CFFC Napa Valley Dinner at TRB & Fairmont After Party

Since it’s inception three years ago, Chi Fan for Charity has since raised over RMB 850,000 for worthy local charities in China.  Hats off to founder Michael Crain for putting together this brilliant formula of bringing together good eating + good company for a good cause.

While the main CFFC event is held in November every year (where Chi Fan gathers 40 of Beijing’s premium restaurants to host tables of 10 and over 500 people rally together to make this event Beijing’s top charity culinary event of the year), last Tuesday, April 17th marked the first time CFFC teamed up with 20 Napa Valley Wineries to co-host paired wine dinners at 5 elite restaurants including the new Brasserie Flo, Grange (Westin Chaoyang), Maison Boulud, Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB) and Vasco’s (Wangfujing Hilton).

The choice to dine at TRB was an easy one knowing the perfectly professional and courteous Ignace Lecleir and his gracious team would be looking after our party of 40. Each of the five participating restaurants were also allowed to seat up to 40 people, but TRB and Maison Boulud were the two that managed to fill every single one of their 40 seats. In spite of the volume, I knew it was safe to say we would be in good hands.

Each of the five participating restaurants played host with four vintners from Napa Valley region. TRB collaborated with Schramberg Vineyards, Salvestrin Winery, St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery, and Somerston Wine Co.

Our warm welcome began with two sparkling welcome drinks courtesy of Schramsberg Vineyards – their 2008 Brut Rosé and 2009 Blanc de Blancs. A great story about these sparkling wines was shared by the Schramsberg representative Maryann Bautovich who explained that “in 1972 the 1969 Blanc de Blancs was served at the “Toast to Peace” in Beijing, between President Richard Nixon and Premier Zhou Enlai and Schramsberg wines have been served by every subsequent presidential administration.”

Settling in with Schramsberg’s Sparkling Wines at TRB:

Before we were served the first course of our meal, CFFC introduced each of the four vineyard representatives who briefly stood up to introduce two of the beautiful wines they would be serving throughout the meal and we ended with an introduction of the charity we were gathered together to support, Children’s Hope Foundation, a local orphanage that provides long-term care for disadvantaged youth as well as life-saving medical attention for orphans so that they may be adopted into loving families.

5-Course TRB Dinner Paired with Napa Valley Wines:

First Course -

I’ve had this Garlic Egg Salt Cod Veloute every time I’ve dined at TRB and it’s still remains as one of the stand-out dishes on their menu. It’s so good, it was paired with not one, but two white wines: Salvestrin’s 2010, Sauvignon Blanc and St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery’s 2011, Sauvignon Blac, Estate.

The Salvestrin’s 2010 Sauvignon Blanc was very unique as it is one of the only Sauvignon Blancs from St. Helena, a single vineyard, all estate grown and 100% of the process is controlled. Everything is done in-house, promising extreme consistency and a very selective production. Only 800 cases of this particular wine was ever produced. The reason why this wine stood out to me so much was that they gave a Chardonnay treatment to a Sauvignon Blanc, where 60% was in neutral French oak giving a nice minerality to the wine (rather than the typical fruity characteristics of Sauvignon Blacs), giving a soft mouth feel and friendly for food pairing.  Thank you to Salvestrin’s bubbly rep Megan Gordon for her thorough explanation!

I’ve actually had the pleasure of tasting this exact Sauvignon Blanc from St. Supery Estate in my last trip to Napa Valley at the beginning of 2012. This wine has a entirely different taste as it is produced at a different elevation, higher up in the hills and rather than being oak barrel fermented, it is produced in a stainless steel vat, producing bright and vibrant flavors. This wine was a nice contrast to the Salvestrin 2010 Sauvignon Blanc.

Garlic Egg Salt Cod Veloute

Salvestrin, 2010, Sauvignon Blanc / St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery, 2011, Sauvignon Blac, Estate

Second Course -

While the second dish was my least favorite of the meal, the paired Salvestrin 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon stood out as my favorite wine of the night. Named “3D” after the Salvestrin family’s three daughters, this is the most expensive wine they’ve produced. Aged three years, there are only 130 cases of this wine ever made making it extremely rare and in high demand. This wine was elegant and soft with oak flavors and hints of darker berries like blueberries, boysenberries and blackberries.

