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!

LumDimSummary: Hatsune Chef’s Dinner with Alan-san

Hatsune’s Chef Dinner spotlighted the man who started it all over 10 years ago, Alan Wong.  Upon my request, he put together a 10-Dish Dinner Feast featuring never-before-seen dishes from start to finish.

This was no easy task. It required soul-searching research with a mission to ignite culinary inspiration, hours spent in the kitchen taste-testing, training Hatsune’s head chefs and a whole lot of prep work/behind-the-scenes effort almost no guest will ever witness nor realize.  But with Alan-san’s relaxed attitude and hospitable personality, he pulls it off like it’s no sweat and really makes everything look so easy.

To give you a bit of background, Alan is the brains and heart behind the entire Hatsune restaurant concept and it’s award-winning menu with our legendary California-style sushi rolls. He also happens to be responsible for the design of Hatsune Sanlitun Village Branch (which most recently won Best Restaurant Decor in theBeijinger’s 2012 Reader Restaurant Awards).

In a nutshell, this guy is creative and when he is in the zone, he is unstoppable.  Never have I met someone so OCD and ADD at the same time. I swear that must be how he’s managed to keep churning out so many restaurants over the years and it’s got to play a major role in the success in his career as a restauranteur.

In any case, this Chef’s Dinner Event was a challenge that really put Alan to the test – to get his creative juices flowing, to get him engaged and inspired, to get him to roll up his sleeves, get out his slick set of super-sharp knives and get his cook-on with his top chefs for a spectacular meal designed to impress each and every foodie lucky enough to snag a seat.

Since this was his personal project, he only allowed me to seat 20 guests max to ensure the quality of service, timeliness of dishes and enough face-time both before and after the service of his 10-dish menu.

Now that you’ve all been properly de-briefed, I’ll let my photos do the rest of the talking for me.

Feast your eyes on the 10 brand-new menu created by Alan Wong for a one-off dinner party.

10-Dish Hatsune Chef’s Dinner Menu

1st Course: Truffle Salt Edamame

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san Prepping and Mixing Edamame & Truffle Salt

First Course: Truffle Salt Edamame served!

2nd Course: Organic Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san beautifying salad presentation

Second Course: Organic Salad with Yuzu Vinaigrette served!

3rd Course: Akami & Shiro Maguro Tartare

topped with green onions and quail egg

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san prepping tartare & pouring sauce

4th Course: Cod-fish Saikyo-yaki Butter Lettuce Wrap

with Deep-fried Gobo Root

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san & his team wrapping cod-fish in lettuce wrap

Served! Cod-fish Saikyo-yaki butter Lettuce Wrap with Deep-fried Gobo Root

5th Course: Oden Soup with BeefballSkewer

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san & his team pouring oden & setting up skewers

Alan-san in the Kitchen: Oden Soup with Beefball Skewer

6th Course: Wintermelon Nimono w/ Pumpkin & Citrus Essence 

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san setting up Nimono and Torching Citrus

Served! Wintermelon Nimono with Pumpkin and Citrus Essence

7th Course: Melt-in-Your-Mouth Kobe Beef Lightly Salted

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san & Kitchen Team displaying & torching Kobe Beef

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Kobe Beef Lightly Salted Torched Tableside by Chef Alan-san

8th Course: Unagi & Negihama Tableside Hand Rolls

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san Wrapping & Torching Hand Rolls Tableside

Torched Unagi & Negihama Hand Roll by Chef Alan-san

Unagi & Negihama Tableside Hand Rolls

9th Course: Soft Shell Crab/Snapper/Shiso Inside Out Roll

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san Behind Sushi Bar

Served! Soft Shell Crab/Snapper/Shiso Inside Out Roll

10th Course: Dessert One Two Punch

Strawberries with Condensed Milk, Green Tea Mini Mochi in a Cookie Spoon

Behind-the-Scenes LDS Shots of Alan-san prepping strawberries and dessert display

Served! Dessert One Two Punch – Strawberries with Condensed Milk, Green Tea Mini Mochi in a Cookie Spoon

Thank a Bow, Chef Alan-san! You’ve earned it!

A fellow foodie friend recently started a blog called A to the Z (Annette_K_Z) and she re-caps her dining experience as one of the few lucky guests who got to sit in on Chef Alan’s Chefs Dinner at Hatsune here.

*To get in tune with latest news on upcoming events and promos for the Hatsune Restaurant Group, please contact me directly at kristen@lumdimsum.com and I will add your email to our ridiculously awesome mailing list.

Hatsune Restaurant Details:

The Original Hatsune (Guanghua Lu Branch):

• 2/F, Heqiao Bldg C, 8A Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District
• 朝阳区光华路甲8号和乔大厦C座2层
• Tel: 6581-3939

Hatsune Sanlitun Village Branch:

• 3rd Floor of Sanlitun Village (next to Element Fresh & across from Karaiya Spice House) Sanlitun Village South, 19 Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District
• 朝阳区三里屯路19号三里屯Village南区8号楼S8-30
• Tel: 6415-3939

Savvy SWITCH! Grill at New Dongsishitiao Location

After the move from 798 Art District, the new SWITCH! Grill had their opening party a couple weeks back to celebrate both their new location and also Chef Billy Kawaja‘s birthday. The place was packed for their grand opening party and tasty canapes pouring out of their kitchen kept me staying much longer than I had originally planned to.

This Canadian catering and special events team (the creators of both Culinary Capers and SWITCH! Grill) ceases to amaze me with their creative culinary talents and professional service.  Click to see LDS’s review of their Grand Opening Party – SWITCH! Grill Switches Back On in New Location

One of the participating restaurants in my Little Gold Book, I was happy to learn that the coupon for “Buy 1-Get 1 FREE Mains” at the original SWITCH! in 798 would also apply to the new, savvy and stylish SWITCH! Grill in Regent Land Apartment (across from Swissotel at southeast corner of Dongsishitiao). *If you don’t already have a Little Gold Book, get on it!  It’s only RMB 240 for the whole book of coupons from Beijing’s top restaurants including 50% off Hatsune, Kagen and Karaiya Spice House, it will last you all of 2012 and 30% of proceeds will benefit local community charities. What’s not to love about all that? This book is worth every last fen.

