SALT’s Final Beer Degustation

With so many wine tasting dinners all around town, you can count on SALT to switch things up and create a Beer-Paired Menu.

Featuring 5 artisinal beers with 5 courses crafted to match, you won’t want to miss your final opportunity to try SALT’s final beer degustation menu this Friday, November 12 from 6PM-10:30PM. 

SALT’s Beer Degustation Menu:

I
Crispy Oysters Wrapped in Tuna, Salmon and Hamachi
with Cucumber Crème Fraiche & Capers Cream
Bombardier (UK) – DRY STOUT
II
Seafood Ceviche, Crispy, Glazed in Passion Fruit
Scrimshaw (CAL) – PILSNER
III
Potato-White Truffle Foam, Croutons
Acme (USA) – PALE ALE
IV
Linguini Bouillabaisse with New Zealand Mussels
Estrella (SP) – LAGER
or
Chipotle-Tamarind BBQ Grilled Pork Ribs
Cains (UK) – WHEAT BEER
V
Chocolate Soufflé with Molten Centre
Young Double Chocolate (UK) – STOUT

Event Details:

• Date: Friday, November 12
• Time: 6:00PM-10:30PM
• Price: RMB 388 all inclusive for 5 courses paired with 5 beers
• Location: SALT
• Address: Located beside Frank’s Place in Lido, West of Rosedale Hotel – 9 Jiangtai Xilu, 将台西路
• RSVP: 6437-8457

Home of Ceviche: TERRA

After a successful opening party(click for review) that served some spectacular canapes, I was eager to indulge my curiosity with a full-fledged meal.

On a girl’s dinner date over the weekend, I suggested for the two of us to dine at Gaby Alves‘ new Peruvian restaurant, TERRA as we are both seafood fans and happened to conveniently be in the Sanlitun area.

It was not too busy on a late Saturday night (walked in without a reservation just after 9PM), and in retrospect, I regret having picked possibly the worst table in the entire restaurant. Tucked away in the back corner, we were out of sight to all servers and had to literally wave our hands in the air to remind them that we were still there and to unsuccessfully try to get any kind of service at all, which is unfortunate because the service at SALT is impeccable and the manager here is incredibly friendly and professional.  I am sure that if we chose more central seating, service would not have been an issue at all.

Aside from their ceviche selection, I was not familiar with most of the menu so it was perfect that their manager was able to explain everything from their tiraditos, empanadas and main dishes.  Based off of her recommendations, we ordered the Tuna Ceviche (RMB 68/118 for small/large portion) and Octopus Tiradito (RMB 88).  The tuna ceviche was my top pick.  It was so fresh and the taste was divine with thick chunks of raw tuna mixed with red onion, orange, cucumber, tamarind lemon juice, ginger, scallions, guacamole and crispy wonton.

For main courses, we ordered the Lomo Saltado – beef tenderloin stir-fry, tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, served with crispy potatoes and rice (RMB 168) and the Scallops Quiniotto – quinoa, giant scallops, ciboulette/translation: 3 giant scallops on a bed of wild quinoa grains, which was like a healthy cheese risotto  (RMB 158).  The stir-fry beef was ok, but for RMB 168, it was not very impressive.  The Scallops Quiniotto, on the other hand, was perfect.  The scallops were perfected cooked and I loved the “healthy” wild rice cheese risotto.

And just to top it all off, the churros with warm chocolate syrup (RMB 48) hit the spot. These South American doughnuts were toasty hot and the chocolate was so thick and rich, it was tempting to just devour that with a spoon and skip the churros altogether.

