2010 Apr 01 Another Blow For Legation Quarter: Meat & Wine Co. Closes
Days after winning our readers’ pick for "Best Steak" in the 2010 Reader Restaurant Awards, the Legation Quarter’s Meat & Wine Co. has closed its doors.
This email sent out to customers this morning at first came off as an April Fool’s joke, but unfortunately turned out to be genuine:
Dear Valued Guest,
We regret to inform you that The Meat & Wine Co Beijing is closing its restaurant at CH'IEN MEN 23 on March 31, 2010. As we explore further opportunities in Beijing, we would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for your loyal support over this past year. Together, we have enjoyed a fantastic year of great memories, developing great friendships, which without you would not have been possible. We are honored and humbled to have received the following prestigious accolades:
Food & Wine China – “Best 50 Restaurants in China”
Travel & Leisure China – “Best Restaurant in Beijing”
Time Out Beijing China – “Best New Restaurant in Beijing”
The Beijinger – “Best Steak in Beijing”
We look forward to welcoming you at any of our restaurants worldwide and will keep you informed regarding future developments.
Best regards,
The Meat & Wine Co
Too early for further comment, the restaurant's marketing manager declined to go into details other than to say the closure was ‘sudden’. Voters in our annual awards praised the Beijing branch of this international chain for its rib eye and rump steaks as well as for its swanky surroundings just a stone’s throw away from Tiananmen Square. The Legation Quarter (aka Chi’enmen 23) has seen a lot of its heart and soul torn out over the past few months, with venues Agua, Fez Bar and Shiro Matsu pulling out in December, allegedly over a rental dispute. Maison Boulud, Ristorante Sadler and Zen 1903 are the remaining restaurants in the now half-vacant complex that was completed during Beijing’s heady Olympic year of 2008.
Despite the closure, carnivorous Beijingers are still spoiled for choice. with Morel’s, SALT and Chef Too picking up readers' awards for "Outstanding Steak". and CRU Steakhouse getting a coveted Experts' Pick.
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Business as usual at Ch’ien Men 23 and Legation Quarter Ltd.
Legation Quarter Ltd. and its controlling shareholder, HKC (Holdings) Ltd has adamantly denied claims made in Aqua's recent press release concerning the circumstances surrounding the impending closure of their restaurant at Ch'ien Men 23. The following is Legation Quarter Ltd.'s official press release:
Legation Quarter Plight: Agua In Trouble?
Agua, the award-winning Legation Quarter restaurant helmed by Spanish chef Jordi Valles, has been closed for business for several days over the past week. The restaurant told us they are having problems with the electrics and hope to be open again soon. However, an inside source claims that the management company in charge of the complex have cut the power due to months of unpaid rent.
Sanlitun Stirrings: Agua Returns and Mosto makes a move next door
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.
Capital Bites: Boulud Back in Beijing
Beijing’s most famous culinary absentee, three Michelin starred chef Daniel Boulud, is gracing our humble town this Saturday to cook a decadent eight course feast. It’s a genuinely one-off opportunity to taste what arguably New York’s most famous chef has to offer, and a place can be yours for (you may want to steady yourself on a nearby piece of furniture)… RMB 2800.
Talking Pints: Two Temples, Grinders, Maison Boulud and Nightlife Roundup
New live music venue Temple opened last Friday at 206 Gulou Dongdajie. I didn’t make it along to the opening party, but heard the place was packed out with a strong, French-heavy crowd (one of the owners is former Salud man Clement Berger). Unfortunately, the live music only lasted about 30 minutes, as the police showed up to shunt the band off the stage, but the party continued anyway. We’ll have a proper writeup on Temple for you soon, but this Friday, look out for the latest Whale! party going down at the venue. Whale! now has its own signature, drink, the “Blowfish” – try it on Friday.
admin
Re: Another Blow For Legation Quarter: Meat & Wine Co. ...
full list of winners in 2010 voting: http://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2010/03/17/The-Winners-Beijinger-s-7th-...
Follow thebeijinger on weibo! http://weibo.com/tbjmagazine
jojointhemo
Re: Another Blow For Legation Quarter: Meat & Wine Co. ...
that's pretty much a ghost town in the legation quarter now that they kicked out every restaurant with their crappy management rental hikes. good, that place was too far and outta the way. now hopefully those restaurants will be closer to chaoyang and i'll be sure to patronize them more. love the meat and wine meat company's meat platter. beijing south is ghetto anyway, hope legation quarter crumbles a slow death.
tomomalley
Re: Another Blow For Legation Quarter: Meat & Wine Co. ...
More Legation Quarter news: I've just heard that Zen 1903 Restaurant have also announced their closure from today, which just leaves Boulud and Sadler.
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