On the Hunt for Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea: Kempinski

Afternoon Tea Buffet Bar at Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Lounge

Back at it again, LumDimSum is determined to help CityWeekend uncover Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea.  I’ve already hit up afternoon tea at the Ritz-Carlton, Park Hyatt and Sofitel Beijing Hotel to see how each one compares to the others and although some fare better than others, so far none have stood out as mind-blowingly spectacular. And I really don’t want to settle for anything less than that.

Next up, we have the Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center, whose afternoon tea was actually listed as one of Time Out Beijing’s Top 4 Picks for the city’s best rated afternoon teas.

The Kempinski Hotel is a Beijing “old school” hotel that has been around for ages and passed the test of time. From what I hear, before Beijing was swimming in choice for upscale establishments, the Kempinski was one of the biggest players around back in the day (we’re talking over 10 years ago). It’s no longer a destination people rave about, but it’s still part of a massive convention center, shopping mall and with its prime location in one of Beijing’s most important diplomatic business quarters (and close proximity to the US embassy), the Kempinski still has the leverage to hold its own against Beijing’s other 5-star hotels.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Kempinski Hotel Beijing & Rendez-vous Lounge:

Step inside the Grand Lobby of Kempinski Hotel Beijing

Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Bar & Lounge

Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Bar & Lounge offers a “Weekend High Tea Buffet” from 2:30PM-6:00PM for RMB 138 per person + 15% service charge.

While Kempinski calls it “High Tea”, they should be calling it “Afternoon Tea” as British High Tea is traditionally more of a working class meal to be enjoyed at the end of the work day (after 5PM) serving heavy meat, fish and potato dishes like steak and kidney pie whereas “Afternoon Tea” involves things like manners, lace and dainty food to be enjoyed as an elite social gathering.

That being said, there is also something inherently wrong about inserting the word “buffet” alongside “high tea”. British high-tea is a time-honored tradition, and that should automatically repel any association with a “free-for-all buffet” where people pile their plates to the brim and a venue serving buffet undeniably makes the conscious choice to sacrifice quality for quantity. I can imagine how appalling this must be to Brits who might actually want to reminisce in classic British custom.

Fortunately for Kempinski, we are in Beijing and “fusion” is trendy here so there is really no point in being a stickler for respecting and upholding classic traditions in such a cosmopolitan city.  I realize that makes me sound stuffy and conservative, but in the same way that I prefer not to drink tea out of tea bags, I prefer to enjoy British high tea in an authentic fashion (I admit my position is heavily influenced by too many hours spent watching Downton Abbey).

Kempinski’s buffet was not as crass as you might suspect a “British High Tea Buffet” to be, but afternoon tea is just not the same without being served the multi-layered silver trays of dainty snacks.

As my fellow British foodie friend eloquently explained, “Afternoon tea should be enjoyed as an occasion rather than this drive-thru style.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Tea was served in porcelain white tea sets to be enjoyed on comfy, plush sofas in the Rendez-vous Lounge. Once again, my British counterpart automatically went for the classic English Breakfast Tea while I chose something a little less conventional.

Western & Eastern Tea Selection at the Kempinski

As you can see from the photos below, the selection was plentiful, but nothing was traditionally British and maybe that’s not a bad thing bearing in mind this is a Swiss luxury hotel chain with a prominent German bakery.  Before I get into details I ought to give due credit to Kempinski’s awesome Kempi Deli who supplies an abundance of freshly baked bread, cakes, pastries and sandwiches on a daily basis.

You can probably get a good sense of the items on display through the close-up shots that everything was pretty mediocre. None of the hot items were hot (not even the quiche and scones under the warming tray) and similar to the afternoon tea at Sofitel Wanda Beijing, the quality of the desserts were much more superior to the savory snacks. The best of the bunch were the Smoked Trout Baguette and Mini Prosciutto Sandwiches, but the bread was still much too thick and filling.

Dessert highlights include the chocolate mousse, fruit tarts and the Belgium Ivory Chocolate Fondue with mini cake and fruit skewers to dip. Points were deducted for serving scones with orange whip cream rather than separate sauces dishes of jam and clotted cream as it ought to be served.

Afternoon Tea at the Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Lounge:

Kempinski “Weekend High Tea Buffet” Display

Cold Soba Noodles / Prosciutto Ham Buns

Smoked Trout on French Baguette / Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Cheese

Spinach & Feta Cheese Quiche / Vanilla Scones

Mini Strawberry Pavlovas  / Fruit Tarts

Mango Tart / Chocolate Mousse Topped with Strawberry

Chocolate Muffins, Chocolate Sweets & Bran Banana Muffins

Red Berry Jelly / Emmental Cheese Platter

Kempinski Afternoon Tea Buffet: Belgium Ivory Chocolate Fondue with Fruit Skewers and Cakes to Dip

Fruit Basket & Fresh Fruit Platter

In spite of all the loungers in Rendez-vous Bar & Lounge and the wide selection on display, there was hardly anyone going up to the buffet.

Observing the other guests around me, it was clear that this is a purely functional venue. Rather than a lounge for people to relax and sip on tea, they were all meeting here for work-related meetings – drinking coffee and discussing business.