Review of TERRA: 1 Sanlitun Nanlu (just diagonal from Village Sanlitun), 三里屯南路1号 , Tel: 6591-9148

Best Part:

• Seafood is the strong suit of TERRA, so I recommend all seafood dishes over meat and veggies
• Ceviche was outstanding.  If you want a variety, you can choose to order the ceviche tasting (RMB 218)
• Quality dishes with premium ingredients and beautiful presentation
• Many seafood dishes are mixed with exotic flavors like passion fruit and citrus – very innovative flavor combinations
• Desserts were devine – I recommend the churros and chocolate platter
• Very professional, knowledgeable and friendly manager

Comments:

• While everything was very delicious and satisfying, it also cost a pretty penny.  Main course dishes all start at RMB 158 and above, ceviche dishes were RMB 68-78 for small portion, RMB 108-128 for large, salads were RMB 68-108, you get the idea.  Not including alcohol, you’re looking at spending about RMB 250-300 per person. For this price range, I’d rather spend it at a restaurant like Capital M.
• Surprising prices are so high considering you can get a 3-course set meal at SALT for around RMB 168. But prices for set lunch is about RMB 58. Maybe that is a better option.
• The manager of Terra was wonderful, but the rest of the staff seemed oblivious and not as capable, but in their defense, this was their first week open.
• Note that they are not open on Mondays.

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

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

Best Lunch Deal: Alameda vs. SALT

Alameda and SALT have made their mark on Beijing dining as having great value, and these two restaurants are by far two of my favorite lunch destinations.

They are both so incredible, it’s really difficult to declare which is better when both venues are similar in many ways, yet each have their own unique draw that keeps the business consistently rolling in.

Here’s a breakdown of their similarities:

• Both spots offer 2-3 course set lunch menus (though not at the same price).
• Both serve complimentary bread at the start of the meal, including my all-time favorite mini-cheesey bread rolls.
• Both provide a very clean, contemporary atmosphere that’s always busy. I highly recommend making reservations before-hand for both restaurants
• Both were created and originated by Gabby Alves, who is about to open her third venue called TERRA (which will take over the space known once as The Rickshaw).

ALAMEDA’S SET LUNCH (RMB 60 for 2 courses):

While I too quickly devoured my appetizer at Alameda, here are shots of two main course items – we ordered the duck and the sea bass. Food quality and taste is top-notch and portions are super generous:

SALT’S SET LUNCH (RMB 88 for 2 courses, 108 for 3 courses):

We started off with the yellowtail ceviche with corn and sweet potato chips and pumpkin and coconut soup followed by the broccoli risotto and pork loin with polenta and veggies.  Again, only premium ingredients, mouth-watering delicious and very generous portions for a very satisfying lunch.

CONCLUSION:

While Alameda’s RMB 60 two course lunch deal is pretty tough to beat, SALT’s innovative and constantly changing menu at only RMB 88 for two courses is still a steal.

Details:

• ALAMEDA: Sanlitun Beijie (just 50m south and across street from 3.3 mall),三里屯北; Tel: 6417-8084

• SALT: 2nd Floor (above Frank’s Place), 9 Jiangtai Xilu,将台西路 6437-8457

CW Reader’s Choice Awards vs. LumDimSum

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

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

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

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

CityWeekend’s Awards for Best Dining Categories:

• Best New Restaurant of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Tamarind

  • LumDimSum Vote: Capital M

• Restaurant of the Year:

  • CW Winner: SALT

  • LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune

• Chinese Restaurant of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Zen5es

  • LumDimSum Vote: Karaiya Spice House

• Most Romantic:

  • CW Winner: Jaan

  • LumDimSum Vote: Capital M

• Best Value:

  • CW Winner: Kiosk

  • LumDimSum Vote: Biteapitta

• Chef of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Mario Cittadini

  • LumDimSum Vote: Max Levy – Bei/Apothecary

• Best Service:
  

  • CW Winner: Maison Boulud

  • LumDimSum Vote: Maison Boulud

• Best Mexican/Tex-Mex:

  • CW Winner: Casa Latina

  • LumDimSum Vote: Casa Latina

• Best Italian:
  

  • CW Winner: Prego

  • LumDimSum Vote: Metro

• Best Japanese:

  • CW Winner: Nishimura

  • LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune

• Best French:

  • CW Winner: Maison Boulud

  • LumDimSum Vote: Maison Boulud

• Best Thai:

  • CW Winner: Purple Haze

  • LumDimSum Vote: Aroy-D (by Fulicheng)

• Best American:

  • CW Winner: Chef Too

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Best Indian:

  • CW Winner: Mughal’s

  • LumDimSum Vote: Punjabi

• Best Middle-Eastern:

  • CW Winner: 1001 Nights

  • LumDimSum Vote: Biteapitta

• Best Beijing Duck:

  • CW Winner: Fat Duck

  • LumDimSum Vote: Made in China (Grand Hyatt)

• Best Hot Pot:

  • CW Winner: Ding Ding Xiang

  • LumDimSum Vote: Hai Di Lao

• Best Burger:

  • CW Winner: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Best Pizza:

  • CW Winner: The Tree

  • LumDimSum Vote: The Tree

• Best Dessert:

  • CW Winner: Din Tai Fung

  • LumDimSum Vote: Comptoirs de France

• Best Steakhouse:

  • CW Winner: Grange (Westin Chaoyang)

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

• Best Wine Selection:

  • CW Winner: Enoteca

  • LumDimSum Vote: Palette Vino

• Best Buffet:

  • CW Winner: Seasonal Tastes

  • LumDimSum Vote: Westin Chaoyang

• Best Sunday Brunch:

  • CW Winner: Bubbalicious (Westin Chaoyang)

  • LumDimSum Vote: Orchard

• Best for Families:

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

  • LumDimSum Vote: Orchard

CityWeekend’s Awards for Best Bar/Club Categories:

• Club of the Year:

  • CW Winner: Mix

  • LumDimSum Vote: Bling

• Bar of the Year:
  

  • CW Winner: Apothecary

  • LumDimSum Vote: Apothecary

• Nightlife Newcomer of the Year:

  • CW Winner: White Rabbit

  • LumDimSum Vote: Fubar

• Best Local Band of the Year:

  • CW Winner: The Redbucks

  • LumDimSum Vote:  The Redbucks

• Beijing-Based DJ of the Year:

  • CW Winner: DJ Blackie

  • LumDimSum Vote:  DJ KEZA

• Best Alfresco Drinking:

  • CW Winner: XIU

  • LumDimSum Vote: Q Bar

• Best Live Music:

  • CW Winner: Mao Live House

  • LumDimSum Vote: Yugong Yishan

• Best Cocktails:

  • CW Winner: Mix-The Westin Beijing Chaoyang

  • LumDimSum Vote: Glen

• Best Place for Singles:

  • CW Winner: Mix

  • LumDimSum Vote: Bling

• Best for Dancing:

  • CW Winner: GT Banana

  • LumDimSum Vote: BLING

• Best Sports Bar:
  

  • CW Winner: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Hardest Bar to Find:

  • CW Winner: Fubar Peking

  • LumDimSum Vote: Club Obiwan

• Best Pub Grub:
  

  • CW Winner: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

  • LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill

• Best Fruit Plate:

  • CW Winner: Destination

  • LumDimSum Vote: Bling

• Best Promoter:

  • CW Winner: Street Hustle Promotions

  • LumDimSum Vote: Acupuncture

#1 Most Popular Restaurant Goes to…

LocalNoodles deduces Beijing’s top restaurants by finding out what were the hottest searches over the past twelve months.

Top 10 Searched Restaurants for 2009-2010

#1. Hatsune Congratulations to this Sushi standard for commanding top spot in our hearts, minds, and stomachs.

Readers SAID: “The best in Beijing” “great food, ambience and service” “favorites are the pimp my roll, 119 roll and motorola” “a sweet deal”

#2. Maison Boulud Beijing’s only Michelin star Chef has more than French food lovers seeking his restaurant.

Readers SAID: “Excelling in quality, service, location and understated elegance” “Best experience in China.” “Beijing has changed because of this restaurant.”

#3. The Saddle Cantina It’s no surprise that Beijing’s most talked about Mexican Restaurant landed the #3 spot.