Grabbing a foodie on the way to the restaurant, we made our first foodie-venture at the new SWITCH! Grill on a Monday night.  As expected, the place was pretty desolate with only two other tables of two in the whole restaurant, but this was literally the week after they had just opened and the new space was still very much unannounced to the general Beijing foodie community.

I won’t fault SWITCH! Grill at all for the lack of customers, and if anything, I was ecstatic when the gentleman at one of the other tables came over to say that he and his wife had come to SWITCH! for her birthday dinner based on my LDS post about the opening party!

I admit the dining experience would have been enhanced with more people in the restaurant, but this did not detract from the quality of food and, if anything, we felt like we had the whole restaurant to ourselves! (Fellow photographers will understand this was a rare window of opportunity for me to snap as many photos as I pleased without the chance of anyone asking my paparazzi parade to cease fire.)

LumDimSum Snapshots of the new SWITCH! Grill: 

Overall, our dining experience at SWITCH! was very satisfying. It speaks volumes about our meal when I say that I was too stuffed to even sample their dessert selection.

Here’s a breakdown of our meal starting with our starter salad and ending with our mains.  Chopped Lettuce and Avocado Salad with watermelon bits, pecans and spicy corn vinaigrette (RMB 65) came out too salty or not mixed thoroughly as our first bites were mouthfuls of salt, but they immediately offered to replace our salad with a second one, which was much better.

While the BBQ Pork Ribs (RMB 160) were massive, the Lamb Rack (RMB 130) was on the opposite end of the size spectrum. It wasn’t too small considering how much food we had ordered, but it was quite the contrast to the size of the BBQ Pork Ribs. The Glazed Baby Carrots (RMB 35) were another stand-out dish. Delicious and a perfect compliment to the hunks of meat.  I’ve been binging on sweet potato and I am hoping SWITCH! Grill might consider also adding a sweet potato side dish onto their menu.  Sweet potato fries, mash, chunks…anything sweet potato would be a real bonus in my book!

Overall, highlights of the meal were the ginormous rack of BBQ Pork Ribs and their Signature Strawberry Chili Martini, which still stands as my favorite cocktail in the city. It’s phenomenal and you’ve got to order it the next time you dine at SWITCH! Grill.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Dinner at SWITCH! Grill:

SWITCH!’s Signature Strawberry Chili Martini (RMB 65)SWITCH!’s Chopped Lettuce with Avocado Salad, Watermelon, Pecan & Spicy Corn Vinaigrette (RMB 65)

SWITCH!’s BBQ Pork Ribs with Steak Frites and Charred Broccolini (RMB 160)

SWITCH!’s Lamb Rack with Herb & Garlic Marinade (RMB 130)

 SWITCH!’s Side of Glazed Baby Carrots (RMB 35)

Review of SWITCH! Grill: Regent Land Apartment (across from Swissotel) No. 66 Gongti Beilu, Dong Cheng District  东城区工体北路66号瑞士公寓, Tel: 6553 5691. Open Daily, 11AM-10PM.

Best Part:

• Try their Strawberry Chili Martini, one of my favorite cocktails in the city
• A destination for carnivores to get their meat fix. They have a strong meat & seafood grill menu and their BBQ Pork Ribs were massive (enough for two to share!)
• Portions were large, good for sharing 
• Menu has a wide range of items including soups and salads (RMB 45-65), appetizers (RMB 75-85), flatbread pizza (RMB 55-65), pastas and burgers (RMB 55-88), mains and grill menu (RMB 125-210) and plenty of veggie sides (RMB 25-40) to counter the heavy-meat menu and of course desserts! (RMB 35-55) 
• Simple, quality, straight-forward North American-style steakhouse with cool decor and great food. 
• They also have a very extensive wine list at great prices with glasses starting at RMB 25. Perfect to pick and choose to pair with your meal. 

Comments:

• Although I don’t fault SWITCH! Grill for it’s lack of customers when I visited on a Monday evening just after their launch party, I also can’t imagine seeing this space packed with customers on any given night considering it’s still a point of destination with few pedestrians wandering in off the street (unlike all those venues located in Sanlitun). This is still a place you decide to dine in for a good meal with friends (also not a place for a quick bite on your own). 
• Not sure what was going on, but sitting on the mezzanine level of the restaurant, we kept feeling the ground quiver beneath our feet. I don’t mean to imply that the second floor is unstable, but there was definitely a noticeable movement throughout our meal. 
• Prices are reasonable considering quality of imported meat and big portions, but be prepared to come with a full wallet as it does add up!  
• Service was very professional.  When our first mouthfuls of the salad were overwhelmed with salt, the chef kindly offered to take it back and replace it for a new one without question. 

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

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

Hatsune Chef’s Dinner with Culinary Master Alan-san

Chef Alan-san fully focused in his kitchen

The man behind Hatsune’s legendary sushi rolls and really the entire menu of fresh salads, sashimi, seafood dishes, teppanyaki and California-style Japanese fare, Alan Wong, is getting out his slick set of super-sharp knives, rolling his sleeves up and getting his cook-on in the original kitchen where all the magic first took place – the Original Hatsune branch on Guanghua Lu.

This is an event that has been in the works for months and we are finally ready to announce this exciting upcoming dinner. Alan is opening this dinner up to the first 20 people who are quick enough to sign up for his very own Chef’s dinner on Wednesday, April 4.

Created from scratch and new inspirations, this dinner will feature 10 never-before-seen dishes from start to finish. Be among the very first to sample these new creations that could very well end up on the Hatsune menu. The menu is design to impress, with each dish unique to anything already on the Hatsune menu.

Pretty-ing up his famous California-style Japanese sushi rolls

This is a must-attend dinner for all Hatsune fanatics who have tried every roll on the menu twice and are aching for something new. The set dinner is RMB 380 per person and like I said earlier – we’re only giving out 20 seats MAX so hurry and book your seat! Reservations are essential so get on it..!

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, April 4, 2012

• Time: 7:30PM-9:30PM

• Location: The Original Hatsune (Guanghua Lu Branch)

• Address: 2\F, Heqiao Building, Bldg C, A8 Guanghua Donglu, CBD/Guomao    

                       光华东路甲8号和乔大厦C座2层

• RSVP Required: Limited to 20 seats only. 