Ham Hock Terrine Sauce Grebiche

Salvestrin, 2008, Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 D

Third Course -

While some of my dining counterparts complained about the monkfish having a tough, rubbery texture, this was my favorite dish of the night. The roasted monkfish had a unique firm texture and the infusion of smoked bacon and mushrooms put me over the top. This was phenomenal and it was paired with the first Somerston wine of the night – a 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon made from unfiltered, rich and balanced fruit on 44 year old vines.  “This is a 100% Cab.” – Craig Becker from Somerston Wine Co.

Roasted Monkfish Bacon Shallots Sauce Matelote

Somerston, 2009, Cabernet Sauvignon, Somerston

Fourth Course -

The Saddle of Lamb was tasty, but by this point, I was already stuffed, making it difficult to really savor and enjoy each bite. And to make matters worse, I should confess that all the wines beyond this point started to muddle together and it didn’t help that I failed to jot down any tasting notes. So…I have no choice but to let the photos speak for themselves.

Roasted Saddle of Lamb with Capers Garlic Confit Anchovies Rosemary

St. Supery Estate Vineyards & Winery, 2007, Red Blend, Estate Elu

Fifth Course -

Goat Cheese Tartine, Manuca Honey Thyme

Somerston, 2009, Red Blend, Stornoway, Somerston

TRB’s Signature Petit Four

Finishing up CFFC Dinner at TRB

Wrapping up dinner and struggling to move our Humpty Dumpty tummies, we eventually managed to lift our arses off our comfy chairs and make our way over to the official Chi Fan for Charity After Party at the Fairmont Hotel’s lobby bar for more, free-flow Napa Valley Wines.

This was hands-down, the best party set-up you could ever want – a party showcasing all of the participating 20 Napa Valley Wineries and their select range of very exclusive, fine wines.

A party full of wine geeks, we were like kids in a candy shop, curious eyes taking in the entire wine gallery and greedy hands grabbing one after the other to sip and taste our way through each wine and savor this rare opportunity to indulge in so many Napa Valley wines.  

LDS Snapshots of CFFC After Party at the Fairmont w/ Napa Valley Wineries:

Founder of Chi Fan for Charity, Michael Crain (center)

Favorite Quote of the Night:

“My nipples are hard over Napa Valley Wines” – Anonymous

For the time being, I will keep this person’s identity a secret until an occasion arises to blackmail.

Nevertheless, this is a brilliant quote that left me with a side cramp after laughing uncontrollably for at least 10 minutes.

(I was slightly intoxicated after consuming far too much amazing Napa Valley wine)

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:

LumDimSummary: The 10th Red Bull Nanshan Open

L-to-R: 2nd place Sam Hulbert (USA), 1st place Juuso Laivisto (FIN), 3rd place Roope Tonteri (FIN)

For the second time at the TTR 5Star 10th Red Bull Nanshan Open, Juuso Laivisto (FIN) reclaims his throne (he won first place in 2010) winning first place in this year’s 10th Annual Red Bull Nanshan Open.

Although US rider Sam Hulbert was ranked first going into the Super Finals, Juuso stole the show hitting a “back-to-back bs900 mutes, followed by a 50-50 to method on the polejam, bs lipslide on the downrail finishing off in style with a tweaked out fs360 nosebonk on the Red Bull cube.”  If you don’t speak “snowboarding”, then just imagine a lot of super fast spinning flying off massive kickers.

“It’s been awesome to see how the event has grown the last few years, and to see such legends in the judging booth made it extra special to win here today!”   - Juuso Laivisto, Winner of Red Bull Nanshan Open 2012

Juuso Laivisto flying off the big kicker. Photo courtesy of PM:Studio

Head judges Iztok Sumatic (SLO) and Ishi (JPN) alongside snowboarding legends Ingemar Backman (SWE), Michi Albin (SWI), Scotty Wittlake (USA), and Alan Wong (PRC/USA) made all the difference in the riders’ performances.

After seeing Roope Tonteri (FIN) rip every run and ranking first after blowing everyone away in the qualifying runs on Saturday, many expected him to come out first in the finals. But I gotta say, I was still rooting for Juuso all along! My favorite rider and good friend from his first trip to Beijing two years back when he won first place in the 8th Red Bull Nanshan Open, I was stoked to see my favorite rider come out first once again!  Super happy to see such a talented rider and happy person do so well and shine so bright in China!