Perhaps that’s is why this “high tea” is served as a buffet (less effort) and why the entire “high tea deal” seems more like an after-thought rather than the main attraction.

To be perfectly honest, it seemed like the lounge’s clientele paid more notice to the live pianist performance more than the high tea buffet.

Live Pianist Performs in Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Lounge

I can imagine that the experience would be much more enhanced if the lounge provided outdoor seating in the hotel courtyard that is bordered by surrounding gardens.

Green View Through Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Lounge

Review of Kempinski’s Afternoon High Tea: Located on the Southeast Corner of Liangmaqiao, 50 Liangmaqiao Road, Chaoyang District, Tel: +86 10 6465 3388. Afternoon Tea available Friday, Saturday & Sundays, 2:30pm-6pm

Best Part:

• Come hungry because a buffet automatically implies you’re allowed to “stuff-your-face-til-you-fall-over” rule of thumb
• Save extra room for their chocolate mousse, fruit tarts and Belgium Ivory Chocolate Fondue with mini cake and fruit skewers.
• Lounge features a live pianist who performs daily.
• Their awesome Kempi Deli is probably responsible for the nice chocolates and sweet tarts on display at the dessert bar. 
• The Kempinski is surrounded by green gardens, perfect for a nice stroll after stuffing your face at the buffet.

Comments:

• This is not a place for traditionalists. Kempinski serves their afternoon tea as a buffet (don’t expect to see any multi-tiered silver trays brought to your table)
• While Kempinski’s Rendez-vous Lounge is lovely, it is clear this is a place to meet and discuss business rather than a place to relax and enjoy afternoon tea as an occasion. No one seemed to pay any attention to the buffet as the lounge was full but we were the only two people going up to the buffet.  
• The tea was fine, but the food was very mediocre, especially the savory snacks.  The Quiche and Scones were cold even though they are under a warming tray and the scones were served with an orange whip cream rather than jam and clotted cream. 
• As my fellow Brit so eloquently describes this experience - “Afternoon tea should be enjoyed as an occasion rather than this drive-thru style.”  I couldn’t have said it better myself. 

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

• Food: 6
• Atmosphere: 6
• Service: 6

• Overall Experience: 6

Tea Service at the Kempinski Beijing Hotel

LDS’s Afternoon Tea Reviews in Beijing:

On the Hunt for Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea: Sofitel

A Pyramid Set of Afternoon Tea by Sofitel Wanda Beijing

Another stop along my journey to uncover Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea, LumDimSum and CityWeekend are ticking off the hotels one by one from afternoon tea at the Ritz Carlton Beijing to Park Hyatt, the third stop is to see how Sofitel Wanda fares in comparison.

The Sofitel Wanda Beijing branch is the flagship Sofitel in Asia Pacific region, which is why this branch is so lavish and grandiose with super-high ceilings, oversize décor and let’s not forget to mention that the first thing you see when you step inside is a finely crafted, $2 million set of three Swarovski peony flowers on the wall of the main hotel lobby.

Sofitel Wanda Beijing’s Mural of Three Swarovski Crystal Peony Flowers 

Once you manage to move your feet past the wall of giant Swarovski crystals and quite possibly one of the biggest bling-ed out chandeliers I’ve ever seen, hang a left (opposite to the reception area) and you step inside Sofitel’s Vous Lobby Lounge where you can enjoy afternoon tea all day every day from 7am-midnight.

Considering the Sofitel is a hotel with strong French influences, it’s understandable why Afternoon Tea wouldn’t be traditionally English in either the service time or the form it’s served in.

“The striking design draws on Sino-French influences and accentuates the strong cultural links between France and China reflected in the overall theme and décor.”  - Sofitel Wanda Beijing

LumDimSum Snapshots of Sofitel’s Vous Lounge: 

Afternoon Tea may be an English time-honored tradition, but creativity ought to still be encouraged, especially in a cosmopolitan city like Beijing.

Taking into consideration their diverse range of regular customers, Sofitel likes to keep things fresh and in season with an afternoon tea theme menu that changes each month. I was gutted to hear I just missed last month’s tea set, which was a fresh strawberries theme, incorporated luscious, giant strawberries in each of their savory and sweet snacks on display.  This month’s theme is Green Tea, which you will see explained below.

Although the next few months are yet to be confirmed, they anticipate the month of May to follow a Spanish theme serving sangria and margarita drink options and possibly even flying in a guest chef from Spain, who will be responsible for creating an authentic tapas menu.

With each afternoon tea set including a choice of green tea, English Breakfast tea or Coffee together with a pyramid of treats, the set is priced at RMB 198 for two people + 15% service tax.  This is considered moderately priced among Beijing’s afternoon tea sets at 5-star hotels for an afternoon tea set for two.

Beyond the ridiculously extravagant mural of Swarovski flowers, I was impressed with the plush furniture and I love the triple-tiered pyramid presentation of Vous Lounge’s afternoon tea.

Once again, my fellow taster and I varied in what we chose to sip on – he got a black coffee while I went for the featured Longjing tea set recommended by Sofitel’s PR manager Thomas Jouan. *Note that to order this Chinese speciality tea, the price would be inflated to RMB 258 + 15% service charge for two.