  Contact: kristen@lumdimsum.com or call 18610046093

I should note that Alan Wong just won the Outstanding award for theBeijinger’s Best Personality Award in this year’s 2012 Reader Restaurant Awards, so you’re guaranteed to have a blast at his very own Chef’s Dinner!

theBeijinger’s 9th Reader Restaurant Awards: Winners, Runner Ups & LDS Picks Announced!

Family Photo Op at theBeijinger’s 9th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards

On Monday, March 19, 2012, theBeijinger just celebrated its 9th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards Ceremony at the Hilton Beijing.

Taking place from 11:30AM-2PM, the restaurant awards got my week off to a great start with a nice break on my mid-day on Monday with more food, sweets and ice cream I could have hoped for.  I was most impressed with the chocolate covered strawberries, chewy cookies and desserts by Sweet Tooth. I’m just thankful I had the self-control to resist drinking from the free flowing beer, wines, cocktails sponsored by Grand Marnier, Chimay, Leffe and Hoegaarden.

Always a grand affair, this year seemed bigger than ever with a very large crowd of both F&B big-heads and die-hard foodies. And it makes sense considering the amount of restaurants that were nominated and the strong readership who submitted ballots (thanks to social media platforms like Weibo, theBeijinger was really successful in reaching a broader audience this year).

“During three weeks of voting, over 5,000 readers and consumers cast ballots in 50 different categories, for over 250 nominated restaurants.”

That’s right- 50 categories and 250 nominated restaurants!  I was wondering how they were planning to read through 50 different categories (would be a nightmare to list off so many winners for so many categories) so I was relieved to find that this year, they displayed 30 of the 50 categories in the winding hall into the main event space.

So right off the bat, we were given the winners for the majority of the awards. It was so unexpected to walk into these displays without expecting to see so many announced in advance. Running around to find the categories Hatsune was nominated in, I was beyond stoked to discover Hatsune won Best Japanese for the 8th year in a row and Hatsune also won Best Decor (Hatsune Sanlitun) and Outstanding for Best Business Lunch (Mosto won this one!).

Hatsune Wins Best Japanese Restaurant (8 year running!) Photo of Hatsune’s two restaurant managers

Other Big Winners from the 9th Annual Awards Ceremony Include:

• Maison Boulud – Winning 7 Awards in total –  Best French, Best Service (Non-Chinese), Best Wine List, Best for a Romantic Meal, Outstanding for Impressing Visitors, Outstanding Place for a Celebration and Outstanding for Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese)

• Da Dong – Restaurant of the Year (Chinese), Best for Impressing Visitors (Chinese) , Best Beijing Duck, Outstanding for Best Service (Chinese)

• Home Plate Bar-B-Que – Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Restaurant Personality of the Year (Seth Grossman), Best New Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese), Best American, Outstanding for Best Value for Money,

• Nanjing Impressions – Best New Restaurant (Chinese)

• Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) – Outstanding for Best New Restaurant (Non-Chinese), Restaurant Personality of the Year (Ignace Lecleir), Best for Impressing Visitors (Non-Chinese), Best Decor

• Capital M – Best for Impressing Visitors (Non-Chinese), Best Outdoor Dining, Outstanding for Best Romantic Meal, Best Decor

Biggest Disappointments:

• Annie’s gets nominated for Best Service?  Seriously people?  Have you even eaten in the restaurant or are you just getting delivery to your home?  If we’re talking about best delivery service, GungHo! pizza wins hands down

• Tairyo Teppanyaki wins Best Place for Celebration?! I get that their “all-you-can-drink-and-eat deal” may draw you in at first, but the food is such low quality and everything tastes the same! Really surprised by this one.

• Blue Frog for Best Burger – they hav e a great two-for-one deal on Mondays, but there is definitely better burgers in Beijing

• Punjabi Indian Restaurant was not even in the running for the Best Indian category, people need to migrate east of Sanlitun!

• Seems like majority of restaurants that won are all located in the Sanlitun area.  Wish some of the more hidden gems got more recognition (ie Ai Mo Town for Best Yunnan)

• Wish Obentos got recognition in some of the categories they were nominated in! They definitely have the best salads in town in my opinion (much better than Annie’s anyway!)

Overall, it’s very exciting to see a small, little authentic American BBQ spot take over the entire awards ceremony!  Beating out big players like Maison Boulud and Hatsune (for Restaurant of the Year) and Temple Restaurant Beijing (for Best New Restaurant), this underdog came out of nowhere and really stole the show!

Congratulations to Home Plate Bar-B-Que!

Home Plate Bar-B-Que Team Wins Big! 

Photo courtesy of theBeijinger

Here is List of the 50 Categories’ Winners & Runner-Ups:

BEST AMERICAN
Readers’ Choice 
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding 
Blue Frog
Union Bar & Grille

LDS Vote: Home Plate Bar-B-Que

BEST BEIJING DUCK
Readers’ Choice 
Da Dong
Outstanding 
Duck de Chine
Quanjude

LDS Vote: Made in China (Grand Hyatt)

BEST BRUNCH (STANDALONE)
Readers’ Choice 
Vineyard Café
Outstanding 
Chef Too
Element Fresh

LDS Vote: The Orchard

BEST BURGER
Readers’ Choice 
Blue Frog
Outstanding 
Fatburger
Let’s Burger Plus

LDS Vote: Maison Boulud

BEST BUSINESS LUNCH
Readers’ Choice 
Mosto
Outstanding 
Alameda
Hatsune

LDS Vote: Hatsune

BEST CAFÉ
Readers’ Choice 
The Bookworm
Outstanding 
Comptoirs de France
Vineyard Café

LDS Vote: Cafe Zarah

BEST DÉCOR (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Lan Club
Outstanding 
Duck De Chine (Jinbao Jie location)
Pure Lotus (Changhong Qiao location)

LDS Vote: Duck de Chine (Jinbao Jie)

BEST DÉCOR (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Hatsune (Sanlitun location)
Outstanding 
Capital M
Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: Capital M

BEST DINNER ENTERTAINMENT
Readers’ Choice 
Haidilao
Outstanding 
1001 Nights
Chocolate

LDS Vote: Chocolate

BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT
Readers’ Choice 
Annie’s
Outstanding 
Element Fresh
Grandma’s Kitchen
The Orchard

