highest quality dumplings I’ve found in Beijing

• Handmade dumplings focused on health, quality ingredients and tasty combinations 手工饺子
  
• Try their potstickers 锅贴, you can also get dumplings as colorful as Baoyuan Dumplings with color-die options with natural veggie coloring.
• Some of the best natural soymilk 豆浆 I’ve ever tasted
• Plenty of vegetarian options!
• Large open kitchen with glass windows so you can see all dumplings made from scratch and how hygienic the restaurant is!
• So good, don’t be scared to order extra so you can take some home for later!

Comments:

• My one and only gripe is it’s location, if only it wasn’t trapped in a giant mall! It’s so authentic and delicious, it’s just a shame it’s located east 4th ring road.
• Bathroom is outside of restaurant, down the hall of the mall, not very convenient
• We focused on “healthy” dumpling options, but they also offer a range of main course dishes including a popular pork shoulder dish and several large meat dishes.
• Servers weren’t really able to recommend dishes, but owner was very helpful and was smart in recommending dumplings according to various tastes.
• Service was a bit slow.  We weren’t in a rush, but it did take dumplings awhile to come out – then again, all dumplings are made to order and all dumplings are handmade from scratch!

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

• Food: 8
• Atmosphere: 5
• Service: 6
• Overall Experience: 7

Color Me Dumplings: Bao Yuan Dumpling House 宝源饺子屋

Dumplings should look as delicious as their insides taste. I’m not sure if dumplings died purple, green, and orange will actually appeal more to your taste buds and although the colors do not affect the taste of the dumplings, they certainly make the whole “jiaozi 饺子 experience” a whole lot more colorful.

Bao Yuan Dumpling House 宝源饺子屋 (click link for Time Out Review) is known for their brightly colored dumplings and extensive range of fillings.  With options for both meat-lovers and vegetarians, there is something for everyone.  I particularly enjoyed with vegetarian dumplings with everything from smoked beancurd, celery, mushrooms, eggs, chives, cabbage, carrots and cellophane noodles.  With unique ingredients like lotus root, eggplant, mushroom and carrot, you should try at least several different combinations and with an order of 6 priced between RMB 6-12, you can afford to try as many different combinations as you like!

Don’t forget to also order a few cold dishes and standard Beijing hot dishes are also available (but I recommend sticking to just different varieties of dumplings supplemented by some cold dishes and cold beer).

LumDimSum Snapshots of Bao Yuan Dumplings 宝源饺子屋’s interior and exterior:

Review of Bao Yuan Dumpling House 宝源饺子屋: North of 6 Maizidian Jie, Chaoyang District 朝阳区麦子店街6号楼北侧, Tel: 6586 4967

Best Part:

• Quite possibly the best dumpling house in Beijing (I also really like Xian Lao Man 馅老满 on Andingmennei dajie)

• An extensive menu of different dumpling fillings with option to color-dye your jiaozi fun colors like green, orange and purple with vegetable juice (carrots, tomatoes, purple cabbage and spinach)
• Very reasonable prices with orders of 6 dumplings starting at RMB 6
• Nice, simple decor with different rooms inside
• Non-smoking section-hooray!
• Staff was friendly and very capable of making order recommendations according to your taste preferences

Comments:

• As with most local Chinese restaurants, the turn-over is quick so if the restaurant is full, it won’t be too long of a wait before you’re seated
• They start by giving you two menus – stick with the one featuring dumplings and cold dishes
• Drink menu is limited, I recommend cold beer with dumpling dinner
• This is a great option to bring out of town guests who want a new dumpling experience!

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

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

欧记专业麻辣烫: Mighty Malatang

Most of the malatang I’ve had in China has either been from street venders or in the basement of a shopping center.  Eating in a restaurant devoted specially to malatang was an entirely new experience for me.

A restaurant all about malatang, 欧记专业麻辣烫 (Ouji Zhuanye Malatang) is a recent discovery for me and it is seriously good.  All their offered ‘malatang ingredients’ are laid out for customers to select from (ranging from RMB 1 to 2 depending on if it’s a vegetable or meat) and sauce is awesome.  If you’re a fan of super legit local cuisine, this is your place because they do not mess around.