10th Red Bull Nanshan Open Rider Rankings:

The only rider to hit the jib section’s oversized-pipe with a 50-50 to bs360 out after a bs720 to fs1080 on the kicker, Sam Hulbert (USA) took second place in this year’s Nanshan Open. Not too shabby as this was his very first time riding in the Red Bull Nanshan Open!

2nd Place – US Rider Sam Hulbert; photo courtesy of PM:Studio

Like I said earlier, Roope was the anticipated superstar for this year’s Nanshan Open and he definitely blew everyone away in the qualifying rounds. He had the biggest runs and probably would have taken 1st place if he was able to land his attempt at a cab900 indy.

“Roope Tonteri (FIN) unfortunately was unable to stomp what could have been a first place run, landing a cab900 indy but reverting out on his impressive bs1260 mute attempt – still finishing his run off in style with a switch boardslide 270out on the polejam and a lipslide 270out on the downrail, enough for third place.” – Olli Fenwick-Ross, organizer of the Red Bull Nanshan Open and member of the mellowparks.cn team

3rd place – Rider Roope Tonteri (FIN): photo courtesy of PM:Studio

LumDimSum Snapshots of the 10th Annual Red Bull Nanshan Open:

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A Very Merry LumDimSum Christmas

California is about 16 hours behind Beijing, so please forgive the belated post, but after a peek into my very merry Christmas, I hope that perhaps you’ll understand why I’ve been distracted.

LumDimSum Snapshots of My Christmas Day:

My LumDimSum Family

Christmas Gifts All Around – candy&caviar for Everyone!

LDS Christmas Feast:

I hope all of you had a memorable day surrounded by people you love, good food and if you were nice this year, I hope Santa brought you what you wished for!

Merry Christmas!

LumDimSummary: Powwow & Mashup’s 爱北京, I Race!

The Entire Team Behind 爱北京, I Race! 

With a total of 8 teams and 12 destinations, 爱北京, I Race! had Beijingers running around the town in its own version of “Amazing Race”.  Hosted by Let’s Powwow and Mashup sport & social, this was a full-on day of activities and games.

As much as I would have liked to signed up my own team of winners (I am confident my dream team totally would have killed this race), I was happy to instead host two of the challenges at two different destinations.  I spent the day hosting challenges at both Hatsune Sanlitun Village Branch and Kagen Japanese Hot Pot & BBQ on Guanghua Lu (which was a bit of a challenge in itself to race back and forth between the two venues).

At Hatsune branch, challengers were quickly instructed to make and eat basic hand rolls, which was both a fun experience and a treat (most challengers came hungry)!

Hatsune’s 爱北京, I Race! Challenge:

At Kagen Japanese Hot Pot & BBQ, we set up a blind taste test for teams to face the ultimate challenge for their taste buds.  With a range of different ingredients from garlic chips to gingko nuts and calamari, challengers had to guess 3 out of 10 correctly to pass this challenge and move on to their next destination.  Fortunately every team passed and if any team finished early, they were able to take off their blindfolds and devour the remaining ingredients!

Kagen Japanese Hot Pot & BBQ’s 爱北京, I Race! Challenge:

Although I wasn’t present at the other challenges, there were 10 other destinations from Sanlitun to Nanluoguxiang and Shuangjing areas. I heard Green Dumplings had teams make dumplings, Jungbo Juice had challengers guess ingredients of a smoothie, Terra had challengers guess and find the correct ingredients to make a caipirinha and Grinders Bar & Restaurant in Shuangjing had challengers execute correctly the 20 steps to pour a proper Stella beer.

Powwow Team Challenge at Terra Restaurant

Challengers learned how to Pour a Proper Stella Beer (20 Steps)

爱北京, I Race! Teams:

1st Place Winners: Team Capital Punishment took home RMB 4,000!

2nd Place Runner Up: Team 真的

3rd Place: Team Lost in Beijing

Other 爱北京, I Race! Teams:

Team Three and a Half Asians

Team Yoyao is Gay (with Yoyao on the left)

LumDimSummary: Modo’s Charity Dinner for Japan

Last Wednesday, March 23, both Mosto & MODO hosted two separate charity dinners with 100% of revenues donated directly to United Nations World Food Program (UN WFP) and China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation aid program (CFPA) in Japan.