LDS Vote: The Orchard

BEST FOR A ROMANTIC MEAL
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding 
Capital M
Mosto

LDS Vote: Capital M

BEST FRENCH
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding 
Brasserie Flo
Café de la Poste

LDS Vote: Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB)

BEST IMPRESSING VISITORS (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Da Dong
Outstanding 
Duck de Chine
Haidilao

LDS Vote: Dali Courtyard

BEST IMPRESSING VISITORS (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Capital M
Outstanding 
Maison Boulud
Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: Temple Restaurant Beijing 

BEST ITALIAN-AFFORDABLE
Readers’ Choice 
Annie’s
Outstanding 
Alio Olio
La Pizza

LDS Vote: Alla Osteria

BEST JAPANESE
Readers’ Choice 
Hatsune
Outstanding 
Matsuko
Tairyo Teppanyaki

LDS Vote: Hatsune

BEST KOREAN
Readers’ Choice 
Saveurs de Coree
Outstanding 
Ai Jiang Shan
Han Na Shan

LDS Vote: Saveurs de Coree

BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING
Readers’ Choice 
Haidilao
Outstanding 
Bellagio
Jin Ding Xuan

LDS Vote: Jin Ding Xuan or my local ch’uar stand

BEST MIDDLE-EASTERN
Readers’ Choice 
Biteapitta
Outstanding 
1001 Nights
Rumi

LDS Vote: Biteapitta

BEST OUTDOOR DINING
Readers’ Choice 
Capital M
Outstanding 
Blue Frog
Dali Courtyard

LDS Vote: Dali Courtyard

BEST PIZZA
Readers’ Choice 
Kro’s Nest
Outstanding 
Gung Ho! Pizza
The Tree

LDS Vote: Gung Ho! Pizza

BEST PLACE FOR A CELEBRATION
Readers’ Choice 
Tairyo Teppanyaki
Outstanding 
Maison Boulud
SALT

LDS Vote: Hatsune

BEST PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT RESTAURANT
Readers’ Choice 
Chuan Ban (Sichuan Provincial Government Restaurant)
Outstanding 
Xinjiang Islam (Xinjiang Provincial Government Restaurant)
Yunteng Shifu (Yunnan Provincial Government Restaurant)

LDS Vote: Chuan Ban

BEST RUSSIAN
Readers’ Choice 
Traktirr Pushkin
Outstanding 
Chocolate
Elephant

LDS Vote: Chocolate (and all my Russian friends agree!)

BEST SALADS
Readers’ Choice 
Element Fresh
Outstanding 
Annie’s
Gung Ho! Pizza

LDS Vote: Obentos

BEST SPANISH
Readers’ Choice 
Agua
Outstanding 
Carmen
Migas

LDS Vote: Niajo

BEST THAI
Readers’ Choice 
Purple Haze
Outstanding 
Serve the People
Very Siam

LDS Vote: Lime Cafe (Central Park)

BEST VEGETARIAN
Readers’ Choice 
Pure Lotus
Outstanding 
Biteapitta
The Veggie Table

LDS Vote: Veggie Table

BEST XINJIANG
Readers’ Choice 
Crescent Moon
Outstanding 
BLCU Muslim Restaurant
Xinjiang Red Rose

LDS Vote: Crescent Moon

BEST YUNNAN
Readers’ Choice 
Middle 8th
Outstanding 
Dali Courtyard
In & Out

LDS Vote: Aimo Town

BEST DIM SUM
Readers’ Choice 
Jin Ding Xuan
Outstanding  
Crystal Jade
Lei Garden

LDS Vote: Heng Shan Hui 衡山汇

BEST DUMPLINGS
Readers’ Choice 
Bao Yuan Jiaozi
Outstanding 
Lao Beijing Jiaozi Guan
Xian Lao Man

LDS Vote: Xian Lao Man

BEST HOTEL BRUNCH
Readers’ Choice  
Bubbalicious, Seasonal Tastes, Westin Beijing Chaoyang
Outstanding 
Aroma, Ritz-Carlton Beijing
Bubbly Sundays, Senses, Westin Beijing Financial Street

LDS Vote: Yi House Brunch in 798

BEST INDIAN/PAKISTANI
Readers’ Choice 
Ganges
Outstanding  
Indian Kitchen
Taj Pavilion

LDS Vote: Punjabi 

BEST BREAD
Readers’ Choice 
Comptoirs de France
Outstanding  
Kempi Deli, Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center
South German Bakery

LDS Vote: South German Bakery

BEST VIETNAMESE
Readers’ Choice 
Susu
Outstanding  
Le Little Saigon
Muse Parisian Vietnamese Brasserie

LDS Vote: Susu

BEST WINE LIST
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding  
Aria, China World Hotel
Enoterra

LDS Vote: Aria, China World Hotel

BEST VALUE FOR MONEY
Readers’ Choice 
Annie’s
Outstanding  
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
SALT

LDS Vote: Home Plate Bar-B-Que

BEST STEAK (STANDALONE)
Readers’ Choice 
Flamme International Grill
Outstanding
Chef Too
SALT

LDS Vote: Mosto

BEST STEAK (HOTEL)
Readers’ Choice 
CRU Steakhouse, JW Marriott Beijing
Outstanding  
Grange Grill, Westin Beijing Chaoyang
The Cut, Fairmont Beijing

LDS Vote: The Cut (Fairmont)

BEST SANDWICHES
Readers’ Choice 
Element Fresh
Outstanding  
Bocata
Comptoirs de France

LDS Vote: Home Plate’s Pulled Pork Sandwich

BEST ITALIAN – HIGH END
Readers’ Choice 
Sureno, Opposite House
Outstanding  
Cepe, Ritz-Carlton Financial Street
Tavola Italian Dining

LDS Vote: Barolo, Ritz Carlton

BEST MEXICAN/TEX-MEX
Readers’ Choice 
Luga’s Villa (tie)
Peter’s Tex-Mex (tie)
Outstanding  
The Saddle Cantina

LDS Vote: None, there is no good Mexican food in Beijing that I know of! But I heard Avocado Tree is good, but it’s in WDK.  I can’t wait for the Hutong Taco Bar to open up soon this summer (see here for details).