Sofitel’s Traditional Chinese Longjing Tea Set

Sofitel’s Coffee comes with three cookies

LumDimSum Breakdown of the Sofitel’s Afternoon Tea Pyramid:

Sofitel’s Triple-Layer Pyramid Afternoon Tea Set

Top Tier of Green Tea Panna Cottas:

Although I love drinking green tea, I generally avoid anything green tea-flavored including green tea ice cream, green tea, frappachinos, you get the idea. So I can safely say that I’ve never had Green Tea Panna Cotta before, but I was a big fan of this dessert. The green tea flavor was subtle and the panna cotta texture was perfectly creamy and light.  The twirl of white chocolate perched on top was a nice touch to complete this very well-executed dessert.

Middle Tier of Savory Snacks: 

We were off to a promising start with the green tea panna cotta, but the quality plummeted the next round.  None of these three savory canapes looked appetizing and, to be perfectly honest, they tasted even worse. Everything was stale and bland and although I generally will eat anything and everything you put in front of me, I didn’t take more than one bite out of each of these and that was just enough to get a taste to write it up for this review. It was all really low quality and I’m surprised that a 5-star hotel would allow this to be served to guests.

Cream Cheese with Pistachio Canape / Shrimp with Scallop Canape / Chicken Breast Sandwich

Bottom Tier of French Sweets:

I was slightly traumatized after the middle tier, but Sofitel was almost able to redeem itself with this bottom tier.  Back up to the same quality as the green tea panna cotta, these sweets were indulgently rich and excellently executed. Their macaroons are perfect and I was very much impressed with the green tea opera cake. The contrast of consistencies between the crispy wafer biscuit at the bottom with the soft cake and creamy chocolate mousse was a lovely compliment to each other. The only dessert I didn’t like was the green tea mousse with red bean cake. While it looked like it had a muffin consistency due to its exterior coat of powder, it was actually very slippery and disintegrated at your touch, which made it very difficult to even pick up.  A very odd dessert in my opinion, but Sofitel boasts this particular dessert as one of their most requested desserts as it is very popular among their Chinese clientele.

Green Tea Opera Cake / Green Tea Macaroon

Green Tea Mousse with Red Bean Cake / Green Tea Muffin

I am no Goldilocks, but I was secretly hoping that this third tea review (after trying the Ritz-Carlton and Park Hyatt) would be “just right”. To my dismay, this third try at Sofitel missed the mark and was not the “third charm” as I had hoped it would be.  The combination of indulgently rich French desserts paired with practically inedible savory snacks left both of us feeling sick to our stomach. I actually really liked the sweets that were served as I thought they were exceptionally well done, but it was just way too much sugar to stomach in one sitting.

And as it turns out, the reason behind the huge inconsistency in the quality of sweets vs. savory is that Sofitel’s French pastry chef follows a Lenotre standard for all desserts and bread and they have a different chef who is temporarily handling their savory canapes until their new executive chef comes in. So until their new chef comes in, I would avoid trying any of the savory options in the afternoon tea set.

That being said, although I may not recommend ordering the afternoon tea set, I would still encourage interested parties to visit Sofitel’s sumptuous Vous Lounge for at least a drink. The entire lounge spewing luxury out of every corner was impressive on its own, but with the added touch of soft lighting just after sunset, I turned camera-crazy with each shot coming through picture perfect.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Sofitel’s Vous Lounge by Night:

Review of Sofitel’s Afternoon Tea: Located west of Wanda Plaza on Jianguo Lu, 93 Jianguo Road , Tower C Wanda Plaza , Chaoyang District Tel: 8599 6666. Afternoon Tea available daily, 7:00am-midnight

Best Part:

• The triple-tier pyramid display is slick and well-designed
• Stick to their sweets as their chef for all sweet treats served follows the famous French Lenotre standard for pastry and breads. 
• The sumptuous French dessert spread is exceptional, try their macaroons.  
• Atmosphere is especially quiet, I don’t even recall hearing any background music now that I think about it, but Sofitel did mention that they will have someone playing the piano during some events. 
• The menu switches out once per month so it never gets old and there is always a reason to come back and try something new. I definitely would have liked to try the strawberry themed menu.
• Afternoon tea at Sofitel is offered all day, everyday. Literally, you can have it any time between 7AM and midnight. 

Comments:

• There is a huge lack of consistency just within the triple-tiered pyramid. I’ve confirmed the savory snacks are done by a different chef than the French pastry chef and it’s very obvious. The sweets are very well done while the middle layer of savory snacks were practically inedible. Really should not be good enough to serve to customers. 
• While Sofitel’s Vous Lounge is lovely, it is clear that the afternoon tea set is just used to compliment the available menu for in-house guests and business men chatting away rather than something you’d go out of your way for. 
• Sofitel’s afternoon tea is more about the presentation of serving something tall and elegant to impress guests or business partners rather than honoring the tradition of a proper English afternoon tea ritual. 
• Ambiance was quiet on a Friday afternoon with few people throughout the lounge. 
• I hate to say it, but out of the three afternoon tea sets I’ve tried, Sofitel’s afternoon tea stands as the worst of the bunch (Ritz-Carlton and Park Hyatt).  The sweets were good, but the savory snacks really did kill the entire spread beyond the point of redemption.  I hope they get their new exec chef ASAP!  