Readers SAID: “best place to hang out in San Li Tun” “my go to bar for late evening” “most memorable evenings in Beijing”

#4. Element Fresh One of the most popular restaurants in Sanlitun, it hasn’t slowed since its opening two years ago.

Readers SAID: “Element Fresh has it all” “Their food is really good” “WOW!”

#5. Chuan Ban Visiting the “Chuan Ban” is much more than a rite of passage, it makes you more of a Beijinger.

Readers SAID: “Chuan ban still has what it takes” “nicest Sichuan food you’ll find anywhere” “food is really spicy”

#6. Duck de Chine – 1949 Duck de Chine and the compound it inhabits continue to be Beijing’s best kept secret. Perhaps that’s why everyone is searching for it.

Readers SAID: “1949 offers excellent Beijing Duck” “most expensive ducks in Beijing” “whole complex and experience is a pleasure”

#7. SALT One of Beijing’s defining restaurants stays in the minds of Beijinger’s by constantly revamping their menu.

Readers SAID: “SALT is an excellent restaurant with exemplary staff, service and cuisine” “Magnifique!” ” their praises are sung by many a Beijing Foodie”

#8. Ganges A Beijing standard, Ganges immediately comes to mind when thinking of Indian fare.

Readers SAID: “my new constant diner spot” “best Indian I’ve had in Beijing, and possibly ever” “Where do you go from here? India?”

#9. Luga’s With five different businesses, no other restaurateur owns so much of Sanlitun’s dining landscape.

Readers SAID: “Wow, people love this place” “quite packed late on the weekend” “Luga knows customer service”

#10. Din Tai Feng Rated as one of the top 10 gourmet restaurants in the world, its the standard for Taiwanese food in Beijing.

Readers SAID: “an impressive place to bring visiting friends” “best dumplings in town HANDS DOWN” “I don’t know what took me so long to eat here”

Step Outside: SALT’s Deck Opening Party

Sundays at Sureño

If I’m not recovering from a rough weekend in bed, chances are you’ll find me at Vineyard Cafe, The Orchard, Chef Too or SALT.

For the first time this past weekend, we switched it up for Sunday brunch at Sureño (The Opposite House).

On Sundays, Sureño offers a Mediterranean 4-course set menu (RMB 188 or RMB 298 with free flow bubbly):

Veal Tenderloin

1. Antipasti Selection (fried mussels, swordfish sashimi, egg omelet, fried rice ball, diced oxtail and white beans) – 1 of each appetizer per person, and still quite filling. While the mussels were dry, the swordfish sashimi was the highlight
2. Minestrone Soup – standard minestrone soup
3. Choice of 6 different main entrees (seabass, risotto, veal tenderloin, cheese & spinach capelle, suckling pig, etc.) – Veal Tenderloin was served with cheese sandwiched in between two slabs of meat with mashed potatoes and veggies beneath.
4. Choice of Cheese Selection or Dessert Selection (Apple tart, lemon tart & tiramisu) – I recommend cheese selection over desserts (soft brie and blue cheese were delicious)

Review of Sunday Brunch at Sureño: Located next to Punk & Bei, B1 floor of The Opposite House, Sanlitun. 三里屯路11号三里屯Village1号楼; Tel: 6410-5240

Best Part:

Risotto

• Venue design – Sureño is stunning with its wood-fired oven and open kitchen.  The space is absolutely beautiful.
• Veal Tenderloin was excellent – well-cooked, nice presentation, and great quality & taste
• Cheese platter was a nice ending to the 4 course meal
• A great brunch for those who want to escape a big hotel all-you-can-eat brunch

Comments:

• Sureño is always full, if not packed.  But this Sunday was relatively quiet, which was a bit unexpected and the empty atmosphere took a bit away from the experience that I know Sureño normally has to offer.
• Cheese portions were a bit skimpy and call me crazy, but I do not like Sureño’s desserts (in my defense, I just don’t like tiramisu dessert, but people do rave that Sureño’s is the best in town).
• Quality and quantity of the Sureño Sunday brunch menu was satisfactory, and I love the restaurant (pizza is great), but Sureño will remain at the bottom of my list of Sunday brunch destinations because there was nothing in particular about this Sunday brunch experience that was worth returning for in comparison to other Sunday brunch venues around town.