RESTAURANT PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
Readers’ Choice 
Seth Grossman, Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding  
Alan Wong, Hatsune/Kagen
Ignace Lecleir, Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: I’m biased, but my vote goes to Alan Wong of the Hatsune Restaurant Group

BEST SERVICE (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Haidilao
Outstanding  
Da Dong
Din Tai Fung

LDS Vote: Karaiya Spice House

BEST SERVICE (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Maison Boulud
Outstanding  
Annie’s
SALT

LDS Vote: Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) – anywhere Ignace Lecleir is will be Beijing’s best serviced restaurant

NEW RESTAURANT (NON-CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding  
Susu
Temple Restaurant Beijing

LDS Vote: The Vine Leaf. Of the restaurants that were nominated, I’m a big fan of TRB, Home Plate, Susu and Obentos, but as they are all new restaurants, I think the only one that’s really ironed out its kinked and have the highest performance success is the Vine Leaf. Each and every dish on the menu is made with so much thought and care, Will Yorke has managed to defy the odds and show Beijingers that English food can be phenomenal! 

NEW RESTAURANT (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Nanjing Impression
Outstanding  
Green Bites To Go Dumpling Bar
IFW, Park Hyatt Beijing

LDS Vote: New Duck de Chine in Jinbao Jie

BEST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR (CHINESE)
Readers’ Choice 
Da Dong
Outstanding 
Din Tai Fung
Duck de Chine

LDS Vote: Karaiya Spice House

BEST RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR (NON-CHINESE)
Reader’s Choice 
Home Plate Bar-B-Que
Outstanding 
Hatsune
Maison Boulud

LDS Vote: Hatsune

Full List of Winners can be viewed on theBeijinger’s blog page here and here.

See analysis and comparison between theBeijinger’s Annual Reader Restaurant Awards vs. DianPing.com here.

Beijing’s Best F&B Personalities (from L to R):

Alan Wong (Hatsune), Seth Grossman (Home Plate Bar-B-Que), Ignace Lecleir (Temple Restaurant Beijing)

Photo courtesy of theBeijinger 

*You can check out more photos from the awards ceremony on theBeijinger’s Photo Gallery.

LDS SH Gossip: 2 Restaurant Openings Summer 2012!

To wrap up my brief trip to Shanghai last week, I’ll explain that although I had the privilege to enjoy a few spectacular meals (at Kappo Yu and Franck), it was not a trip of leisure, but one with a very specific purpose.  And although there has yet to be an official announcement of what’s to come, I’ll be the first to leak a few juicy tid bits of two upcoming new restaurant projects by the Haiku by Hatsune Restaurant Group in Shanghai.

The Haiku by Hatsune Restaurant Group is expanding their ever-growing portfolio to include two exciting new projects: a third Haiku by Hatsune in Jinqiao 金桥 just across the way from Green Sports & Leisure Center and the project I’m most thrilled about – an innovative Southeast Asian crab restaurant in Xintiandi 新天地.

There are currently four restaurants under the Hatsune umbrella in Shanghai including two branches of Haiku by Hatsune (Taojiang Lu and IFC Mall), Kagen Teppanyaki (next to Haiku by Hatsune on Taojiang lu) and Sushi Inc. (in Citigroup Tower on Huayuanshiqiao Lu 花园石桥路).

While the concept of another Haiku by Hatsune branch is nothing new to the Shanghai dining scene, I am most excited about the design of this new venue.

For those who have spent meal after meal in Beijing’s Hatsune branch in Sanlitun Village, you may have noticed the underwater, aquatic themes evident throughout the restaurant from the waterfall glass door entrance, oceanic ground flooring and the stream of fish swimming across the restaurant into a spiraling mass in the center of restaurant’s high-ceilings.  The new Haiku by Hatsune in Jinqiao will showcase a contrasting theme of a rocky mountain face featuring tiered seating, a partially enclosed sushi bar area to portray a cave-like feeling and the best part is that this will be the one and only restaurant that will combine both Haiku and Kagen Teppanyaki restaurant concepts. One side of the restaurant will be dedicated to the firing grills of Kagen Teppanyaki while the other will serve Haiku’s finest California-style Japanese sushi.

In the 5 1/2 years I’ve been living in China, I’ve only made a handful of trips down to Shanghai so I am not very familiar with Shanghai’s breakdown of neighborhoods, hang outs and communities, but I had the chance to explore Jinqiao and notice that this area draws a striking resemblance to Shunyi in Beijing.  If only Shunyi had as many restaurant choices and something comparable to Jinqiao’s Green Sports & Leisure Center! What a great community center for families in the area. I have no doubt that the newest Haiku by Hatsune venture will feel right at home in this welcoming new neighborhood.

And quite opposite to the Jinqiao neighborhood scene is the bustling, trend-setting Xintiandi area which was one of the first areas of Shanghai I quickly became acquainted with. Great nightlife options from the high-energy live music venue Brown Sugar to all the restaurants that line the street. Haiku’s newest project is a Southeast Asian Crab Restaurant that is truly a labor of love, drawing inspiration from the top crab recipes all across the world and although the restaurant’s menu will be headlining its crab dishes, they will also feature a very select range of Southeast Asian tapas, seafood and desserts. I’m really not wanting to spill too many secrets, but this project gives me butterflies just thinking about it and I can’t wait to be the first in line on opening day!

And of course a trip wouldn’t be complete without a tasting of the new project’s specialty…

Crab by Haiku in Shanghai’s Newest Project in Xintiandi

LumDimSummary: Hatsune Sushi Samurai Graduates

One of our favorite and most popular events, Hatsune hosted back-to-back sushi making classes last week. With one class filled up within one day of sending the word out, we knew we had to host a second one to accommodate the high demand!  And we’re so happy we did because now 60+ Hatsune friends can now say they have officially joined the growing class of Hatsune sushi samurai graduates!

In similar form to previous sushi samurai classes, Hatsune Restaurant Group owner Alan Wong teaches the class himself, introducing the importance of hygiene, and then going straight into our top-secret recipes for cooking sushi rice, Hatsune’s spicy tuna mix and how to master three sushi making techniques: the hand roll, maki roll and inside-out roll.

A fun and interactive event, big thanks to everyone who came out to join in the sushi making fun!

