Sake & Skewers: The Evolution of Beyond Yakitori

One of the frequent misconceptions people have about restaurants is that their identity and offerings rarely change – like your reliable neighborhood spot that’s been serving the exact same dishes for as long as you’ve been going there. But times are changing and if you look at restaurants (especially in Beijing), this couldn’t be farther from reality. From my experience in Beijing over the past decade, restaurants are constantly adapting to the market, trying to keep up with this crazy fast-paced F&B scene and the even faster changing technological developments (win for WeChat!). In order for restaurants to stay “fresh” and stay on people’s radar restaurants are hustling. Whether restaurants are updating their menus regularly or renovating their interior, these efforts are no small feat.

Beyond Yakitori is a classic example of a restaurant that has continued to change and evolve since it first opened 2016. I was first introduced to Beyond Yakitori shortly before they officially opened to the public, and even in the very beginning, it showed a lot of promise. A few of their stand-out dishes, notably their signature Beyond Scotch Egg alongside their range of succulent chicken skewers from the thigh, wing, neck, and Tsukune Meatball were exceptional and left a lasting impression. But that first impression is not the whole story.

“For us, yakitori perfection isn’t about flying in a pair of 200kg grills on first-class tickets from Tokyo, nor is it about sourcing the most expensive Binchotan charcoal to grill with. It’s about putting all our effort and dedication into every single mouthful we make. One perfect skewer at a time. From our coals to you, with love.” – Beyond Yakitori 

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Hooray for Hulu: All-Day Casual Dining by The TRB Group

SAY HELLO TO HULU! 

Of all the openings in the F&B scene this year, this is one of the most highly anticipated! Ignace Leclair, owner and founder of the TRB Hospitality Group, has created a new concept for the casual dining market called Hulu.

Smack bang in the middle of Taikoo Li South’s 3rd floor (by Hatsune, Saigon Mama, and Café Flo), Hulu is set to make a big splash, given the pedigree of the masterminds behind it.

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Transit: Classy Sichuan in Sanlitun

Transit Re-Opens with a Gorgeous New Design

At the top of my list of go-to places for upscale Chinese dining, Transit 渡金湖 has made a name for itself over the years for its quality Sichuan fare in a contemporary space and luxurious decor. While the decor is polished and pretty (a far cry from your hole-in-the-wall Sichuan digs), the fiery Sichuan fare here is legit.

First started in 2002, the original location at Gongti is no more and while it is still in the same space at Taikoo Li North Village, Transit has undergone another renovation over the past half year.  And if you thought the space was gorgeous before, the new design has taken Transit up another notch.

Taking inspiration from the old mansions along the ancient tea and salt routes of Southwestern China, there is a profound elegance in the combination of traditional Chinese patterns, marble table tops, sleek and dark fittings with shiny gold trims.

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Village Café: From Smoothie Bowls to Poké Bowls

When it first opened, The Opposite House was the talk of the town. It changed the perception of the entire Sanlitun street which was previously notorious for tourist-trap bars with bad KTV, pole dancers and fake booze. Classy and modern in design, The Opposite House was opened alongside Sanlitun Taikoo Li South (previously known as Sanlitun Village), all run and managed by Swire Properties. Not only a smart and cool boutique hotel, The Opposite House was a dining and party destination itself with restaurants producing some of the best food in the city and Punk was one of the go-to places for hipsters to get drunk and dance to sick beats every night of the week.

Somewhere in the last few years it lost some of that sparkle. Punk was replaced by Jing Yaa Tang, a duck restaurant where everyone goes for the all-you-can-eat dim sum deal, Bei closed and Sureño has seen a few turn-overs in head chefs.

Fortunately, in the past year or so, there has been somewhat of a renaissance and the Opposite House has upped it’s game once more.

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Home Grounds: Comfort Aussie Cuisine

Don’t Let the Gym Upstairs Fool You, Home Grounds is Not Only Healthy Food

International Wonderland has always puzzled me. While the location is prime with its close proximity to Sanlitun’s plethora of restaurants and bars and there are plenty of foreigners who live in the apartments above, you’d think it there would be a lot more happening in the 1st floor retail outlets. But the shops below have always seemed random and empty. Seemingly the only business with any ambition was Parlor. But things are changing quickly with the arrival of Base Fit fitness center (2nd floor) and Home Grounds restaurant (first floor).