Two of us ordered a mountain of vegetables and tofu and a couple quail eggs and the total came out to be about RMB 30 total.  See photo below for the massive quantity of food we ordered for such a small price.

An authentical local eatery, there are also plenty of good chuar spots lined up along the small street.  I’ve been back a few times already and have yet to see one other foreigner.  Definitely no English will be spoken to written, but it’s easy to pick and point out what ingredients you want in your malatang.  And once you pick out your choice malatang combination, you can see it being made in front of you and handed back in a giant bowl for you to bring back to any open table/seat available. The restaurant is normally pretty packed, but seats free up quickly as customers eat as quickly as they come and leave.

If you want to order dishes other than malatang, they also offer a variety of noodle, rice and staple Chinese dishes as well.

Just remember: This is about as local as it gets, so don’t expect any standards of service or hygiene to be met.  Be prepared to get down and dirty with truly local malatang!

Review of 欧记专业麻辣烫 Ouji Zhuanye Malatang: Northeast corner of Tianshuiyuan street is a hutong street on the right, 朝阳区金台路9路总站斜对面胡同里(甜水园街口)

Best Part:

• My favorite place in Beijing for local Malatang

• With each stick costing between 1-2 RMB, you can expect to pay about 15-20RMB per person.  
• Perfect to come with a group to share a big portion of malatang
• Surrounded by great chuar spots as well so this is a great spot to bring visitors for a very authentic taste of local street-style Chinese food.
• It’s always packed, a good testament to the restaurant’s specialty product

Comments:

• Can’t speak much for the quality of the food – I’d recommend sticking to majority of the veggie dishes rather than any type of meat or seafood options they offer.
• You order and pay up front at the counter and don’t expect anyone to speak a word of English.
• You can request that they don’t toss in as much oil in the sauce and you can also request how much spice you prefer.
• This is real, local Beijing so expect to get down and dirty.  Not the place for you if you expect any hygiene standards whatsoever.
• Place gets very smokey as many smokers throughout the restaurant.
• Place is packed but you can expect most customers to eat as fast as they come and go (so seats open up pretty quickly if restaurant is full)
• Location is tricky to find if you haven’t been to this area before – it’s just north of northeast corner of tianshuiyuan street (down hutong on the right side).
• All-in-all:  It’s not easy to find, it’s not healthy, hygienic and downright messy, but it’s BOMG malatang and the best malatang you’re going to get is the real, authentic malatang like what Ouji Zhuanye Malatang serves up.

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

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 2
• Service: 2
• Overall Experience: 5

Sadler & Le Quai: Dining Without Frontiers

On Saturday, March 19, Kenny Fu from Le Quai and Riccardo La Perna from Sadler Ristorante teamed up to create an unforgettable 6-course Italian-Chinese Culinary Wine Dinner.

I was the first to walk in to this event and the set up was stunning – beautiful table settings with fresh flower centerpieces, bottles of wine laid out and the chefs taking a final break before the other guests start arriving.

Pre-Dinner Set Up in Sadler Ristorante:

Throughout the meal, the restaurant had a glowing ambiance that was both intimate and buzzing with excitement. Diners were “ooh”ing and “aah”ing the dishes as they came out of the kitchen, each prepared with meticulous perfection and thoughtful presentation…and tasted phenomenally.

Each course was prepared by one of the two chefs which were all exceptional dishes in their own right, but with such a contrast between Chinese and Italian cuisine, I found that the two dishes did not actually compliment the other as each Italian dish was matched with paired wines.  In any case, the dishes were not served together or meant to be eaten together, so it was easy to enjoy each one separately as it came out.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Sadler & Le Quai’s 6-course Dinner:

Kenny Fu’s Appetizer Selection:

Pan fried bean curs skin layers with black mushrooms

Shanghai smoked pomfret fish

Crispy spring rolls with cheese

Spring rolls stuffed with tuna tartare

Chilled Shanghai drunken chicken

Riccardo La Perna’s Appetizer Selection:

Cannelloni with shrimps and orange reduction

Cuttlefish gnocchi with mashed peas

Caprese Salad

Fried dumpling with pancetta

Parmesan cheese foam with saffron popped rice and dry Porcini mushrooms

*Paired with Montenisa Franciacorta Sparkling Wine Brut N.V. Lombardia, Italy

1st Course: Kenny Fu’s Double Chicken Soup

2nd Course: Riccardo La Perna’s Parmesan Cheese Risotto with Parma Ham Chips

*Paired with Tormaresca Chardonnay 2008, Puglia, Italy

3rd Course: Riccardo La Perna’s Baked Lobster with Sweet and Sour Vegetables

*Paired with Livio Felluga “Sharjs” Chardonnay 2007, Friuli, Italy

4th Course: Kenny Fu’s Roasted Australian Lamb, Turnip cake and Potato foam

*Paired with Marchese Antinori Chianti Classico Riserva 2005, Toscana, Italy

5th Course: Kenny Fu’s Assorted Desserts – homemade yoghurt, mango pudding and

6th Course: Riccardo La Perna’s Traditional Tiramisu

*Paired with Prunotto Moscato D’Asti 2009, Piemonte, Italy

Highlights of the meal were Riccardo La Perna’s Parmesan Cheese Risotto and Traditional Tiramisu (still wins as the best Tiramisu in Beijing), but Kenny Fu’s Roasted Australian Lamb was the winning dish of this exquisite meal.  The tenderness, soft texture and taste was beyond exceptional. It was so good, I had to pause everything I was thinking or saying so that I could properly savor each bite as it deserved to be appreciated.

Hats off to two incredibly talented chefs and to Sadler’s GM Gian Luca Fusetto for organizing an unforgettable dining experience!

Riccardo La Perna / Gian Luca Fusetto / Kenny Fu

Another event displaying culinary teamwork was Hatsroomie & ROOMsune – a culinary collaboration between Alan Wong of the Hatsune Restaurant Group and Brian McKenna from ROOMbeijing.  See full article here.

Sadler Ristorante’s News & Upcoming Events:

Starting today (March 31), Sadler is launching a new Spring Menu featuring classic favorites.  Guests can order a la carte or enjoy the full set menu at RMB 688.

On Saturday, April 2nd, Sadler will also be hosting an Australian Sicilian Wine Dinner together with Firriato Winery and of course Sicilian native Executive Chef Riccardo La Perna.  RMB 618 per person + 15% service charge.

For reservations, call 6559 1399 or email gianluca.fusetto@chienmen23.com

Ristorante Sadler: Located within Ch’ien Men 23, neighboring Maison Boulud, Ch’ienmen 23, 23 Qianmen Dong Da Jie,前门东大街23 Tel: 6559-1399

Jingzun: Affordable Beijing Duck Alternative

With several branches around Beijing, JingZun Peking Duck Restaurant 京尊烤鸭店 is consistently packed with both expats and locals on a daily basis.  It’s not the best Peking duck in town, but it’s very affordable and they offer many other tasty dishes for incredible value as well.  Menu is extensive and easy to order with pictures and both Chinese and English text (or should I say Chinglish text).

If you want to go all in for throw down for the best duck in town, then Beijing’s best is still Made in China hands-down.  Duck de Chine in 1949 also succeeds in making a big impression on guests with its extravagant decor and excellent service.  But if you want to go the casual, local route, then Jingzun is a great alternative choice.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Jingzun’s Interior:

LumDimSum Snapshots of Jingzun’s Dishes:

Spinach & Peanuts in Sour Sauce (RMB 16)/ Osmanthus Glutinous Rice Lotus (RMB 18)

Duck Gizzards with Fragrant Cedar (RMB 26)/ Mu Er with Shrimps (RMB 26)

Baby Cabbage with Pork (RMB 22)/ Braised Beijing Intestinal (RMB 28)

Braised Eggplant with Pork (RMB 29)/ Fried Cabbage with Salted Pork (RMB 22)

Jingzun’s Signature Beijing Duck (RMB 98 for whole duck or RMB 56 for half)

Review of JingZun Peking Duck Restaurant 京尊烤鸭店 : On east side of Guanghua Lu (east of Hatsune), 1/F Bldg 6, 朝阳区朝阳区光华路东口6号楼1楼 , Tel: 6595 6924

Best Part:

• Popular Beijing Duck restaurant chain with very reasonable prices.
• Restaurants are located all over the city
• Extensive menu selection of popular Chinese dishes
• Nice VIP private dining rooms (photo right)

Comments:

• Call ahead to reserve your duck or you could wait ages to finally get it to your table.
• I recommend the Guanghua Lu branch over the branch by Season’s Park on Chunxiu Lu.