LumDimSummary: Hatsune Sushi Class Breakdown:

First Step: Intro to Sushi Samurai Lesson & Prep

Lesson #1: How to Master Hand Rolls

Lesson #2: How to Master Maki Rolls

Lesson #3: How to Master Inside-Out Sushi Rolls

The Result: 60 New Sushi Samurais

Not exactly Hatsune’s standards, but impressive for first-timers! Natural Sushi Samurais:

Til March 13: Dish Out Votes On Restaurant Favorites

theBeijinger.com has just launched their 9th Reader Restaurant Awards and you can cast your vote now until March 13, 2012, so get it all out on the table and start giving props to all the restaurants in Beijing you love and frequent most. 

There’s over 250 worthy Beijing restaurants nominated in 50 categories on this year’s ballot, so let the voting begin!

theBeijinger’s Reader Restaurant Categories include:

• Best Burger

• Best Indian/Pakistani

• Best Mexican/Tex Mex

• Best Italian (Affordable & High-End)

• Best Russian

• Best American

• Best Spanish

• Best Thai

• Best Japanese

• Best Vietnamese

• Best Korean

• Best Dumplings

• Best Yunnan

• Best Xinjiang

• Best Provincial Government Restaurant

• Best Beijing Duck

• Best Dim Sum

• Restaurant Personality of the Year

• Best Decor (Chinese & Non-Chinese)

• Best Pizza

• Best Sandwiches

• Best Steak (Hotel & Standalone)

• Best for Impressing Visitors (Non-Chinese & Chinese)

• Best Place for a Celebration

• Best Late Night Dining

• Best Business Lunch

• Best Hotel Brunch

• Best Brunch (standalone)

• Best Family Friendly Restaurant

• Best Value for Money

• Best Cafe

• Best Bread

• Best Salads

• Best Vegetarian

• Best Wine List

• Best French

• Best Middle Eastern

• Best Dinner Entertainment

• Best for a Romantic Meal

• Best Outdoor Dining

• Best Service (Non-Chinese and Chinese)

• Best New Restaurant (Chinese and Non-Chinese)

• Restaurant of the Year (Chinese and Non-Chinese)

I was quite surprised to see the wide range of list of “Best New Non-Chinese Restaurants” (list of 12 restaurants!).  From a cute, delivery Japanese restaurant like Obentos to specialized restaurants like Home Plate Bar-b-que and The Vine Leaf, all the way to high-end hotel restaurants like S.TA.Y or Temple Restaurant Beijing, doesn’t really seem fair to put these restaurants together in one category.

List of ‘Best New Non-Chinese Restaurants’ to Choose From:

*Hatsune Restaurant Group was Nominated for:

• Restaurant Personality of the Year (Alan Wong of the Hatsune Restaurant Group)

• Best Decor (Hatsune Sanlitun)

• Best for Impressing Visitors (Kagen) 

• Best Japanese (Hatsune)

• Best Business Lunch (Hatsune) 

• Best Non-Chinese Restaurant of the Year (Hatsune) 

Click here to vote!

Nathan’s New Salad Wraps & Jinshisong Delivery

Most of you who follow LumDimSum.com know that I am always looking for a healthier option (should a healthy option be available) whenever I’m eating out.

So instead of stuffing myself with Nathan’s 100% pure beef hot dogs and chili cheese fries multiple times per week, I am now stoked to be eating (and sharing with you) their newest menu items: 3 New Savory Salad Wraps!

Available in three flavors: Spicy Chicken Tender Salad Wrap, Phillycheese Steak Salad Wrap and a warm, buttery imported Lobster Sensation Wrap (my personal favorite), these are hands-down my new go-to menu items!

Aside from being a healthier choice, these wraps are so freaking good and such great value – priced at RMB 15-25 if ordered alone and if you want to be extra healthy, you can also switch out the side of Nathan’s crinkle cut fries for a bowl of steamed corn (another favorite of mine) and a drink for only RMB 27-37 for a complete combo meal.

For those who prefer to eat in the comfort of your home, Nathan’s is now partnering up with Beijing’s Best Delivery Service - Jinshisong Delivery!

To get Nathan’s delivered straight to your door, just call 4000300517 or you can even order directly online and save the headache of speaking to anyone over the phone: Click here to order Nathan’s on Jinshisong’s website.

Aside from Nathan’s, Jinshisong also delivers many other great restaurant options including:

• Kro’s Nest
• Blue Frog
• Hatsune
• Flamme
• Union Bar & Grill
• Karaiya Spice House
• Kagen Japanese Restaurant
• Colibri Cafe
• Biteapitta
• Crepanini
• La Pizza

And the list of restaurants continues…check out full list of restaurants here.

Nathan’s Famous Contact Details: 

• Dongzhimen Raffles City Branch 

• Address: Raffles City Shopping Mall B1-07, No.1 Dongzhimen South Street, Dong Cheng District, Beijing
• Hours: 8:30AM-10:00PM

• Wanliu BHG Mall

• Address: Beijing Wanliu Shopping Mall, No. 2 BaGou Road, Hai Dian District, Beijing (Located just outside of Ba Gou Subway Stop, the last stop on Line 10)
• Hours: 9:30AM-9:30PM

• Mastercard (Wukesong) Stadium

• Address: No.69 Fuxing Road, Haidian District
• Open for events

It’s SUSHI Time: Learn to Make & Eat Your Own Sushi

It’s about that time of year again….it’s SUSHI Time!!

Many of you are probably sushi addicts like me and for us, it’s always sushi time, BUT it’s not every day that you can 1. make your OWN sushi and 2. learn how to make sushi from Alan Wong, the sushi samurai master of the Hatsune Restaurant Group.

Here’s your chance to learn the secrets behind the legendary Hatsune sushi rolls, eat your own creations and you even get to take home essential equipment to start making your own sushi at home!

Hatsune’s next sushi making class will be taking place on Wednesday, February 22nd at the Original Hatsune restaurant in Guanghua Lu.

More About the Event:

Hosted by Alan Wong, the master Sushi Samurai himself, Hatsune presents to you a Sushi Making Dinner Party. This course examines the fundamentals of sushi making and discover some of Hatsune’s secret recipes and get tips on how to make sushi at home. You’ll learn all about the different types of sushi, fish, rice and vegetable ingredients, and then it’s your turn to try it for yourself, preparing THREE different types of sushi rolls, with the expert advice and help from master Sushi Samurai Alan-san. Join us as we show you the path to become a Sushi Samurai.