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

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

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

• Click here for previous review of the Park Hyatt’s Afternoon Tea.

Fear not, LumDimSum is fiercely determined to push forward on my mission to hunt down Beijing’s Best Afternoon Tea!

Stay tuned for more Afternoon Tea reviews to come…!

Last 2 Days to Vote: CW Readers’ Choice Awards 2012

Last month saw theBeijinger’s 9th annual Reader’s Choice Restaurant Awards results which took everyone by surprise with underdog Home Plate Bar-B-Que beating out industry big heads Maison Boulud, Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) and Hatsune and totally sweeping the ceremony in every category possible from Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Restaurant Personality of the Year (Seth Grossman), Best New Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Best American, and Outstanding for Best Value for Money. Well done to a venue that deserves massive credit for serving the world’s best BBQ pulled-pork sandwich of all time.

*Voting is underway for theBeijinger’s 2012 Reader Bar & Club Awards until May 9th.

Following theBejinger’s Restaurant Awards was Time Out’s Food Awards 2012 just last week where high-end French legend Maison Boulud dominated in all overall categories – Reader’s Choice Restaurant (the only category foodies can vote on), Best International Fine Dining, Best Service, Chef of the Year (Brian Reimer) and Restaurant of the Year.  Other honorable mentions include Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) for Best New Restaurant, Runner up for Restaurant of the Year and Best International Fine Dining, Barolo at the Ritz-Carlton for Runner up for Chef of the Year for Gianluca Visani, Best Service and Best International Fine Dining, and Migas for Best Business Lunch and Best International Casual Dining. Click here for full list of 15 restaurant awards.

That leaves the last expat magazine’s Reader’s Choice Awards – CityWeekend’s 10th Annual Reader’s Choice Awards featuring 28 dining categories and 11 nightlife categories.

“The F&B scene has changed immensely in 10 years and we’ve changed along with it. We’re the only game in town that has its own proprietary voting site which makes it easier for us to identify and weed out spammers. We don’t create a million categories so that everyone gets an award. We limit the number of categories so that a win really means something. Cast your vote below and make your voice heard.” – The CityWeekend Team

CityWeekend.com.cn’s Online Voting Ballot

With only a few days left (voting closes at midnight on April 30th), this year is already looking very competitive with Cityweekend reporting that there could potentially be “a lot of upsets in the making”.

Click here for article update on Reader Awards categories.

Here’s how CW’s Categories are looking thus far:

• Best Tex Mex/Mexican: Avocado Tree is in the lead

• Best Italian: Barolo and Cepe needs to watch out for La Pizza creeping up in the votes

• Best Beijing Duck: Da Dong and Duck de Chine are going head-to-head with just one vote separating the two

• Best American: Home Plate and Element Fresh are close ties

• Best Dessert: Divina and Comptoirs are inches apart from the rest of their competition

• Best Service: GungHo! is shining through the rest of the competition

• Best Wine: Toss up between Enoterra and Modo

• Best New Restaurant: Could it be Susu or Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB)

• DJ of the Year: Could Eddie LV be stealing DJ Blackie’s title? 

• Best Nightlife Newcomer: Haze or Spark? 

• Who will take the title for Best Restaurant of the Year?  Being the only category without suggested options, everyone is fair game. Obviously you can see who I’ve entered into my ballot…

Strongly disagree with the way these categories are looking?

Here’s your chance to sway the votes in your favor – Spread the word and VOTE!  Just go to this link to CW’s 2012 Readers Choice Awards Ballot.

Happy Voting! 

 Finals Days of Voting for CW’s Readers’ Choice Awards!

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…

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

Back Alley Chili Cook Off by Great Leap & Seedicego

Kevin Wallace – People’s Choice Winner of Brooklyn Chili Take Down

You want a piece of my chili?  I bet you do!

On second thought…probably not since I’m an awful cook, but I’ve always wanted to say that at some point in my life. Check!

This coming Saturday, March 24, Great Leap Brewery and Seedicego Productions is teaming up to organize Beijing’s very first Back Alley Chili Cook Off presenting 10 contestants from all around Beijing have claimed to be able to cook some of the best and most inventive chilies in town, using mostly local ingredients.  Whether you’d like to spectate, taste or try your hand at cooking, sign up as spacing is limited and pre-ordered tickets is RMB 100 (instead of RMB 120 at the door).

Nathalie Johnston (Great Leap Brewery) & Candice Lee (Seedicego Productions)

Event Details: 

St. Paddy’s Day Parties: Go Get ‘Em Lucky Charms!

One of the most spontaneous, sloppy holidays of the year, St. Paddy’s Day will no doubt have the majority of all party-goers stumbling over themselves for another pint of Guinness and crawling to the next Irish pub.

The top spot to be this year would hands-down be the Irish Ball at the Renaissance Beijing Capital as Beijing’s Irish community will guarantee you a night that’s so good, you most definitely won’t remember it.  But if you didn’t get a ticket already, you’re out of luck as this event’s totally sold out.