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

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

Cheese Platter

Dessert Platter

Beijinger Restaurant Awards: Hatsune Wins Best Japanese 6 Years in a Row!

At theBeijinger’s Restaurant Awards on Tuesday, March 16, Hatsune took home Best Japanese for the 6th year in a row, along with Outstanding for Best Decor.

Congratulations to Alan Wong, owner of the Hatsune Empire, for holding it strong and staying at the top of the game 6 years running.

That’s gotta be a record!!

Owner of the Hatsune Empire, Alan Wong goes up on stage with baby Mason Wong to pick up his award for Best Japanese! 6 years in a row baby!

Other big winners from the awards ceremony include:

• SALT – Winner for Best Chef & Runner up for Best Business Lunch, Best Steak, Best Service, Restaurant of the Year
• Mosto – Runner Up for Best Chef, Best Business Lunch, Best Wine List, Best for a Romantic Meal, Restaurant of the Year
• Haidilao – Winner for Best HotPot, and Runner up for Best Service, Chinese Restaurant of the Year
• Da Dong – Winner for Best Contemporary Chinese, Best Duck, Best for Impressing Visitors, Best Chinese Restaurant of the Year
• Maison Boulud - Winner for Best French, Best for a Romantic Meal, Best Wine List, Best Service,  Best Western Restaurant of the Year

Complete list of all Beijinger Dining Awards Categories and Winners, click here.

Collecting Hatsune's Award for Best Japanese

LumDimSummary of Beijinger Restaurant Awards:

Best Part:

• iF Juice was a sponsor!  The most thirst-quenching, delicious fresh juice available in Beijing! I’m kind of obsessed.
• Alan Wong brought up baby Mason to collect his award for Best Japanese (6 years in a row!)
• Cheese by Yellow Valley Cheese is delicious
• Cherry flavored Beer
• Foodie Crowd Galore…or just PR people representing restaurants

Comments:

• Hosts were painfully bad.  Dominic Johnson-Hill of Plastered 8 T-shirts could not pronounce any names if his life depended on it and Ai Wan actually said, and I quote, “Wow! This is extraordinary a woman won Best Chef! Normally chefs are men.  Now, tell me Ana, how old are you?” Someone should censor that woman.
• Joy Luck provided no food for the event and it was just a very random location for a restaurant awards ceremony.

While many of the winners are very deserving of their awards, I was a disappointed to see Annie’s won Best Italian (come on people, it’s not best delivery service), Ganges for Best Indian (they just happen to have the best locations and marketing), and Element Fresh for Best American, Best Sandwiches, and Best Non-Hotel Brunch? I only approve of their smoothies and boycott the rest.

Beijinger’s Restaurant Award Winners vs. LumDimSum’s Votes:

• Best Contemporary Chinese – Beijinger Winner: Da Dong, LumDimSum Vote: Bei (Opposite House)
• Best Duck -Beijinger Winner: Da Dong, LumDimSum Vote: Made in China
• Best Sichuan – Beijinger Winner: South Beauty, LumDimSum Vote: Chuan Ban
• Best Dim Sum – Beijinger Winner: Jin Ding Xuan, LumDimSum Vote: Jin Ding Xuan (Tuanjiehu)
  
• Best Hot Pot – Beijinger Winner: Haidilao, LumDimSum Vote: Haidilao
• Best Kung Pao Chicken – Beijinger Winner: South Beauty, LumDimSum Vote: Black Sesame Kitchen
• Best Xinjiang – Beijinger Winner: Red Rose, LumDimSum Vote: Crescent Moon
• Best Yunan – Beijinger Winner: Middle 8th Restaurant, LumDimSum Vote: Middle 8th Restaurant
• Best French- Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud, LumDimSum Vote: Maison Boulud
• Best Indian / Pakistani – Beijinger Winner: Ganges, LumDimSum Vote: Punjabi
• Best Italian -Beijinger Winner: Annie’s, LumDimSum Vote: Sadler Ristorante & Metro
  
