Canadian Darren Potter has just taken over as manager at Ciro’s Pomodoro. We spoke to him about the challenges for Ciro’s and how he narrowly missed breaking a world record.

Which of the following jobs is most like being a restaurant manager: orchestra conductor, firefighter or babysitter?
Orchestra conductor. If you can keep everyone flowing together, you can make sweet delicious music – or in my case, food!

Are Maison Boulud and Da Dong still the best restaurants in Beijing?
Would you vote Fatburger “Beijing’s best burger”?
Who really makes the best pizza in the city?

It’s your turn to dish it out – voting is now open in the Beijinger’s 8th Annual Reader Restaurant Awards!

Cast your votes here!

Last December, we reported on the problems and subsequent closure of Aqua in Ch’ienmen 23. Today we received word via Chef Jordi Valles’s Facebook page that Aqua is preparing to re-open on the fourth floor of Nali Patio in Sanlitun.

This is welcome news for the many Beijing foodies who voted for Agua in Beijing’s various and sundry annual restaurant awards, and it is a fitting addition to a location already filled with some of the finest Spanish themed venues – including Spanish Deli Taste Spain, and tapas restaurants Carmen and Niajo – in the city.

A press release from SALT has just confirmed our suspicions, laid bare in this blog post from last week - that Gaby Alves and her team are indeed opening their new Sanlitun restaurant in the old Rickshaw space.

Lido stalwart SALT have added a rather special luxury beer - Estrella Inedit - to their menu, created by El Bulli maestro Ferran Adria. Enjoy this beer (specially made to pair with food) for RMB 128 a bottle on SALT’s terrace when it opens May 20. Even more exciting is the recent cryptic announcement of Gaby’s new secret “Sanlitun project” to open June 8 – the blog title was a bit of a tease - we’ll keep you posted as soon as we get more info!