Fear not, if you aren’t making your way to the Irish Ball, you can always hit up the usual list of suspects – Paddy O’Shea’s and are most likely going to be the most packed out as these two pubs are instinctively what first comes to mind when considering Beijing’s top Irish Pubs, but there will be a parade of parties across town with a range of drink deals from Danger Doyle’s RMB 30 for a Guinness beer deal (only on the condition that you’re wearing green), Bar Blu’s buy-one-get-one-free Guinness deals and Q Bar’s Green Cocktails.

Here are a few great sources to track down the perfect St. Paddy’s Day Party for you:

• theBeijinger’s Breakdown of St. Paddy’s Day Parties – Luck of the Irish: St. Patrick’s Day 2012 in Beijing

• CW’s Breakdown – The Big Badass List of Everything St. Patrick’s Day

• eChinacities.com – Shake Your Shamrock! St. Paddy’s Day Events in Beijing

• Agenda’s List – The Best St. Patrick’s Day Events in Beijing

Happy St. Paddy’s Partying!

JUE Music + Art Festival Launches with WHALE!

“I like Crab People, I like the Crab People song. I’m not going to DJ it, but I think that when people hear Crab People as a DJ name, the first thing that pops into their head is probably “fun party, slammin’ tunes”. ”

- DJ Crab People of WHALE!

If you know South Park’s Crab People, then you’re probably cool enough to come to WHALE!‘s resurrection (we’ve been deprived without WHALE! for a little over one month now). Not only is WHALE! back, their party TONIGHT also happens to mark the official launch of the JUE Music + Art Festival.

Who is this DJ Crab People you ask? Among this zany group of ‘non-DJ’s', you’ll just have to turn up to find out.  In the meantime, you can read CityWeekend’s interview with DJ Crab People, which is kind of ridiculously awesome – check out the full interview here.

My weekend plans are looking pretty full thanks to JUE with their multitude of events from their launch party in collaboration with the unstoppable WHALE! team of your favorite DJ’s tonight to their headlining event Death Cab for Cutie’s concert tomorrow night (Saturday, March 10) at Tango. Get in with JUE starting tonight at WHALE! which will be hosted at the ever-popular, newly opened 4corners肆角餐吧 bar by the Drum and Bell Tower in Gulou.

“Come and experience the micro-smash for yourself. MUSIC! DRINKS! SEATING! TOILET FACILITIES!” – DJ Crab People

Now how can anyone say ‘no’ to toilet facilities in ALL CAPS?!

See you tonight at WHALE! 

Click here to see pictures from previous WHALE! parties:

• WHALE! on a Rainy Night in the Deep, Dark Hutongs
• “W” is for WHALE!
• A WHALE! of a Good Time

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, March 9, 2012
• Time: 10PM-late
• Location: 4corners 肆角餐吧
• Address:  By Drum and Bell Tower on DaShibei Hutong 西城, 大石碑胡同27号 (See map below)
• FREE ENTRY

Starfish Wine & Seafood Bar: Expect Straight-Up Seafood

I’ve had my eyes set on Starfish Wine & Seafood Bar ever since I saw the perfect 5 star review it got by Cityweekend’s Dining editor Sienna Parulis-Cook when it opened late 2o11. Described with words and phrases like “absolute joy”, “superb”, “exceptional”, “unmissable” used throughout the review, I went in with pretty high expectations for greatness.

So perhaps I set the bar too high, walking in expecting too much. Well, what I did not expect when I walked in on a Thursday night at 7PM was for me to walk in to an entirely empty restaurant.  I was the first and only customer for a good 30 minutes until my tardy foodie friend finally joined me.

I was always taught to be skeptical of empty seafood restaurants as everyone knows seafood is best when it’s fresh and you gotta start questioning the freshness of a seafood restaurant’s products if the restaurant is empty. To prove this theory correct to some degree: I thought about ordering some oysters to start with until the Chinese guy sitting at the table next to me asked when the last shipment of oysters came in and the waiter honestly answered “the previous Monday”, meaning it had been over a week since they had a new delivery of fresh oysters.  Hmmm. The guy still went ahead and ordered a dozen oysters, but that’s when I opted out.

I should insert now that in spite of the slow start, by the time we left (around 9PM), the restaurant had filled out with most diners coming in around 8PM. Considering most of the clientele were foreigners, I guess it makes sense that majority of diners would come in later in the evening.

Back to my dinner – although oysters were out of the question, I was still eager to try a restaurant recommended specialty item and noticed the blackboard posted on their wall with an intriguing special scribbled out in chalk.

“Jet Fresh Manila Clams from WA, USA – sauteed with shallots, white wine and butter sauce. Perfect for sharing as a starter or a light main for one person. RMB 150″

I asked the waiter about it and he said it was a popular dish, especially among women (?) and then the foreign manager/owner stepped in and explained in English that it comes with a side of bread that’s perfect to dip in the clam’s tasty, buttery wine sauce. SOLD.

We decided that we’d share this clam dish as a starter (as the chalkboard recommended) and then share the Shrimp and Polenta dish (RMB 108) for our main, which was described as “exceptional” in the CW review.