• Best Japanese – Beijinger Winner: Hatsune, LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune & Kagen Teppanyaki
• Best Mediterranean – Beijinger Winner: Sureno, LumDimSum Vote: Sureno
• Best Mexican – Beijinger Winner: Saddle Cantina, LumDimSum Vote: Pete’s Tex Mex
• Best Middle Eastern – Beijinger Winner: 1001 Nights, LumDimSum Vote: Biteapitta
• Best Thai – Beijinger Winner: Purple Haze, LumDimSum Vote: Aroy-D (by Fulicheng)
• Best Vietnamese – Beijinger Winner: Muse, LumDimSum Vote: Luga’s Pho-Pho
• Best American – Beijinger Winner: Element Fresh, LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill
• Best Business Lunch – Beijinger Winner: Alameda, LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune
• Family-Friendly Restaurant – Beijinger Winner: Annie’s, LumDimSum Vote: Orchard
• Impressing Visitors – Beijinger Winner: Da Dong, LumDimSum Vote: Duck de Chine
• Best Brunch (Non-Hotel) – Beijinger Winner: Element Fresh, LumDimSum Vote: Orchard
• Best Hotel Brunch – Beijinger Winner: Westin Financial Street & Westin Chaoyang, LumDimSum Vote: Westin Chaoyang
• Best Pizza – Beijinger Winner: The Tree, LumDimSum Vote: The Tree
• Best Sandwiches – Beijinger Winner: Element Fresh, LumDimSum Vote: Sequoia Cafe
  
• Best Steak – Beijinger Winner: Meat & Wine Co., LumDimSum Vote: Meat & Wine Co.
• Best Tapas – Beijinger Winner: Olas Tapas Cafe, LumDimSum Vote: Mosaico
• Wine List – Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud, LumDimSum Vote: Enoteca
• Best Burger – Beijinger Winner: Let’s Burger, LumDimSum Vote: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill
• Best For a Romantic Meal – Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud, LumDimSum Vote: Capital M
• Best Chef – Beijinger Winner: Ana Esteves – SALT, LumDimSum Vote: Max Levy – Bei/Apothecary
• Best Décor – Beijinger Winner: LAN, LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune & Capital M
• Best Service – Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud, LumDimSum Vote: Maison Boulud
• Restaurant of the Year (Chinese) – Beijinger Winner: Da Dong, LumDimSum Vote: Made in China
• Restaurant of the Year (Non-Chinese) – Beijinger Winner: Maison Boulud, LumDimSum Vote: Hatsune

SALT Turns Two

Tonight, SALT celebrated its Second Year Anniversary with champagne, fresh fruit daiquiris, food so good it was ambushed as soon as it stepped outside the kitchen, and a sophisticated crowd of foodies with an appreciation and loyalty to this contemporary and personable restaurant, a place that continuously receives recognition for its service, food quality, innovative young chef & Fashionista Ana Esteves, and good value.

Highlights of the evening: fresh strawberry daiquiris, tender lamb chops, mini cups of soup, smoked salmon ceviche, skewers of meat…along with pretty much every item that was all on point.

I highly recommend SALT’s winter lunch set menu with 2 courses at RMB 88 and 3 courses at RMB 98.

For the more adventurous foodies, try SALTASTATION, the popular degustation concept from SALT. A pairing menu with five innovative tasting courses paired carefully with personally selected new and old world wines. 488rmb all inclusive, 288rmb food only.

Congratulations to SALT on a very successful celebration and to many more anniversaries to come!

Best for First

I’ve always been the type of person who likes to save the best for last.

Maybe it’s just me, but I always like knowing that the best is yet to come and when that moment arrives, I like to savor it and make it last as long as possible.

Back in April, I managed to gorge myself with about 20 gourmet month meals in 30 days.  And out of those 20 meals, the general consensus agreed the best value and our overall favorite meal was at Kagen.