While Base Fit and Home Grounds are new in Beijing, this is the same team behind Living Bigg, which was a gym just next to original Hatchery location by Tuanjiehu subway exit B. Since the demise of The Hatchery last year, the Hatchery moved to a new location just south of Zhangzizhonglu subway station on Dongsi Jiutiao 东四九条 in the dynamic co-working space called 5LMeet. Living Bigg has also expanded to a second platform and moved most classes to Base Fit, from Tuanjiehu to Sanlitun’s International Wonderland. Although they are no longer associated with the Hatchery, they have opened up their own restaurant called Home Grounds, located just below Base Fit.

With its association and close proximity to a gym, you might expect that Home Grounds would be focused on healthy salads and juices. In fact, the menu does have a handful of salads and they do serve juices, but that is not at all their focus or what they’re about. Their menu is designed for taste and comfort, and anyone who is calorie counting or on any paleo or gluten-free diet will be sorely disappointed. #sorrynotsorry #yourdietyourchoice

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Kuan’s Bar & Dining: Unpretentious & Unpolished Comfort Food

**THIS VENUE IS NOW CLOSED!**

Opened opposite The Big Smoke, and one restaurant down from BBC, Kuan’s (a combination of two names – Chef Kenny and co-owner Xuan Zhang) is a promising development for a building that has changed hands multiple times recently.

I will say that this review started in the worst possible way. The front door hasn’t been constructed with opening and closing as the main priority. I tend to view this as a sign from the food gods that this place is not paying attention to the details. If you want greater insight into this, look up the story about Van Halen and brown M&Ms.

However, in this instance, the door was not an ominous portent. What awaited us was simply good comfort food!

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Tour of CHAO Hotel 巢: Living Room’s Global Offerings

CHAO Hotel in Sanlitun

There was a lot of talk about The Den closing. This is partly due in part to the fact that they kept “almost” closing and then re-opening between the end of 2015 and mid-2016. But main reason for all the coverage is because, whether you want to admit it or deny it, we have ALL been to The Den. Even if you regret everything you’ve ever done or witnessed at the Den, you have to admit that their Eggs Benedict at 5AM really hits the spot.

A Beijing expat black hole that was always in its prime between the wee hours of 3am-7am, this was the official home of the Beijing Devils Rugby team and many of their infamous parties, and most importantly, this was probably the only establishment in Beijing that was NEVER closed. You heard me correctly –  The Den was open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to cater to the great demand Beijingers continued to ask of it. That says a lot considering the Den has been open since 1997, which also happens to make this one of the longest lasting venues in Beijing.

So what happened to The Den and why did it close this year?

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Raise a Glass to Sulyi’s Gangnam Tapas & Exclusive Soju Selection

The Topwin Center continues its opening spree. Next up on the menu is Sulyi, a Korean tapas restaurant with the former chef for the Korean embassy at the helm. Sulyi means “cheers” in Korean and with what promises to be a very nice balcony area, this restaurant could become a great destination for a fun soju-fuelled night before the cold sets in.

A project that started in 2014, Sulyi sets itself apart from other Korean restaurants in Beijing by focusing on Gangnam, Korean style tapas dishes. You may have heard of Gangnam thanks to PSY’s catchy tune and even catchier dance moves, which refers to a trendy and hip district in Seoul where fashion and style is top notch. According to Sulyi’s owners, they aim to bring “Gangnam” to Beijing’s hip hood Sanlitun through Gangnam tapas and home-made ‘Makguli’ Korean rice wine in fruity flavors at 4% and a special selection of Soju sold exclusively at Sulyi.

Sulyi is located on the 3rd floor of the food-crazed Topwin Center, next to Beyond Yakitori and opposite Cou Cou, the much talked about high end hotpot offering from Xiabu Xiabu.

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