Rallying together a group of friends eager to participate in such a great event, we booked out the 2nd floor of Modo and enjoyed a beautiful meal highlighting some of Modo’s new menu dishes.

Modo’s Set Dinner Menu:

LumDimSum Snapshots of Modo’s Set Menu Dishes:

Foie Gras Terrine with Plum Chutney, Toasted Brioche & Rhubarb Compote / Seared Langoustine with Chickpeas & Chorizo Stew

Wagyu Beef Meatball with Heirloom Tomato Sauce / Spinach & Ricotta Malfati with Roasted Pears, Mushrooms & Shaved Pecorino Cheese

Dill-crusted Cod Fish with Wild Rice and Mushroom Pilaff, Confit Fennel, Lemongrass Veloute / Pork Tenderloin Anticucho with Lily Root, Roasted Vegetables & Citrus Reduction

A perfect meal to share between two people, highlights from the meal were the Wagyu Beef Meatball and Spinach & Ricotta Malfati. And the 3 assorted desserts was a wonderful, unexpected surprise at the end!

All-in-all, a fantastic event.  Hats off to both Modo & Mosto for pulling off not only two very successful dining events, but also finding a great way to get the Beijing community involved in such a worthwhile cause.  They raised a total donation of Rmb 39,625 that will serve to purchase blankets, basic clothes, food and water for the Japanese population.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Modo:

*Click here for LumDimSum’s Full Review of Modo.

*Modo’s crazy cool wine dispensers have got wine geeks hooked (LDS article here)

Modo’s Contact Details:

• Located between Karaiya Spice House and Tony Studio on 3rd Floor of Sanlitun Village: S10-31, 3/F, Bldg 8, Sanlitun Village South, 19 Sanlitun Rd
• 三里屯路19号三里屯Village南区8号楼S10-31
• Tel: 6415-7207

LumDimSummary: Time Out Food Awards 2011

Just a few days after theBeijinger’s 8th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards, Time Out Beijing hosted its 2011 Food Awards last night – Thursday, March 24 at Xu Xian Lou Hanzhou restaurant.

Unlike theBeijinger and CityWeekend and other restaurant awards in the city, Time Out’s awards of the city’s “finest eats, best chefs and most delicious dining experiences” are decided by a panel of five experienced foodie journalists:

• Lillian Chou: Time Out Dining Editor
• Adrienne Mong: Beijing-based producer/correspondent for NBC News
• David Pierson: Beijing correspondent for the LA Times
• Keith Richburg: Foreign correspondent for The Washington Post
• Tini Tran: Veteran foreign correspondent with The Associated Press.

The brilliant thing about Time Out is that rather than letting their readers decide the city’s best eats, they are giving credit and recognition to where they believe it is most deserved.  No fussing around with votes and nominations, they tell it how it is…according to Time Out.

List of Time Out Restaurant Award Categories & the Winners:

Read about the winners here.

Review of Time Out’s 2011 Food Awards:

Best Part:

• Xu Xian Lou is a stunning space to host an event
• Karaiya Spice House FINALLY gets recognized for its AMAZING Hunan food
• Many restaurants who seem to have been overlooked by other restaurant awards get recognition deserved – ie Bei (only received nomination in 1 category) and Karaiya was not nominated at all in theBeijinger awards!
• Michael Crain‘s new haircut (and killer outfit) totally made my day
• Awesome to see various people get up on stage and introduce winners – including the lovely Shanti Christensen, Michael Crain, and CCTV personality & reporter James Chau
• Great gift bags – Chocolate crackers, pretty macaroons, packaged Spanish cured meat, Shangrila Farms coffee and Spanish Vinegar
• Packed out house full of F&B industry leaders, great vibe and great times!

Comments:

• Space was stunning, but narrow view so hard to see stage unless you wedged your way to the front
• It was such a classy evening – the space, the guests, the hosts…except main hostess Lillian Chou (Time Out’s dining editor) continuously yelled at guests to (and I quote) “Shut the F*** Up!” – totally unnecessary, scared people (including me!) and killed the vibe of the event
• Surprising to see Aria getting so much recognition (Best International, Best Chef, runner up for Restaurant of the Year) –  I think I need to make a trip there and see what the talk’s about!

LumDimSum Snapshots of Time Out’s 2011 Food Awards:

Karaiya Spice House Wins Best Regional Chinese

Bei Wins Best Restaurant of the Year

LumDimSummary: The Whitest Boy Alive @ Star Live

My first thought when I saw The Whitest Boy Alive‘s lead man Erlend Øye (from Kings Of Convenience) get on stage?

Napoleon Dynamite!

He’s tall, skinny (lanky even), big glasses, curly/fro-ey hair…Napoleon could seriously pass as his doppelgänger!

But as soon as Erland Øye spoke into the mic, he proved exactly why he has such a massively loyal following worldwide.

Unlike Napoleon (who is semi-retarded), Erland is incredibly cool and everyone at the Star Live music gig was raving about how much they love the Whitest Boy Alive…or maybe that was just me! (I think hipsters are incapable of expressing the same level of enthusiasm that I do.)

“Lead man Erlend Øye is a long time hero of mine from his work as half of Kings Of Convenience. One of the coolest men alive, surely?”

- Woody, fan of The Whitest Boy Alive

At their show in Shanghai, women were throwing their lipsticked bras onto the stage!!  …definitely not Napoleon.

Considering it’s a few days after the show and I’m still listening to the tracks on repeat goes to show just how much I think they ROCK.

LumDimSum Snapshots of The Whitest Boy Alive at Star Live:

A Few Other Upcoming JUE (觉) Events:

• IMPROVISE 2 with Beijing Improv & LDTX (3.19): Joint dance and theatre improv performance at LDTX studios, RMB 80
• Shanren (山人) Concert (3.18): Chinese Folk, Reggae-Rockified. 9-11PM @ Tango RMB 60 presale/RMB 80 at door
• *The Besnard Lakes (3.19): A good Canadian Band “like the Beach Boys when it’s calm, and Queen when it’s crunchy.” 9-11PM @ Mao Livehouse RMB 60 presale/RMB 80 at door
• The Black Atlantic (3.23): Acoustic pop band from the Netherlands. @ Mao Livehouse (ticket and time TBA, click here for more info)
• *AAB 2011 Preview Party (3.25): Beer, BBQ and Art @ AAB’s beautiful courtyard space. 6PM, FREE
• *WHALE! and Friends Dance Party (3.25): 200 tons of danceable rock and electronica, 11PM @ School Bar, FREE
• Panbianr Independent Film Screenings & Discussions (3.26-3.27): 2 day discussion and showings of a dozen documentaries, narrative features, and shorts. From 12PM-8PM at HomeShop (click here for info) RMB 100 for 2 day pass,
• Abaji (3.27): A man with over 250 instruments. 7:30-9:30PM @ Jianghu Bar, RMB 30

For a full event run-down, check out their website: www.juefestival.com

LumDimSum Super Sweepstakes

For your chance to win a RMB 200 voucher at Hummingbird Therapeutic Spa, answer the following question in the comment section:

If Napoleon Dynamite is Erlend Øye’s doppelgänger, who would be yours and why?

Deadline is Tuesday, March 22 at noon.  To answer, click here and scroll down to comment section

LumDimSummary: IWD Cocktail Benefit 2011

This past Friday night, March 8, 2011 saw another hugely successul International Women’s Day Benefit by Jo Ling Kent and a band of incredibly passionate and inspirational women who have devoted much of their time and energy into this project in a joint effort to gather Beijing’s foremost community and business leaders to raise both awareness and funds for China Education Initiative (CEI), an innovative non-profit organization raising awareness about education inequality in China and support the empowerment of young women in academics.

There were a number of goods and packages sponsored for their silent auction (beautiful bags by D-SATA, jewelry by Belita, dinner packages from restaurants like Kagen, Nola, etc.), spa and beauty packages, hats by Elizabeth Koch, a jacket by candy&caviar, Plastered T-shirts, cooking classes and other fun activity packages by Bespoke Beijing, Red Box China and Beijing Hikers to name a few.

In addition to these items, there were also 11 generous mentors who sponsored both their time, wisdom and guidance over a Mentorship Lunch including industry leaders like Elizabeth Haenle – Former Social Secretary and Residence Manager to the Vice President of the United States, Victor Koo – CEO of Youku.com, Barbara Demick – LA Times Beijing Bureau Chief and Author of Nothing to Envy, Scott Kronick – President of Ogilvy North Asia, and Alan Wong – Owner and Restauranteur of the Hatsune Group.

Overall, it was a beautiful cocktail benefit with a turn out of over 300 people, one of the best silent auction selections I’ve come across (I think I placed bids on over 10 items!), an impressive list of industry professionals and leaders in the Beijing community as mentors and an inspiring speech by Wu Qing – Member of the People’s Congress & Teacher at Rural Women Training School.

With donations still coming in, IWD Benefit should have a final count of total donations by the end of this week (will keep you posted).  For now, they have already surpassed their fundraising record from last year (RMB 100,000) which means fully funding at least 2 female CEI teaching fellows (one American and one Chinese).  Photos and videos will also be posted on their website later today.

LumDimSum Snapshots of IWD 2011′s Silent Auction:

LumDimSum Snapshots of International Women’s Day 2011:

…and my favorite photo of the night?

The Love of My Life: Mr. Mason Wong

LumDimSummary: Hatsroomie & ROOMsune

Hats off to both Alan Wong of the Hatsune Restaurant Group and Brian McKenna of ROOMbeijing for pulling off two exceptional dinners: Hatsroomie & ROOMsune.

A powerful collaboration between two of Beijing’s most popular culinary personalities, diners were treated to a one-of-a-kind 10-course menu created specially for this event.

Event Breakdown:

• 2 chefs / 2 restaurants / 2 nights / 1 menu
• 1 night in Hatsune/ 1 night in ROOMbeijing
• Special 10-course dinner menu with all completely original, never seen-before creations
• A Behind-the-Scenes video featuring both chefs in the kitchen setting up everything from the prep work to the final presentation touches and playful sabotage and commentary throughout. (see below)

The Result: Two sold-out events with a wait-list of over 100+ people.

For the 100+ who couldn’t make it, here’s what you missed:

Hatsroomie & Roomsune Behind-the-Scenes Video (on youtube)

**Note: video can only be viewed with VPN. youku video coming soon

A Taste of Hatsroomie & ROOMsune’s 10-course Dinner:

Alan’s 1st course –  the apps:

• torched unagi and foie gras sushi ball
• dashi poached spinach roll with shiitake mushroom and flying fish roe
• miso marinated black cod in a lettuce wrap with shredded daikon and gobo root

Brian’s 1st course – Appetizers: Shellfish 1-2-3

• Mini lobster burger
• Fresh cracked oyster with lime and anise star flavored crushed ice
• Lightly curried sweet potato soup, coconut foam, marinated shrimp

Alan’s 2nd Course – the onsen (spring bath):

Brian’s 2nd course – 1st course: Crab and avocado

• Hand picked crab meat / crushed avocado / sweetcorn sorbet / basil oil

Alan’s 3rd Course: Secret Sushi roll

Brian’s 3rd Course – Salmon and foie gras

• Slow cooked Norwegian salmon / spiced lentils / sauteed foie gras / herb creme fraiche

Alan’s Main Course – the sukiyaki:

Brian’s Main Course – Beef and Bone:

Alan’s Dessert – the sweets:

Brian’s Dessert: 1-2-3 Breakfast

While this event was all in the name of joining forces and proving that two uniquely different styles of cuisine can compliment one another, it’s also impossible not to compare the dishes from each chef and vote for favorites.

Overall, the general consensus was that Brian’s 3-piece appetizer and 3-piece dessert won hands down but Alan’s signature sushi roll and onsen beat out Brian’s crab and avo and salmon and foie gras dishes.  The tie-breaker comes down to either the sukiyaki or the beef and bone. While the beef and bone with mash melted in your mouth, the sukiyaki was both interactive between the chefs and all the guests and the marbled wagyu beef was so good, we ate it raw.

In any case, Brian’s lemongrass and mango panna cotta (served in the shell of an egg) was a big hit and Alan’s onsen dish is by far one of the best dishes I have ever had in my entire life.  Not exaggerating.

Both chefs have gone above and beyond in terms of creativity, effort and generosity and it truly showed in both events.  More than just exceptional cuisine, they gave guests an extraordinary experience.

On a scale of 1-10, both chefs rightfully deserve 11 stars.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Hatsroomie:

LumDimSum Snapshots of ROOMsune:

…and to sum up how we all felt at the end of both nights?

FOOD COMA.

A WHALE! of a Good Time

When I didn’t think it could get any better, WHALE!‘s second event this past Friday, January 28 proved me wrong.

Once again, I was bouncing around on the dance floor till the wee hours of the night and waking up in the morning thinking, “last night was the best party I’ve been to since, well…the first WHALE! night.”

This is not the tequila talking and it’s not just me. Everyone who went to WHALE! Friday night had a blast and anyone who missed out felt left out asking when’s the next one.

I can’t quite pinpoint exactly what it is that sets WHALE!’s apart from every other night in Beijing.  They don’t even try to promote the event and yet, hundreds turn up for a massively successful turnout each time and the combination of good music, good people and good vibes just seems to fill a hole in Beijing.

Random is rarely done successfully (especially in Beijing), but with WHALE!, it just comes naturally.  When I say that the music is random and the people who turn up are random, I’m talking the best possible kind of random - the kind of random that most people couldn’t get even if they tried.  The kind of random that’s beyond logic and reason. In fact, it’s brilliant and WHALE!’s got it like a fat kid loves cake.

Shout out to WHALE!’s musically gifted DJ’s: Assassin Eyes, Bobby Dropper, Infinite Mana and Lord Cheeses.

Keep it up WHALE! cause Beijingers are loving all 200 tons of you!

LumDimSum Snapshots of WHALE! @ School Bar:

LumDimSummary: BJ FOodies ‘Shelter’ Dinner

Last night, BJ Foodies hosted their monthly “Indulge for a Cause” foodies event at Mare restaurant to support The Starfish Project charity organization.

With an incredibly generous menu by Mare, guests enjoyed 7 tapas dishes, 3 main courses to share and 4 desserts and a glass of beer, wine or sangria all for only RMB 120 per person.

LumDimSum Snapshots of BJ FOoDIES Mare Dinner:

SAUTEED FOREST MUSHROOMS/ STIR-FRIED CHORIZO WITH POTATOES

AUSTRALIAN GRILLED BABY LAMB CHOPS/ DEEP-FRIED POTATOES W/ SPICY BRAVA SAUCE

SIZZLING GARLIC PRAWNS AIOLI/ ANDALUSIA-STYLE CALAMARI & BABY SQUID

ROASTED SPRING CHICKEN/ MIXED SEAFOOD GRILL

GRILLED ENTRECOTE STEAK W/ TRUFFLE SAUCE/ TIRAMISU W/ FLAKES OF CRISPY CHOCOLATE

HOMEMADE LEMON SORBET W/ CAVA/ MASCARPONE CHEESE CAKECHOCOLATE LAVA CAKE W/ ICE CREAM

Highlights of the dinner at Mare were the Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, Deep-fried Potatoes, Roasted Spring Chicken and Chocolate Lava Cake for dessert.

With a great turn-out of over 85 guests (some were even turned away because there were no more seats left!), BJ Foodies raised a total of ￥3,325.20 RMB for Starfish Project.

“Our goal at Starfish is to empower exploited women…and see every woman valued.”

About Starfish Project

Restoring Hope to Exploited Women in Asia

LumDimSummary: Powwow at SSAM Opening

This past weekend, SSAM Contemporary Korean Restaurant opened in Sanlitun SOHO with a 2-day opening party. “Ssam” meaning “wrapped” in Korean, refers to dishes which use leaf vegetables to wrap meat or rice.

Sample dishes by SSAM:

LumDimSum Snapshots of SSAM’s Open Kitchen:

Despite the hidden location of SSAM within the pretty deserted, unopened Sanlitun SOHO mall, SSAM’s minimalist space and wide open kitchen quickly filled up with a curious crowd trying to piece together SSAM’s diverse elements for an accurate assessment of the restaurant/lounge.

The event featured a chef from 7-star Hotel Burj Al Arab in Dubai, a contemporary Korean buffet serving “Ssam” varieties, an open bar serving beer, Korean ‘Makkoli’ wine and Hua Lang and jamming urban house music mixed by DJ Dongjun and Johnny K, along with a live performance by a guitar vocalist.  (Like I said, diverse elements.)

In collaboration with Let’s Powwow (new iPhone application that helps its users stay in touch with their network, recommend and comment on restaurants & bars/clubs around town and find everyone in their network with one tap), the event encouraged powwow users to arrive early as the first 15 users to “check-in” were rewarded with a free bottle of wine or Korean ‘Makkoli’ wine.

For a FREE download of Let’s Powwow on iTunes, click here.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Powwow Party @ SSAM Opening:

*Yes, LumDimSum was the first Powwow user to “check-in” to SSAM’s Opening Party!*

SSAM Address:

B1-238, Building 1 in Sanlitun SOHO, Workers Stadium North Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing

北京朝阳区工人体育场北路三里屯SOHO 1号楼 B1-238

Go Raw: Vegan Sushi Rolls & Chocolate Macaroons

One of my favorite things about Raw Food Chef Jennifer McClelland’s monthly raw foods classes are that you not only get to try some delicious raw food recipes, but you also get to learn how to make simple recipes that taste super good and can easily be reproduced in the comfort of your own home!

This month’s World Health Store raw foods class by Jennifer featured Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls & Chocolate-Orange Macaroons.

Using only fresh vegetables, leafy greens and marinated mushrooms, the raw vegan sushi rolls were the very first time I’d tried sushi rolls without any rice or fish! The marinated mushrooms (soaked in sesame soy sauce) were the key ingredient to having a filling and satisfying roll and the extra sauce was perfect for dipping.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Raw Vegan Sushi Roll Ingredients & Prep Stages:

Final Product & Everyone Digging In:

Chocolate-Orange Macaroons:

Consisting of the following ingredients: Raw Cacao Powder, Shredded Coconut, Raw Honey, Coconut Oil, Orange Juice, Vanilla, and Cinnamon, Jennifer mixed everything into a massive bowl and then rolled little balls to and flattened onto a dehydrator for several hours.  Lucky for us, Jennifer had previously prepared the final product for all of her audience members to sample.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Chocolate-Orange Macaroons:

Final Product: A delicious chocolate dessert that you don’t have to feel guilty about.

…really doesn’t get much better than that!

Note: Next Raw Food Cooking Class is Saturday, December 4 from 2:00PM-3:15PM

Perfect for the winter season, Jennifer McClelland teaches the art of “unbaking” with a food dehydrator to make comfort foods in the raw. Featuring Scones & Honey Butter and Warmed Chocolate Flaxseed Pudding, all dishes are meat and dairy free.

To Sign Up:

• Date: Saturday, December 4
• Time: 2:00PM-3:15PM
• Tickets:  RMB 120 for Advanced registration (1 week before event), 150 RMB regular fee and RMB 180 walk-in fee.
• Register at the nearest World Health Store (WHS) by you!
• Contact: 5900-2209, www.worldhealthstore.com.cn

LumDimSummary: 85 Broads Progressive Dinner

From L to R: Founder Kat Don, Speakers Lijia Zhang, Nancy Murphy, Nami Park and Lilian Chou, Event Coordinator Meili Autumn and Deborah Ehrlich

A global network of over 25,000 ambitious, intelligent women who aim to inspire others and make a difference in the world, 85 Broads began at Goldman Sachs on 85 Broad Street in NYC with its founding members and now includes everyone from students of the world’s leading universities to senior executive women and industry experts.

About once a month, Beijing’s 85 Broads Chapter organizes a unique platform for women to engage in an interactive event, connecting with each other and to a global platform of other women in the world today.

Their most recent event was a Progressive Dinner at ROOMbeijing.  An engaging and delightful evening, all attendees had the fortune of meeting four very unique and influential women in Beijing:

• Nancy Murphy, Senior Partner, JT&N Law and author of China Art Law Newsletter
• Lillian Chou, Food Editor, Time Out Beijing and Beijing LUXE City Guides
• Nami Park, Finance Consultant and a Power Circle member of 85 Broads since its inception in 1997.
• Lijia Zhang, Write and Author of “Socialism is Great!” (I bought her book immediately after hearing her speak)
  

It was truly a privilege to attend this event and I encourage all fellow ambitious, career-driven women to join 85 Broads’ global network and participate in future chapter events.

*Shout out to three very inspiring women/Beijing Chapter Founders: Kat Don, Deborah Ehrlich and Meili Autumn for organizing a lovely event!

If you are interesting in joining 85 Broads global network, sign up here: www.85broads.com and if you are interested in future Beijing Events: e-mail: beijing85broads@gmail.com.

The next 85 Broads Dinner will be in conjunction with Chi Fan for Charity as they are hosting a table of 10 at Ristorante Sadler with a local female artist as the evening’s guest speaker. Funds go to three worthwhile organizations including Rural Women’s Charity.  Details and Sign Up here: www.chifanforcharity.org