RMB 300 per person includes the sushi making class, ingredients, dinner and the essential equipment to start making sushi at home!

Limited Seating, RSVP Required: Contact Kristen Lum by Monday, February 20th, e-mail: kristen@lumdimsum.com

Check out More Pics from Previous Hatsune Sushi Making Classes:

• LumDimSummary: Hatsune Sushi School with Alan Wong
• Sushi Samurai Class with Alan Wong

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, February 22, 2012
• Time: 7-10PM
• Price: RMB 300 per person includes class, materials and dinner
• Location: The Original Hatsune (Guanghua Lu Branch)
• Address: 2\F, Heqiao Building, Bldg C, A8 Guanghua Donglu, CBD/Guomao    光华东路甲8号和乔大厦C座2层
• RSVP: Contact Kristen Lum by Monday, February 20th e-mail: kristen@lumdimsum.com

Hatsune King Alan Wong Uses ThinkPad X1 to DO

Hatsune King Alan Wong is the featured star of Lenovo’s new ad for their new, thin and powerful ThinkPad X1.

“One of the most successful entrepreneurs in the cut-throat Beijing F&B market, Alan Wong is the successful founder and CEO of Hatsune Group, with over 500 employees across nine branches.  

Observe how the ThinkPad X1 ergonomic keyboard, minimalist design, and rapid boot SSD make work and play an experience.  

See how the ThinkPad X1 allows Alan to design new restaurants, the RapidCharge battery – recharging 80% in less than 30 min keeps him going no matter how far he travels; and the Fingerprint reader keeps his business information secure.”

- Cory Grenier, Lenovo China

A cool video that showcases Alan Wong in action at his restaurants, working on new upcoming projects and racing on his bike, this is just something cool I wanted to share!

Check out the full video on Youku.com here:

You can also watch the video on Tudou.com here.

Foodies, Arm Yourself in 2012 with the Little Gold Book

Little Gold Book is like the “Little Black Book for Charitable Foodies in Beijing”.

It’s a coupon book with crazy good discounts on Beijing’s top restaurants with 30% of proceeds going towards local community charities.

Just think about it – All those places you’ve been wanting to try out or that you wish you could go more often (if they were more affordable), you can finally begin to eat your way through Beijing’s top dining destinations armed with a little gold book filled with coupons that are up to 50% off!

Here’s a few top deals you can score with The Little Gold Book:

• 50% off Hatsune
• 2 for 1 mains at Assaggi
• 2-for-1 wine at Enoterra
• 50% off Stumble Inn
• 2-for-1 Food Items at The Bookworm
• 50% off ROOMbeijing
• 2-for-1 cooking classes at Vegan Hut
• 50% off Filling Station
• RMB 50 discount on a dozen Lollipop Cupcakes

Click for full list of deals here (there are 85 deals by 70 restaurants).

For only RMB 240 per Little Gold Book, you can cover the cost of the entire book after just one meal at one of the 70 participating restaurants.  It’s valid for the entire 2012 year so there’s plenty of time to work your way through each deal.

With the holidays quickly approaching, the Little Gold Book is a great stocking stuffer for all fellow Beijing foodies!

Little Gold Book was first released at the Chi Fan for Charity 2011 After-Party at Hatsune and will be available for sale again at Kagen’s Christmas Charity Dinner on December 10th with 30% of proceeds going towards BICCO.

Little Gold Book is currently sold at The Bookworm, April Gourmet’s and Colibri.

Hatsune’s OysterFest featuring World Champion Shucker

“Armed with more than 10 years of practice and custom-made knives, Patrick McMurray (aka ShuckerPaddy) is one of the fastest oyster shuckers in the world.”

With a shucking career of over 2.2 million oysters and a Guinness World Record of Shucking 38 oysters in One Minute, Patrick McMurray will be the star of Hatsune’s upcoming OysterFest on Wednesday, November 23, 2011 from 7-10PM at the Original Hatsune Guanghua Lu.

Shucking Pro Patrick McMurray will be explaining to guests the secrets to his winning shucking techniques. You will have a chance to see this man in shucking action and witness a Battle of the Shuckers in an Oyster Shuck-Off between Patrick McMurray and Hatsune King, Alan Wong.

And YES! If you’ve ever dreamt of shucking your own oysters, you can shuck with the best too!

Excerpts from theBeijinger’s Interview with Patrick McMurray:

Some people consider you a huge shucker. Do you like that title? What would you rather be thought of as?
Yes, it is kind of funny that some folks know of me before I meet them. Any title is great. Being a world champion or Guinness Record Holder is very fun and a great honor. It seems to be a good thing to be known for, as it gets you in the door! I would not want to change it at all. 

November is our Guinness World Records issue. What other records would your skills predispose you for?
Scraping gum off tables, lock picking, beer bottle opening …

Is there a world record you’ve ever attempted besides this one?
I tried holding my breath, but I passed out.

Read Full Interview here: Shucking Brilliant: Record-Breaking Oyster Man Patrick McMurray

See Patrick in Action:

How to Shuck An Oyster (YouTube Video)

Come and enjoy a feast of All-You-Can-Eat-Fresh-Oysters flown in from Fanny Bay Pacific, (Canada), Pacific Gigas (New Zealand), Gillardeau (West Coast France), Stella Bay (Canada), Gigas, and Port Douglas (South Australia).

FINALLY, a chance to gorge yourself with this decadent shellfish (and Hatsune sushi rolls)!

Kusshi Oysters

Event will begin at 7PM and will be featuring a feast of free-flow fresh oysters and additional Hatsune sushi rolls, appetizers + drinks for RMB 300 per person.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, November 23, 2011
• Time: 7PM-10PM
• Location: Original Hatsune (Guanghua Lu Branch)
• Address: 2\F, Heqiao Building, Bldg C, A8 Guanghua Donglu, 光华东路甲8号和乔大厦C座2层
• Price: RMB 300 includes all-you-can-eat oysters, Hatsune sushi + drinks
• RSVP: kristen@lumdimsum.com

Shook!: Chi Fan For Charity Expands to Shanghai

A dining event that’s won Culinary Event of the Year in Beijing in 2010, Chi Fan for Charity has expanded to Shanghai this year with the help of organizing sponsor Austen Morris and I was not going to miss out on a such a great excuse to make a weekend getaway to Shanghai!