Two problems: 1. Instead of bringing out the clams first for us to share as a starter as requested and as recommended by themselves, they brought out the clams and the shrimp and polenta main dish out at the same time so we had to eat our starter and main dishes side by side.  2. While the clams were a heaping portion of delicious, fresh clams in a even more delicious sauce (perfect for dipping with bread), I did not see any special about the Shrimp and Polenta dish.  It was decent, there was nothing wrong with it, but it certainly was not “exceptional” in our opinion. According to my foodie friend, the polenta was very authentic among Beijing standards, but the shrimp sauce was bland and the best thing about this dish was that it was filling enough to supplement the bowl of many baby clams.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Dishes at Starfish Wine & Seafood Bar: 

Complimentary Basket of Assorted Breads / Seafood Special: Manila Clams from WA, USA

Shrimp and Polenta (RMB 108) and Chocolate Mousse (RMB 45)

For dessert, we again went along with the CW recommendation of the “unmissable chocolate mousse…with perfect texture and flavor”.  Our chocolate mousse was accompanied by a portion of super tangy, sharp passionfruit sauce. We were a bit baffled as to how it was served – were we meant to pour the sauce over the chocolate? Eat them separately?  We asked the waitress who served us our dessert and she said she did not know.  She brought the foreign manager/owner over and she explained that it’s meant to be eaten separately…so a spoonful of chocolate followed by a dip of passionfruit. Both were tasty, but I don’t think the flavors complimented each other and again, I would have to say that although the dessert itself was decent overall, I’ve had better chocolate mousse in Beijing – Modo, Scarlett in Hotel G and also ROOMbeijing’s chocolate mousse bars with pop rocks (awesome).

I don’t mean to sound harsh, but as I previously explained, perhaps I just felt a bit let down after the spectacular, perfect review Starfish received from CW. In my honest opinion, it did not live up to our expectations.

I wouldn’t be opposed to going back to Starfish by any means because I did enjoy my dinner, but I can’t say that I would recommend Starfish over other seafood restaurants in Beijing and I can’t say I’d go out of my way for a return visit anytime soon.

Review of Starfish Wine & Seafood Bar: Just west of southwest corner of Xindong Lu and Dongzhimenwai, 22-1 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, 东直门外大街22-1号; Tel: 6416-5499

Best Part:

• Known for their fresh seafood, I recommend trying their specials.  I was very happy with their current special of Manila Clams (RMB 150). 
• They have a decent selection of imported fresh oysters, but I would first ask when the current stock of oysters were delivered to the restaurant. 
• From their name, you can expect an extensive wine list. 
• Very stylish design. Simple and elegant, I love all the archways and curves along the walls and ceiling.
• From the restaurant design to the details of silverware and complimentary bottle of water displayed at each table, I was impressed by the little details of this restaurant. 
• Complimentary basket of assorted breads were served warm and toasty and they were delicious. 
• It’s a brand new restaurant, so everything is very clean, new and in tip-top shape. 

Comments:

• Although there were two English speaking foreigners (who I’m guessing are the restaurant’s owners) on standby support, the general waitstaff was pretty lost with basic questions regarding the restaurant’s menu, getting our order right and also the dishes that came out. 
• I would have liked to try more of a selection off their menu (it’s pretty extensive), but with a party of two, there was only so much we could order.  
• The food was decent, but with most dishes ranging between RMB 100-200 per dish, you can expect to pay over RMB 300 for a dinner for two (not including drinks). 
• Starfish is definitely a step up from a place like Let’s Seafood, but I would prefer a restaurant like Modo, Mosto, SALT, or Terra if I were craving a massive seafood splurge (Western style as opposed to Japanese or Chinese seafood options).
• Menu is pretty much all seafood, so definitely check out Starfish if you can’t get enough of crab cakes, shrimp, fish, clams, lobster, etc., and go with a bigger group of friends so you can taste more of their menu’s extensive list of seafood dishes.

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

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

*To Follow Starfish’s updates and promotions, click here for their Official Facebook Page.

CW 2011 Awards: Hatsune Wins Pretty New Plaques

At Cityweekend’s 2011 Restaurant & Bar Awards, I got up on stage twice to accept awards on behalf of Hatsune for “Best Japanese Restaurant” and Honorable Mention for “Restaurant of the Year”!!

I was shining with pride as people congratulated me left and right, but I’ve got to admit…as much as I would really love to accept these flattering compliments and praise, I really can’t take credit!!

About to celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary this August (stay tuned for details!), Hatsune has been around long before my time and has made a lasting reputation as Beijing’s top California-style Japanese restaurant because of one person only – my homie and brother from another mother and father- Alan Wong.

So why wasn’t he there to accept the awards himself last night?  Because he was doing exactly what he loves most – He was in the Hatsune Sanlitun branch running around taking orders, making recommendations, serving his customers and giving them the “Hatsune experience” we all keep coming back for!

So here’s to Alan Wong and to all of his staff who work their bums off every day to stay on top of their game!!  They are the ones who really deserve all the recognition and glory for winning these amazing awards!!

Congratulations to Hatsune!!

…And a side note:

CONGRATS to DJ Saul who won CityWeekend’s 2011 Editor’s Pick for “Beijing-Based DJ of the Year”!

Monkey faces!!!

DJ Saul in action at INTRO Music Festival 2011:

Click here for direct link to Youku.

LumDimSummary: All-Star’s Burger King/Queen Contest

On Sunday, June 6th, All-Star Sports Bar & Grill hosted its Burger King/Queen Contest.