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

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 6
• Service: 5
• Overall Experience: 6
  

Beijing’s Best Eggplant Noodles 茄子面

Just around the corner from the Bespoke/Outdustry office, you can find some of the best Eggplant Noodles or 茄子面 qiezi mian in Beijing.

For only RMB 7, you get fresh, hand-pulled noodles topped with saucy dices of eggplant. The restaurant also offers a variety of other rice, noodle and dumpling dishes, but their Eggplant Noodles are by far their restaurant specialty.

*Restaurant interior is a bit grim, so I’d recommend to place your orders to go.

Eggplant Noodles 茄子面 pre-stirring & post-stirring

Address:

Around the corner from Babao Keng Hutong (just north of Dongsi shisitiao 东四十四条路), 东城区八宝坑胡同

“Dragon Meat in Heaven, Donkey Meat on Earth”

Eating donkey meat has long been a part of Chinese history and in comparison to other meats such as beef, pork or lamb, donkey comes out on top in terms of its taste and it also claims to be healthier because donkey meat has less fat and is higher in proteins and minerals such as calcium, iron and phosphorus due to the donkey’s predominantly grass diet.

Although donkey is not a meat commonly consumed outside of China, I would definitely recommend everyone to try it at least once as it has quite a unique texture and taste. If donkey meat is something you’d be down to sample, the best place in town is Wang Pangzi’s Donkey Burgers (王胖子驴肉火烧) located on Dongsi 13 tiao (and there are several other locations around town with their main branch on Gulou West Street).  With only a few tables and stools scattered in a small room just to the left of the kitchen, the venue is a typical hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant in terms of bad hygiene and very local clientele…but the only difference that their walls are lined with photos of donkey propaganda promoting donkey meat as healthier and a better meat option.

Wang Pangzi’s restaurant menu is quite small and highlights their donkey meat in all varieties. Served in toasted buns with diced green peppers and cilantro, their donkey burger meat come chopped in three options:

1. Standard Donkey Burger 驴肉火烧 – mixed fatty and lean donkey meat together (RMB 5)

2. Lean Donkey Meat Burger 精肉火烧 (RMB 6)

3. Donkey Penis Burger 钱肉火烧 (RMB 12).

4. Donkey Meat Soup 驴肉汤 (RMB 5)

Standard Donkey Burger (RMB 5)/ Lean Donkey Meat Burger (RMB 6)

Donkey Meat Soup (RMB 5)

Review of Wang Pangzi Donkey Burgers 王胖子驴肉火烧: 92 Dongsi North Rd (at the West End of Dongsi 13 Tiao) (东四北大街92号(近十三条) and the main location is at 80 Gulou West Rd (鼓楼西大街80号) , Tel: 8672 7507

Best Part:

• Donkey Burgers – I recommend the Lean Meat Donkey Burgers (RMB 6)
• It’s super cheap - like “10 kuai for a meal” kind of cheap.
• If you’ve never had donkey meat before, Wang Pangzi is the way to go.
• Menu is limited to only a few items and printed on a big board on the wall, so it’s relatively simple to order.
• Donkey burgers are cheap and take no more than a minute or two to make, so it’s perfect for a quick lunch.

Comments:

• For the average person, I would recommend ordering 2-3 donkey burgers for a full meal.
• I was not brave enough to try the Donkey Penis Burger (RMB 12) but apparently it has aphrodisiac effects…according to local Chinese
• The menu is not in English and definitely don’t expect any waitstaff to speak any English either.
• Service is non-existent, so it’s more of a quick-service restaurant.
• Space is quite small so seating is limited, but luckily you can count on patrons to quickly eat and leave and not linger around so if there isn’t a seat right when you walk in, you won’t have to wait long for one to be made available.