Already sponsoring 4 tables of 10 at Hatsune, Kagen, Kagen Teppanyaki and Karaiya Spice House, Alan Wong is also the official sponsor of Chi Fan for Charity’s After-Party (at Hatsune Sanlitun for the 2nd year in a row).  As a big fan and supporter of Chi Fan for Charity, we wanted to show Shanghai some love too!

While Beijing’s beneficiaries this year include Bethel Foundation and New Hope Foundation, Shanghai’s beneficiaries this year include Heart to Heart, Compassion for Migrant Children and Chi Heng Foundation.  (See here for list of charities and all the wonderful work they do.)

With 26 glorious restaurants to choose from, we decided to host a table of 10 at Shook! Restaurant.  Chef Kevin Cape and GM Julien Laracine were both exceptional hosts to our private 5-course dinner at their prized chef’s table just in front of Shook’s beautiful open kitchen.

“An open-kitchen conveys the feel of ‘dining without borders’ – intimate, nothing hidden, open to all – a concept which transcends the menu. With whispers of Chinese, Japanese, South-East Asian and modern Western, yet flexible enough to transport you anywhere your heart and palate desire.”

See here LDS Snapshots of Shook’s Hallway of Wine and Open Kitchen:

After a few glasses of champagne at the bar, we sat down at Shook!’s private chef’s table where we were treated to a beautiful 5-course meal, a fusion of Chinese, South-east Asian and Western cuisine.  The venue is absolutely stunning and the service was exceptional. The food?  See for yourself all the goodies we were treated to…

LumDimSum Snapshots of Shook’s Dishes:

Amuse Bouche (Chinese-style soup) / Prawn Appetizers with walnuts (Chinese style)

Shared Appetizers: Perfectly Roasted Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce

1st Course: Confit of Salmon/ Refreshing Orange Sorbet with Mango Ravioli

Main Course: Slow-Cooked Grain Fed Beef / Macaroon Dessert

Shook!’s Tiramisu and Creme Brulee

GM Julien then let us make our own crepes table-side!  Chef Anna took over and the result was delightful…

 Shook! Crepes:  BEFORE & AFTER

Thank you to the team at Shook! for a wonderful dining experience and big thanks to Kelly Olver and Katie Littlefield (Austen Morris) for arranging such a successful first Chi Fan for Charity Event in Shanghai!

It’s not too late for you to be a part of the Chi Fan for Charity event in Beijing, TONIGHT: Saturday, November 5! See details here.

Check for last remaining seats at CFFC Sponsoring Restaurants here.

In case you can’t make it to dinner and you still don’t want to miss out on this great event, there are still a few tickets left for the Chi Fan for Charity After-Party at Hatsune Sanlitun Village.  Click here to buy your ticket!

With 400-500 people dining at Beijing’s best establishments, everyone will come together for a brilliant celebration at Hatsune.

The Chi Fan for Charity After Party at Hatsune Sanlitun Village will be featuring free flow drinks by our generous sponsors (Wine Republic, Tiger Beer, El Charro Tequila and Hatsune’s signature cocktails), DJ Patrick Yu spinning tunes, and awesome silent auction and raffle prizes. 

For those who don’t have the time or the budget to commit to dinner, the after party is a great way to come out to contribute to two very worthwhile causes and show your support.  This year’s beneficiaries include Bethel Foundation and New Hope Foundation.

Chi Fan for Charity 2011: Tickets are Now on Sale!

“Good Eats. Good Times. Good Causes.”

Good food, good company and all for good causes – this really is my ideal event. As a proud member of the Chi Fan for Charity team, I am excited to be a part of such an inspiring event that involves such a strong community of individuals to come together and really make a difference with the selected charities we sponsor this year.

The concept for the charity event is simple. Restaurants donate set menus to the charity, which then charge diners for a specially-prepared meal. Each restaurant is offering at least three courses and two wine pairings for a table of 10.

Who can say no to being a part of such an all-around win-win-win situation?!  If you haven’t already booked your seat at one of the 39 fine dining establishments on board, tickets went on sale this week!

Many of the restaurants are already sold out (Agua, Bei, Barolo, Hatsune, Made in China, Mosto, Nobu, Orchid, Maison Boulud), but there are still 24 restaurants to choose from including Capital M, Susu, Sureno, ROOMbeijing, Modo, Karaiya Spice House, Punjabi, The Courtyard and the highly anticipated Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) by Maison Boulud’s ex-GM Ignace Lecleir.

“CFFC is happy to report that some of the Capital’s most interesting and influential people will once again host our tables. The evening will be filled with opportunities;talk economics with Forbes’ Gady Epstein, debate which restaurant has the best Kao Ya with restaurateur Alan Wong, gossip about philanthropy with Red Cross’ Ramsey Rayyis or discuss this season’s best reads with Penguin’s Managing director Jo Lusby. 2011′s table hosts are shaping up to be even more intriguing than last year’s stellar group.” – CFFC Newsletter

A dining event that’s won Culinary Event of the Year in Beijing in 2010, Chi Fan for Charity has expanded to Shanghai this year (with the help of organizing sponsor Austen Morris) and has set an ambitious goal to raise RMB 300,000 in this one night to be donated entirely to both the Bethel Foundation and New Hope Foundation and is now bringing its theme to Shanghai.

Visit http://www.chifanforcharity.org/bookings/restaurants/category/beijing-restaurants/ to book your spot at one of Beijing’s top 39 restaurants on November 5 at 7:30 pm.  Just select the restaurant of your choice and then follow instructions to purchase your tickets.  Remember: 100% of proceeds will go to Bethel Foundation and New Hope Foundation.

And if that wasn’t good enough, the legendary after-party at Hatsune Sanlitun Branch will be where all diners unite together for boozin and schmoozin with old skool dance tracks by DJ Patrick Yu and drinks will be flowing courtesy of The Wine Republic, Kis Natural Vodka, El Charro Tequila, Tiger Beer and Hatsune.

In addition to great drinks and company, CFFC will feature some amazing silent auction packages. Although we can’t divulge what we have secured, we can guarantee that one lucky donor will be taken away on a once in a lifetime vacation.

Pictures from Chi Fan for Charity 2010: