Sheng Yong Xing 晟永兴: The Roast Duck Restaurant We’ve Been Waiting For!

One of my favourite comfort-food restaurants in Beijing used to be Lau Pa Sak (RIP). Located opposite the Canadian embassy, it was unceremoniously demolished and refurbished last year. It moved to a new location in Sanlitun SOHO, but doesn’t seem to have survived the traumatic event. I went through a period of mourning and then noticed that a Beijing roast duck restaurant had taken it’s place. Skeptical, I put off going for a while, but finally curiosity got the better of me. I rounded up a few foodies who were keen to try the new Sanlitun duck spot and we all knew that Chinese food is always better when you can order a feast! With low expectations going in, we braved ourselves for the worst.

First impressions of Sheng Yong Xing Roast Duck Restaurant were pretty jarring. This restaurant is very tastefully designed. Light and airy, it is a beautiful space with greenery dispersed throughout the space and a balance of grey bricks, wood and smart Chinese touches. I’m a big fan of their glowing screen lanterns hanging over each of the larger round tables and strategic use of screens as space dividers, giving private tables a sense of intimacy without being in separate rooms. The duck ovens are located on the second floor and you can go gawk to your hearts content. The chefs were patient and dealt with our intrusions with aplomb.

Sitting down at the table, we inspected the menu and began the ordering process. It is a process because the menu is gigantic. Beginning with their specialty dishes highlighted at the front before moving into cold starters, mains, and starchy staples at the back. The menu has the classics, but also a bunch of unexpected dishes like giant prawns with black truffle, roast duck topped with caviar and even some Australian wagyu beef. Some fancy pantsy dishes aside, we found comfort in the menu’s dishes that were more familiar and all for great value. The only one glaring Chinglish example: “Fried Enema”. #Chortle

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Long Live Lau Pa Sak: Singaporean Hawker Food

Long Live Lau Pa Sak’s Savoury and Moreish Black Carrot Cake

Paltadungkar: Prayers Answered for Tasty Tibetan

*THIS VENUE IS NOW CLOSED*

Delightful, Vibrant Tibetan in Sanlitun

It’s incredible how many times I’d walked or biked past this restaurant and never walked in. Located just above Lau Pa Sak (authentic Hawker food on Xindong lu), Paltadungkar Tibetan Restaurant is super accessible and you can’t miss that gigantic sign on top of the building. Even the outside is very Tibetan-themed, which is one of many reasons why I’ve always been curious to try it.  But it’s also been one of those places that has been around for awhile, will be here for awhile and thus lacked the motivation to make it happen until this summer.

Thanks to fellow foodie Nitai Deitel who dined there and gave me the scoop on all that yak and lamb goodness, did I finally get around to organize that big group dinner I’d long been postponing.

With its own door on the ground floor just north of Lau Pa Sak’s entrance, as you step up the wooden staircase and admire all the colorful Tibetan prayer flags and artwork, you step into a gorgeous dimly lit dining room. With deep blues and purple hues all around the restaurant, you feel like you’ve just walked into some place magical.

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Koo Kee Singapore Chain Brings Hainan Chicken to BJ

Hallelujah for Traditional Hainan Chicken

Recommended by Singaporeans who have been dying for more restaurant options serving traditional home-style, authentic comfort foods, I discovered Koo Kee. The first time I went, I only knew to call it “the Hainan chicken rice place” ever since my friends have been promising to take me to taste Beijing’s best Hainan chicken.

I actually didn’t know anything about the chain, so I looked it up and turns out this Singaporean chain is a hybrid concept restaurant that combines different food concepts together so that it’s not only about Singaporean classics but also a fusion of other Asian cuisines including Japanese. But that’s not very descriptive of Beijing’s branch, which is pretty much all about “re-creating the taste of local and authentic Singapore food in a comfortable setting”.

“Singapore is a melting pot of different cuisines due to its cultural and ethnic diversity comprising of a mix of Chinese, Malays, Indians, Peranakans and more. Therefore, food plays a crucial role in Singapore’s national identity, contributing to Singapore’s reputation as a culinary destination among tourists. This has inspired creative Singaporeans to mix and match various flavours to create mouth-watering delights such as Bak Kut Teh, Laksa and Curry Chicken. We have identified the potential for Singapore food within Beijing – it will be well received among the strong Singapore community who crave for local Singapore food and at the same time, we can reach out to the locals and promote Singapore food. This marked the birth of PEK-SG Koo Kee Restaurant in March, which was conceptualised to merge our specialty Hainanese Chicken Rice together with other local Singapore delicacies under one roof.” – PEK-SG Koo Kee Restaurant

Continue Reading » Koo Kee Singapore Chain Brings Hainan Chicken to BJ