Some of the other restaurants may have been newer, trendier, fancier, better customer service, etc., but when it came down to the food quality, quantity and overall dining experience, Kagen blew our expectations.

With the start of November, I was pumped for Gourmet Month all over again.

Initially, I wanted to try out a new restaurant: perhaps Olas Tapas Cafe as it is conveniently located in Sanlitun (my home away from home) but my foodies crew was all about Kagen again.  Normally I would want to save Kagen for last, but with 30 days and about 15 restaurants I’m set to dine at this time around, I’ve got room for Kagen at least twice this month (one BBQ set & one hot pot set).

For only 150RMB, the deal is ridiculous! (I honestly recommend that two girls can share one meal, it’s that much food!)  But if you are someone like me, with a healthy appetite, then you will leave stuffed…and your stomach expanded to its brink.

Here’s the breakdown:

Assorted Appetizer Platter – Seared Beef Carpaccio, Roasted Bacon and Asparagus Roll, Stir-fry gobo, Tobiko Salad, Calamari

Assorted BBQ Combo Course – Short Ribs, Rib Eye, Yakitori, Jumbo Butter Prawns

Or

Assorted Hot Pot Combo Course – Sliced Rib-eye, Fish & Shrimp Balls, Sliced Salmon, Sea Conch, and Assorted Mushrooms

Stone Rice Bowl with Vegetables

Miso Soup

Mousse and Ice Cream Dessert

**I recommend the BBQ combo if you had to choose one, but both are bomb. And most likely you will go with more than one person, so have someone else get the hot pot and share. 

And Oh my goodness, the ice cream dessert is heaven.  I would advise to go for the chocolate as it’s creamy and rich (the strawberry was more like a sorbet than ice cream).

With all of us foodies just sticking to the BBQ this time, we’ll be back at least once more for the Hot Pot and then again to keep our taste buds happy.

Next Stop:

Tuesday, Nov. 3rd: All-Star Sports Bar & Grill (to introduce a few foodies to the best burger in town)

Wednesday, Nov. 4th:  Gourmet Month Break – Black Sesame Kitchen’s Wine ‘n Dine Special (10 course meal & all-you-can-drink wine for only RMB 150)

Thursday, Nov. 5th: Olas Tapas Cafe - new restaurant I have yet to try.

For the rest of the month, here are my top 10 picks:

• Bei – Most amazing looking menu
• Mare’s - I want to check out the new location
• Hatsune – The Q Roll alone is worth going for
• SALT – I want to try both their lunch & dinner menu
• Oden – Perfect remedy to the bitter cold winter weather
• Enoteca – Great meal WITH a glass of wine
• Meat & Wine Co. – One of my favorites from last April’s Gourmet Month
• Za’atar – Very unique menu in comparison to the rest (but in Shunyi)
• Morel’s - One of Beijing’s oldest restaurants that I have yet to try
• Haiku – Menu is totally different from Hatsune and it’s just next door to my home

Comments:

• From my experiences last April, I try to avoid most hotel restaurants, which have all been very, very empty.  It’s creepy to be the only people dining in a restaurant.  Exception may be to try Tamarind, who’s menu is pretty impressive (not to mention extensive) and reviews have been well received.  Plus, I love good Indian food.
• Brasserie Flo offers a generous menu (I tried last April), but the decor was pretty tacky and the food wasn’t enough to bring me back a second time around.
• I automatically boycott any restaurant that charges RMB 250 for chicken as the main entree.  *Ahem* Astor Grill.  Weak Sauce.
• I’m disappointed Mosto upped their price from 150 to 250 and the selection is quite minimal compared to last time around. Isn’t the point of Gourmet Month to provide good value and impress first-timers to return? Bummer.

*Originally I had planned to create a calendar with designated Gourmet Month Menu days, but I can’t seem to plan more than 4 days ahead.  From reading this entry, you know my top targets, so just shoot me an e-mail if you want me to include you/notify you when I decide to go to the restaurant you want to try too.  As always, the more the merrier.   kristen@lumdimsum.com