Back Alley Chili Cook Off by Great Leap & Seedicego

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

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

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

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

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

Event Details: 

A Hutong Taco Bar Coming to Beijing Summer 2012

Hutong Taco Bar Sneak Peek

It was a tragedy when Casa Latina, an authentic Cuban restaurant, closed its doors last year, but there is yet hope for authentic tacos in Beijing! Last weekend, I was lucky enough to score an invite to test taste some tacos for a new Taco Bar in the hutongs with an opening scheduled late summer 2012.  The owner and think tank behind this project would like to remain as mysterious as possible for the time being, but this guy is the real deal.

I’m not going to disclose his name for the time being, but what I can say – he’s from Texas and has had most of his culinary training in high-end French cuisine, but recently decided to leave that life behind in pursuit of travel and culinary exploration through Asia. He’s only been in Beijing for about half a year, but already, he’s caught the entrepreneurial start-up bug that’s inspired him to give Beijingers what’s we’re missing – legit tacos in a down-to-earth, no-fuss hutong bar serving a very specific menu with about 5 different tacos, a few sides, a couple desserts and a few Mexican drinks including margaritas and of course tequila shots!

Location is yet to be confirmed, but he’s keen to uncover a cozy little nook in the Dongsishitiao neighborhood.

What impressed me most – everything we tasted was made from scratch – even the tortilla chips were his creation!

We helped ourselves to three taco varieties, and were carefully instructed in how to add on the appropriate toppings – 1. spicy veggie tacos (mostly mushrooms and peppers) with Mexican rice with corn, 2. pork shredded Carnitas with pickled onions and a squirt of fresh lime, and 3. slow-cooked beef tacos topped with cilantro, sliced radish, diced onions and a splash of his homemade salsa mix.

There was also refried beans which were meant to be a side, but I just threw that in to the mix of each of my tacos (why not?) and one of the highlights of my meal was his corn on the cob, which was meant to be grilled for a smoky flavor, but due to kitchen restraints, he was limited to baking his corn with paprika and feta cheese crumbled on top.  That was delicious.  He was not even that ecstatic about how the corn came out, but it was already a crowd favorite.

Taco Fillings and Toppings:

Spicy Veggie Mix / Refried Beans

Pulled Pork for Carnitas / Slow-cooked Beef

Mexican Rice with Corn and Baked Corn of the Cob with Feta Cheese

Veggie Taco Close-Up

And the verdict on his tacos? Considering every homemade taco wrap (both corn and flour base wraps) were demolished, I would say we are now all his new biggest advocates!

The pulled pork was so tender, these carnitas really reminded me of the famous Pulled Pork sandwiches at Home Plate Bar-B-Que. And I was also a fan of the veggie taco, but I also love shiitake mushrooms.  I think generally it would be best to keep a vegetarian option on the menu, but knowing how many of my fellow foodies are anti-mushrooms, I would hope they would eventually incorporate more veggie variety into the mix.

I didn’t get a chance to taste test any dessert this time around, but the chips and salsa and guacamole were very good, and his homemade chips were addicting. Once you started, you really had to refrain yourself to stop going back for more every two seconds!

This was not a part of the tasting, but since I never like to turn up empty-handed, I thought it would be nice to share some tasty desserts and it was also an excuse for me to finally try out freshly-baked cookies from Cookie’s Cookie Shop by NOLA chef Brandon Trowbridge. Check out LDS article here on this hidden hutong cookie delivery service!

They distribute these cookies at Nola, but I picked them up from their other location at Hutong Pizza (you can order delivery and pick up from here), and picked four unique flavors:

1. Brown Butter Chocolate Chip

2. Polynesian – White Chocolate with Macadamia Nuts, Coconut and Pineapple

3. Gouqi Oatmeal – Oatmeal cookie with Gouqi berries and almonds

4. Peanut Butter Cup – Peanut Butter Cookie with Chunks of Chocolate

   Cookie Verdict:  They were good, and I would definitely order them again but they were much smaller than expected and if you go into Hutong Pizza to order, you have to wait about 45 minutes (they bake them fresh right then and there) and selection is smaller than online.  In the future, I would really only plan to order online to avoid the 45 min wait at pick-up.

   To order cookies, click on their website here for a selection of all their creative flavors and price list.

Four Variety of Freshly Baked Cookies from Cookie’s Cookie Shop

Happy America Day: Celebrating the Fourth of July

America’s Independence Day, the Fourth of July, should be a day of BBQ picnics in parks with hot dogs and burgers on the grill, water balloon fights and fireworks, but as this year falls on a Monday, most are stuck in an office for the better part of the day.

But rest assured, there’s still plenty going on and a variety of destination options available to show off your Americanism.

theBeijinger gives a nice run-down of pro-American venues (click here for article) including Saddle Cantina, Kro’s Nest, the Stumble Inn, Blue Frog, the Culture Yard’s Independence Day Cook-Out, and NOLA.

After witnessing the world’s top hot dog eater, Joey Chestnut engulf 39 hot dogs in 5 minutes at the Nathan’s Famous Wanliu Store opening and the China National Hot Dog Eating Championship a few weeks back, my gang of usual suspects we be celebrating this great national holiday by ordering in a couple dozen orders of Nathan’s Famous Chili Cheese dogs and watching Joey Chestnut live on ESPN in action at 11PM Beijing time (actual contest begins at noon New York time, so midnight in Beijing). If you have a VPN or other IP proxy, you can easily watch the contest online at this link here.

Joey Chestnut jammed down 39 hot dogs in his own 5 minute exhibition in Beijing!

To see full article of Nathan’s Famous China National Championship Hot Dog Eating Competition, click here.

To see more images and video footage of Joey Chestnut exploring Beijing, click here.

For all those with a sweet tooth, I recommend ordering some All-American Apple Pie from The Pie House (buy 2 for a 30% discount!) to celebrate!

**Happy Fourth of July!**

Great Wall Granola: My Answer to Cereal in BJ

My morning ritual of a giant bowl Crispix cereal with low-fat milk came to a screeching halt once I moved to Beijing 5 years ago.  When I was back in California for Christmas a few years ago, I even contemplated packing a box or two of Crispix cereal into my suitcase to bring back to Beijing.  You might call me clinically insane for seriously considering that, but that’s honestly how much I miss my morning cereal ritual!  Not only is Crispix totally non-existent in China, so are many other of my favorite brands and to be honest, the ones that are available here are just crazy expensive.

So you can imagine my excitement when I heard about Great Wall Granola (thanks to theBeijinger.com).  This granola is totally homemade by Nola restaurant’s former head chef Brandon Trowbridge who makes the granola fresh with maple syrup and pecans!

One order (RMB 98) gets you 1 kilo of granola, which is equivalent to about a two-week supply.  If you pay RMB 100, then the extra 2RMB will donated to Compassion for Migrant Children (CMC), a non-profit organization founded to help China’s urban migrant children through social and educational programs.

To place your order, just email: order@greatwallgranola.com with your delivery address and phone number (free delivery within 4th Ring Road and Wudaokou).

SOS Charity Dinners: Restaurants Rebuilding Japan

Strategically utilizing the strong network of Chi Fan for Charity‘s charitable stand-out restaurants and generous foodies around town, Time Out has quickly thrown together a quick fundraiser to support relief efforts in Japan with proceeds being donated to the Japanese Red Cross.

“By dining from the delicious SOS set menus at the participating restaurants on this very special evening, you will be supporting relief efforts in the worst hit areas of Japan.” – Time Out Beijing

This “SOS – Restaurants Rebuilding Japan” event will be hosted in over 20 fantastic restaurants all over town for one night only – this coming Sunday, April 24.

Some of the generous participating restaurants include Alameda, Carmen, Green T. House, Maison Boulud, Modo & Mosto (SOLD OUT), Hatsune & Karaiya Spice House, Nola, Terra, Samadhi Vegetarian Teahouse, Little Yunnan, etc.

Alan Wong has graciously offered to donate ALL proceeds to the cause for booked seats on this night – both Hatsune and Karaiya are RMB 300 per person for the set menu.  As seating is limited, for reservations at either Hatsune (Sanlitun Branch only) or Karaiya Spice House, please contact me directly: kristen@lumdimsum.com.

Hatsune SOS Charity Dinner

*10-course Menu*

3 types assorted Japanese appetizer

Sakekawa Salad:  Crispy salmon and snapper skin salad with light oil and vinegar dressing

Assorted Sashimi

Flory Hand Roll: Shiso mint leaf, scorched salmon and raw quail egg with black tobiko

Q Roll:
Fresh shrimp salad and deep-fried gobo age rolled and topped with fresh avocado, unagi, shredded shiso leaves, tobiko and unagi sauce

candy&caviar roll:
deep fried sweet potato, crab salad, avocado and cucumber topped with yellowtail, wasabi mayo and caviar

Steak Butteryaki: Top-grade tenderloin grilled in a light butter sauce

Clear soup with Steamed Clams

Yakiudon: Stir-fry udon with chicken and vegetables

Dessert: Cookie Spoons with Diced Mangos and Grapefruit

RMB 300 per person

Flory Hand Roll

Karaiya Spice House SOS Charity Dinner

*10 Dish Menu*

Trio of Chinese Appetizers:

Soy Marinated Sliced Beef /Tofu Topped with Chili Peppers /Spicy Soy Beans

Signature Mandarin Fish with 2 Hunan Peppers

Spicy Pepper Diced Rib-Eye

Hand-Shredded Chicken and Onions with Crushed Ginger atop Flaming Mini Wok

Hunan Spicy Pork Stir-fry with Pressed Tofu

Sizzling Rice Soup

Duo of Lightly fried Chinese Greens (Pea Sprouts and Towel Gourd)

Pork Fried Rice with Foie Gras

Fruit Platter

RMB 300 per person

Click here for full list of participating restaurants and “to whet your appetites”, you can also find links to the restaurants’ offered set menus for the night.

Event Details:

• Date: Sunday, April 24
• Location: 20+ restaurants all over Beijing (click here for full list of restaurants)
• Price: Set Menu Prices range per restaurant
• For More Info: email - hannah@timeoutcn.com
• Website: http://www.timeoutbeijing.com/features/Food__Drink/11366/SOS—Rebuilding-Restaurants-in-Japan.html

AmCham: Young Entrepreneur All-Star Panel

AmCham’s next Young Professionals event will be bringing on board an All-Star Panel of successful entrepreneurs in their respective industries. Sharing their stories, insights and words of advice, you’ll get the inside scoop and possibly the extra kick-start you need to make it on your own.

AmCham-China’s Young Professionals Committee invites you to join a panel of widely-known young professionals who have started successful businesses in Beijing and listen to their stories of how they successfully launched their businesses and overcame hurdles in the process.

AmCham’s All-Star Panel Speakers include:

Alan Wong: Restaurateur and Owner of the Hatsune Group

Sarah Keenlyside: Founder of Bespoke Beijing

Dominic Johnson-Hill: Founder of Plastered T-Shirts

Rachel Wasser: Co-founder of China Education Initiative

With a panel discussion followed by followed by Q&A and a happy hour reception, join AmCham’s Young Professionals Committee this Tuesday, March 29 at NOLA from 6:00-9:00PM.

Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, March 29
• Time:  6PM-9PM
• Price: AmCham Members: RMB 50/Non-Members: RMB 150
  
• Location: NOLA
• Address: 11A Xiushui Nanjie, Jianguomenwai, Chaoyang District  朝阳区建国门外秀水南街11A号
• Tel: 85636215
• Website: http://www.amchamchina.org/event/799

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

1 Year Later: Haiti Rise 2.0

About one year ago, LumDimSum and JUMP! foundation joined forces and created the Haiti Rise Campaign where Beijingers united and generously contributed to bring immediate aid to Haiti during a time of desperate need, raising a grand total of over RMB 430,000 in just 2 weeks!

Nearly one year later, JUMP! will be hosting an informational event this Wednesday, January 12th from 7:00 – 8:30PM at NOLA Cafe featuring JUMP’s on-the-ground contact, Tara Yip-Bannicq, who will be giving a presentation and an update of where Haiti stands one year after the earthquake.

Join JUMP! for an informal discussion on the current status in Haiti and find out how you can get involved.

Event Details:

• Date: Wednesday, January 12, 2010
• Time: 7:00-8:30PM
• Location: NOLA Cafe
• Address: A-11 Xiushui Street South, Ritan 建国门外秀水南街11号  Tel: 8563-6215

From BBQ’s to Parties: Independence Day Weekend

There are so many reasons to love the Fourth of July, even if you’re not American.  Admittedly, I am American and I love the Fourth of July for all reasons unrelated to national pride. Scratch that, I shouldn’t have said that.  I am proud to be an American, but that’s honestly not why I love the Fourth of July.

Fourth of July is a day to BBQ, have a picnic, play in a park, chill out, have water balloon fights, more BBQ and fireworks. I’m sure people of other nationalities would find this combination of activities just as exciting…no?

Anyway, I’m happy to find that Beijing has a lot going on in terms of things to do and ways to celebrate this holiday and not just the Fourth of July, but ALL weekend!

For those who aren’t going all the way out to the Great Wall Beach Party, there’s plenty of parties to hit up right in town – like BLING’s Independence Day Party this Saturday, July 3rd to warm everyone up for Sunday!

Anyone wearing red, white and blue will be rewarded with ‘All-American’ shooters and beer/drink specials all night.

On the actual day of, there will be BBQ’s all over the city.

Breakdown of Fourth of July Festivities:

• AmCham will be celebrating at Ch’ien Men 23 – a day of family-friendly festivities. Tickets available at the AmCham website.
• All-Star Sports Bar & Grill will be hosting a BBQ Cook-out with an all-you-can-eat-BBQ including a salad bar, a variety of cold cuts, our famous baby back ribs, barbequed chicken, beef short ribs, steak kebabs, chicken kebabs, hot dogs and much more for only RMB 138!  12pm- 3pm, 6pm-11pm
• Special Set Menu at Nola: For RMB 135 per person you get: three kabobs (choose from pepper marinated pork with peach and shallot, ribeye steak with potato and mushrooms, shrimp with lime and corn, and/or chicken with tomato, olive, and panzanella), three sides (baked beans, coleslaw, red beans, sweet potato salad, green bean salad, cucumber and tomato salad, green bean casserole, and/or corn maque choux) and dessert (red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, German chocolate cake, lemon poppy cake, or cupcakes).
• The Apartment’s BBQ & Drinks: 4-10PM. Friends & Flatmates Welcome!
• 2 Kolegas’ Funky Reggae BBQ Party: Serving Funk, Soul, Reggae tunes along with Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Salad, Tamales (by Texas Tamale Junkies), Cupcakes (by Lollipop Bakery) and Pies (by Pie House).  Starts 3PM, RMB 30 at the door.

• China Doll’s Independence Day Rooftop Party: Live music, Jell-O shots & BBQ. Dress in red, white and blue and get a free drink.

And if you don’t feel up for parties and socializing at all this weekend, then at least indulge yourself in Lollipop Bakery‘s absolutely adorable Fourth of July cupcakes -

Lollipop Bakery’s Red Velvet Cupcakes capped with patriotic red, blue and white frosting – sure to add fireworks to any holiday BBQ! 220RMB per dozen

Pre-Dinner Drink Destinations to Knock Your Socks Off

Sanlitun has got new venues popping up every other day it seems.

So it’s a good thing you have LumDimSum to weed the good ones out and get the word out.

Three delightful new venues that have knocked my socks off:

• Apothecary – located next to Mosto, on the 3rd floor of Nali Patio

Run by the owners of the Japanese whisky bar Er in Maizidian & Chef Max Levy from Bei in the Opposite House, this is a no-brainer recipe for success.  Barely open for a few weeks, Apothecary has already accumulated record buzz for its quality drinks and Creole dining menu, which closely resembles my recent dining experience at Nola, but with more bar-friendly dishes and presentation.

• Tryst – located next to Alameda in the alley way across from the Sanlitun Village & Nali Patio

Only 20 square meters in size, this cozy, little joint is one of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous bars I’ve seen.  Stunning interior design with elegant wallpaper, a crystal chandelier, and timeless antique pieces used for decor, Tryst is perfect for a romantic rendezvous, a destination for an intimate pre-dinner or post-dinner cocktail. And their cocktails were perfected by bar professional Jake Logsdon, so be careful to pace yourself because the drinks are all pretty stiff.

• Club Décolleté – Located in 1949- The Hidden City along with Duck de Chine, Noodle Bar, Taverna, and Club Glen

A dazzling and glamorous champagne bar inspired by the 1920’s Art Nouveau movement, recognized for its look of timeless elegance and class, Club Décolleté is an ideal venue for a romantic rendezvous, a girls’ night out, or an exclusive celebration. Club Décolleté boasts a fine selection of champagne cocktails, fresh fruit daiquiris, and champagne by the bottle. Champagne lovers will also be pleased to sample premium selection of champagnes available in tasting flights.

Creole Comfort: Nola

Recently opened beside Pauls’ Steak & Eggs is Nola, a New Orleans cajun restaurant with a menu full of gumbo, jambalaya, grits, beignets and po’boys. After reading Erica Chen’s (CW) raving review of the their fresh baked cookies kicking Betty Crocker‘s ass, I made sure to mark Nola as my next spot to review.

I was pleasantly surprised to walk into a cozy restaurant full of tables with big groups of people dining with bottles of wine and enjoying plenty of good Southern food. I went up to check out the seats on the second floor, but as it was completely empty, I grabbed the last remaining table for two on the first floor.  The atmosphere on the first floor was warm and wonderful with a nice bar behind us and a welcoming energy all around. Nola’s menu is one of those that sounds so good you want to order and sample everything, it was impossible to decide what to order.  As my friend Cody and I were trying to figure out what to share, our eyes widened (and there may have possibly been drool) when we saw our neighboring table’s orders of Parmesan fries (RMB 23), Cornbread muffins (RMB 15), Mushroom and White Bean Salad (RMB 27), 225 g. Australian Strip-loin steak (RMB 130) and Pork tenderloin bordered with layers of bacon (RMB 115). 

We ended up ordering the Salad with a bacon and poached egg (RMB 35) and Seafood -Shrimp, Seabass and sausage Jambalaya (RMB 95), topped off with their batch of fresh baked cookies (RMB 20) and thick, rich apple cider (RMB 30). For all the orders of food we saw come out of the kitchen, everything looked mouth-watering and massive, which is why we didn’t want to over-order. But the one main entree we did order, the seafood jambalaya was pretty skimpy with two small shrimps, two small pieces of sea bass and a side of jambalaya rice.  I hate it when you are drooling over everyone else’s dishes and see that the one you chose to order was a bad decision. Don’t get me wrong, the dish was alright, but it pales in comparison to the other entrees I saw come out of the kitchen.

With a continuously updated seasonal menus, I will definitely be returning to try new creations, if not just for their cornbread muffins and ooey-gooey cookies.

Review of Nola: A-11 Xiushui Street South, Ritan 建国门外秀水南街11号  Tel: 8563-6215

Best Part:

• Serving hearty, satisfying New Orleans-style cuisine – lots of bacon, gumbo, jambalaya, grits, beignets and po’boys
• Complimentary hot, freshly baked bread is always a nice bonus
• A cup of steaming Apple Cider is perfect to wash away your winter blues
• Seasonally updated menu
• Nola’s chef: Brandon Trowbridge is a Louisiana native and former chef of Hilton Beijing
• Over 1/2 the menu has bacon, which is an ingredient I swear makes everything yummier
• Balanced range of wines, beer and cocktails on their drink list
• Atmosphere suitable for a cozy evening with friends and wine

Comments:

• Word is to avoid their po’boy sandwiches and burgers, but they excel in their appetizers, entrees and desserts.
• Creole Comfort food is satisfying, hearty but a bit heavy
• Good thing they had one table left on the first floor b/c the second floor was completely empty and that would have been awkward.