With four judges and 8 contestants with 8 original, mouth-watering burger creations, we began the race to discover Beijing’s Best Burger.

LumDimSummary:

The 4-Judge Panel of Burger Experts (represented by CityWeekend Magazine, All-Star Sports Bar & Grill and Burger Enthusiasts):

From L to R: Misha, Walker, Richard & Chef Jack

8 Competitive Chefs Fighting of the Title of Best Burger aka Sabotage in the Kitchen:

The 8 Contestants & Their Burgers:

#1: Ted’s All-American Burger

#2. Pepe’s Italy Burger (Red, White & Green)

#3. Amy’s West Coast Burger:

#4. Jethrow’s Smokin’ Burger:

#5. Candy’s Haute Burger:

#6: Saul’s Saul-D Burger:

#7. Sophia’s Bifteki (Greek-Style) Burger:

#8. Sig’s Mr. Cheesy Burger:

The Judges Carefully Deliberate & Critique:

The FINAL Results:

3rd Place: Jethrow’s Smokin’ Burger

Runner Up: Sig’s Mr. Cheesy Burger

(Drum Roll….)

The Burger Queen: Sophia’s Bifteki Burger

Drenched in a Secret Tziziki Recipe Made from Scratch (a combination of yogurt, olive oil, white vinegar, minced garlic, salt, dill & cucumbers), Sophia’s Bifteki Beef Patty is filled with spices (oregano, egg, salt & pepper, olive oil, diced onions & garlic) and layered with thick, fresh slices of tomatoes, onions and lettuce.

Congratulations to All-Star’s Burger Queen!

*If you would like to try Sophia’s Greek Burger, it will be available at All-Star Sports Bar & Grill during the month of the World Cup!!

All-Star Fun & Good Times:

CW Reader’s Choice Awards vs. LumDimSum

Unlike theBeijinger and Time Out magazines, CityWeekend lumps both the Dining & Nightlife Award Categories into one evening rather than split it up into two events. And for the first time this year, CityWeekend changed it up and actually kept the vote count visible to the public and made sure that every voter had a validated CW User Name Account.

If you are interested in comparing results, check out theBeijinger Restaurant Awards Breakdown posted here.  Time Out’s Restaurant Awards Breakdown is posted here.

I unfortunately was not in Beijing to attend the CityWeekend’s awards ceremony at Brasserie Flo, but word on the street was that it was packed and the turn-out was impressive.

If you haven’t seen the results already, here is a LumDimSummary Breakdown of all the winners in both the Restaurant & Bar Awards Categories:

CityWeekend’s Awards for Best Dining Categories:

• Best New Restaurant of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Tamarind

  • LumDimSum Vote: Capital M

• Restaurant of the Year:

  • CW Winner: SALT

  • LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune

• Chinese Restaurant of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Zen5es

  • LumDimSum Vote: Karaiya Spice House

• Most Romantic:

  • CW Winner: Jaan

  • LumDimSum Vote: Capital M

• Best Value:

  • CW Winner: Kiosk

  • LumDimSum Vote: Biteapitta

• Chef of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Mario Cittadini

  • LumDimSum Vote: Max Levy – Bei/Apothecary

• Best Service:
  

  • CW Winner: Maison Boulud

  • LumDimSum Vote: Maison Boulud

• Best Mexican/Tex-Mex:

  • CW Winner: Casa Latina

  • LumDimSum Vote: Casa Latina

• Best Italian:
  

  • CW Winner: Prego

  • LumDimSum Vote: Metro

• Best Japanese:

  • CW Winner: Nishimura

  • LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune

• Best French:

  • CW Winner: Maison Boulud

  • LumDimSum Vote: Maison Boulud

• Best Thai:

  • CW Winner: Purple Haze

  • LumDimSum Vote: Aroy-D (by Fulicheng)

• Best American:

  • CW Winner: Chef Too

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Best Indian:

  • CW Winner: Mughal’s

  • LumDimSum Vote: Punjabi

• Best Middle-Eastern:

  • CW Winner: 1001 Nights

  • LumDimSum Vote: Biteapitta

• Best Beijing Duck:

  • CW Winner: Fat Duck

  • LumDimSum Vote: Made in China (Grand Hyatt)

• Best Hot Pot:

  • CW Winner: Ding Ding Xiang

  • LumDimSum Vote: Hai Di Lao

• Best Burger:

  • CW Winner: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Best Pizza:

  • CW Winner: The Tree

  • LumDimSum Vote: The Tree

• Best Dessert:

  • CW Winner: Din Tai Fung

  • LumDimSum Vote: Comptoirs de France

• Best Steakhouse:

  • CW Winner: Grange (Westin Chaoyang)

  • LumDimSum Vote: Meat & Wine Co. (but it’s closed now)    I will need to find a new favorite steakhouse…
    

• Best Wine Selection:

  • CW Winner: Enoteca

  • LumDimSum Vote: Palette Vino

• Best Buffet:

  • CW Winner: Seasonal Tastes

  • LumDimSum Vote: Westin Chaoyang

• Best Sunday Brunch:

  • CW Winner: Bubbalicious (Westin Chaoyang)

  • LumDimSum Vote: Orchard

• Best for Families:

  • CW Winner: Din Tai Fung, Seasonal Tastes (Tie)

  • LumDimSum Vote: Orchard

CityWeekend’s Awards for Best Bar/Club Categories:

• Club of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Mix

  • LumDimSum Vote: Bling

• Bar of the Year:
  

  • CW Winner: Apothecary

  • LumDimSum Vote: Apothecary

• Nightlife Newcomer of the Year:

  • CW Winner: White Rabbit

  • LumDimSum Vote: Fubar

• Best Local Band of the Year:

  • CW Winner: The Redbucks

  • LumDimSum Vote:  The Redbucks

• Beijing-Based DJ of the Year:

  • CW Winner: DJ Blackie

  • LumDimSum Vote:  DJ KEZA

• Best Alfresco Drinking:

  • CW Winner: XIU

  • LumDimSum Vote: Q Bar

• Best Live Music:

  • CW Winner: Mao Live House

  • LumDimSum Vote: Yugong Yishan

• Best Cocktails:

  • CW Winner: Mix-The Westin Beijing Chaoyang

  • LumDimSum Vote: Glen

• Best Place for Singles:

  • CW Winner: Mix

  • LumDimSum Vote: Bling

• Best for Dancing:

  • CW Winner: GT Banana

  • LumDimSum Vote: BLING

• Best Sports Bar:
  

  • CW Winner: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Hardest Bar to Find:

  • CW Winner: Fubar Peking

  • LumDimSum Vote: Club Obiwan

• Best Pub Grub:
  

  • CW Winner: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Best Fruit Plate:

  • CW Winner: Destination

  • LumDimSum Vote: Bling

• Best Promoter:

  • CW Winner: Street Hustle Promotions

  • LumDimSum Vote: Acupuncture

CityWeekend’s Cover Girl

Summer’s Finally Here!

LumDimSaying:

“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.”

- Sam Keen

Check Out LumDimSum on the cover of this month’s CW:

LumDimSum’s Choice Chinese on CW

LumDimSum Reviews Madame Zhu’s Kitchen as the Choice Chinese of CityWeekend’s April Issue:

Update:

Having just re-visited Madame Zhu’s Kitchen the other night, I would like to spotlight a few new items that I was delighted to discover:

• Pineapple Salad - RMB 32
• Egg with Shrimp and Crab – RMB 18 for a single serving. (photo below)
• Fried Spinach with Beancurd and Mushrooms – RMB 38 (photo below)
• Tofu Ice Cream -RMB 18 for single serving. (photo below)

CW Gourmet Month Review: Village Cafe

The Opposite House’s Village Cafe is a participating CW Gourmet Month restaurant and their  Gourmet Month Menu (RMB 99) offers a three course menu with three choices for each course (choice of soup, main, & dessert).

By coincidence, I came to try the menu in a party of three, so each of us chose a different dish for each course and were able to share and sample it all. And of course, all in the name of in-depth LumDimSum reporting.

The beginning of our meal had great potential. The first course was a selection of three soups (Minestrone, Pumpkin and Mushroom) and while all three were delicious, the Minestrone came out on top. I am normally not a big Minestrone fan, but this one was exceptionally good with big chunks of various veggies for a very fresh taste. But all three were very well-made and were complemented nicely with a big bread basket.

The main course selections were a Grilled Rib-Eye Steak in Red Wine Jus, Baked Vegetarian Moussaka with potatoes, eggplant, zucchini and tomatoes, or Grilled and Baked Chicken Breast with curry sauce, pickled vegetables and rice. The chicken was dry, the rib-eye was mediocre and the vegetarian moussaka came out on top with its rich, cheesy flavor.  But alas, the main course was the weakest link of the set menu.

Dessert picked back up again with a choice of Pavlova with fresh strawberries, passion fruit & house made vanilla bean ice cream, baked white chocolate cheese cake with caramelized banana, or a Fruit Platter. The pavlova’s meringue was a bit too thick and to be honest, it pales in comparison to Capital M’s pavlova. However, the white chocolate cheese cake with carmelized bananas was the winner of the meal. This alone made the meal worth the trip.

Review of Village Cafe’s GM Menu:

Best Part:

• Out of the three choices, I would recommend ordering the Minestrone Soup, Baked Vegetarian Moussaka & White Chocolate Cheese Cake with Carmelized Bananas
• A nice, 3-course set menu for RMB 99 is Great Value.

Comments:

• Gourmet Month Set Menu is only available for dinner and they tack on a 15% service charge. Normally I would happily pay the additional service fee, but this was bull considering there was literally 1 staff in the entire restaurant and she was never to be found.
• By 9PM, the entire restaurant seemed to have disappeared with no customers, no waitstaff and no chefs in the kitchen. Very odd.
• Service was a major issue during this meal and the place was just empty.
• The decor of Village Cafe is quite night, but the fact that it was so empty was a buzz kill. Throughout the night, there were only 2 others tables in the entire restaurant (9 people total including our table).
• I am glad I tried this set menu at RMB 99, but I honestly would not return for it again.

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

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 3
• Service: 3
• Overall Experience: 5

For a list of all participating restaurants in CityWeekend’s Gourmet Month, click here.