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

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 3
• Service: 3
• Overall Experience: 6

LumDimSum Discovery: Mian Dui Mian 面兑面

Pork Noodles topped with Peanuts & Scallions (RMB 10)

There’s something to be said about a simple mound of noodles. It’s loved across cultures all over the world. Call it pasta, call it noodles, at the end of the day, it’s all starchy-goodness.

And while noodles are served in practically every Chinese menu in the world, only a few will highlight it as their signature dish.  Mian Dui Mian 面兑面 offers a simple menu with 3 noodle dish options -pork, braised beef or braised pork intestines – all range from RMB 10-18.  To compliment the noodles, there is a small selection of side dishes including pickled cucumber salad and marinated egg to name a few.

Out of the three noodle options, almost everyone in the restaurant, including our table, all ordered the same dish – Noodles with Pork Sauce topped with Peanuts and Scallions. I think that this exact noodle dish is what Marco Polo must have conjured when he took Asian-inspired noodles to Italy to eventually become Spaghetti Bolognaise.

This noodle dish is an interesting mix of flavors and texture, where Spaghetti Bolognaise meets Sichuan-style Dan Dan Mian.  And the best part? This massive portion of noodles (picture above is their small portion) is only RMB 10 and if that’s not enough for you, you can order an even large size for RMB 12 I think.

And unlike your average local noodle joint, this one is decked out in everything IKEA from its furniture and light furnishings to the water pitchers, you will feel that this noodle joint is cleaner, cozier and rather stylish if you will.  Guests can choose to sit at a long counter in front of the noodle station or on tables tucked inside a second room surrounded by glass walls for a very open, airy atmosphere.

Review of Mian Dui Mian面兑面: Right next to Exit B of Dongsi Subway Station, 7 Dongsi Toutiao, Dongcheng District,东城区东四头条7号 Tel: 6400 8781

Best Part:

• Big, heaping serving of Noodles – I recommend the Pork Noodles topped with Peanuts and Scallions (RMB 10).  It’s got the look and texture of Spaghetti Bolognaise with the Ma La “numbing” spice of Sichuan Dan Dan noodles.
• It’s super cheap - like “10 kuai for a meal” kind of cheap.
• Relatively clean space decked out in everything IKEA.
• Menu is limited to only a few items, so it’s straight-forward and simple to order.
• Casual dining space perfect for a quick lunch.

Comments:

• Noodles were great, but all of us ordered the same kind so we didn’t get to sample much else on the menu.
• Service is non-existent, so it’s more of a quick-service restaurant.
• Don’t expect anyone to speak any English.
• Space is quite small so seating is limited, but luckily you can count on patrons to quickly eat and leave and not linger around so if there isn’t a seat right when you walk in, you won’t have to wait long for one to be made available.

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

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 5
• Service: 4
• Overall Experience: 6
  

Chapter 1 of Ginger & Spice: Tasting Stories

Chinese food has a bad reputation of being unhealthy and too oily.

Let Ms. Shanti and Ms. Shauna prove this all-too-common myth wrong.

Fellow foodie & creator of showshanti, Shanti Christensen‘s blog features a collection of home-style recipes from her travels all around China and she is finally compiling all her healthy recipes together into a cookbook showcasing healthy Chinese food using sustainable and artisan practices.

Teaming together with Shauna Cho of Paper restaurant, this unstoppable team is on a mission to “educate appetites on how to enjoy Chinese food using fresh wholesome ingredients by hosting food-related courses and community events.”

Join them as they are just beginning their story – Chapter 1: The Launch.

Featuring pass around canapés created from recipes from their Cookbook Project and Paper’s new menu, this will also be a great opportunity to stock up on some exotic Malaysian spices and ingredients, courtesy of Sambal 01: The Pantry (selling Malaysian cruisine ingredients, homemade spices, sambals, simple syrups and aprons).

To find out more, click here for their mission and how they are teaming up with CAI and making a difference.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, September 16

Time: 8PM

Location: Paper

Address: 138 Gulou Dongdajie (just 200 meters west of Nanluoguxiang), 鼓楼东大街138号

RSVP: Click on Image Below