2011 Mar 16 Cleared for Takeoff: My China at Terminal 3
My China offers a collection of cuisines from China’s spiciest culinary regions – Sichuan and Hunan – as well as a range of classic Beijing dishes. Chefs hailing from those regions ensure authenticity, scaling the quality up with organic ingredients. Three levels of spiciness are indicated by the number of green chilli symbols beside the name of a dish; red chillis are a guide to the “authenticity” of the dish.
Kaishui baicai (RMB 28 per person, 开水白菜) looks humble, but plenty of labor is invested in the dish. It looks like two simple cuts of Chinese baby cabbage boiled in a crystal-clear soup reminiscent of plain boiled water – hence the name “kaishui”. It is in fact a consommé of chicken, pork and ham born from hours’ slow stewing. As a classic Sichuan dish renowned for its lightness, this delicacy flips the typical assumptions of what “Sichuan” flavor is about.
But pungency and spiciness does exist in other dishes. One Sichuan signature is the guaiwei liuda ji (RMB 48 怪味溜达鸡). Topped with chilli sauce, spring onion and peanuts, this is a successful adaptation of koushui ji (“mouth-watering chicken”) – fragrant, nutty, spicy, slightly sweet and as soft as sponge.
Hunan cuisine typically uses less numbing (ma la 麻辣) pepper corns – here, the heat comes more from the use of chilli, sometimes stealthily hidden away, always ready to creep up and surprise you. Watch out for the ivory steamed shrimp balls (RMB 88 锦绣辣妹子): your taste buds are firstly soothed by light and fresh minced shrimp and julienned white turnip, then suddenly stimulated by the spicy pork filling inside, which harbors a notably vivid spiciness.
Noodles, dumplings and other sweet Sichuan snacks (mainly made of glutinous rice) on the last page ensure there are dozens of affordable options (RMB 12-18). The dan dan noodle (RMB 12) is typical both in terms of flavor and portion size. The standard serving is short on dongcai (冬菜), the typical preserved vegetable essential to a good dan dan noodle. But you can ask for an extra supplement like I did – when I got a quantity of dongcai and a sincere apology from the wait staff, I felt the 15 percent service charge had been earned. I left for the airport terminal stomach full, ready for my flight to Chengdu.
My China 腾香居
Daily 11.30am-10pm. 2/F, Hilton Beijing Capital Airport, Terminal 3, Capital International Airport, Chaoyang District. (6450 4889, 6458 8888 ext 8901)
朝阳区首都机场3号航站希尔顿酒店2层
You might also be interested in :
Inagiku: Yet More Japanese Fine Dining
Established in Tokyo in 1866, Inagiku expands its international network of restaurants with this first Beijing branch. Subtle orange lighting softens the mood, while a Swarovski chandelier hanging above the bar area illuminates the 1,500sqm space, which features 11 elegant VIP rooms. Nineteen set menus (RMB 180-1,050 for lunch, RMB 350-1,980 for dinner) and the a la carte menu (RMB 48-3,880) are dominated by top-end ingredients and seasonings imported from all around the world – everything from Wagyu beef and Hokkaido hairy crab to Australian lobster, Italian black truffles and French caviars.
A Taste of Home: Czech Republic
“A Taste of Home” is a regular magazine column in which we ask the natives of a particular country to introduce us to their national cuisine.
“This has really become the meeting place for us,” says Czech Embassy staffer Veronika Musilova, sipping a glass of Staropramen at Czech Pub. “I can’t come here at the weekend without meeting some of my Czech friends,” laughs Veronika, before confessing that some of her mates may even show up later that evening. This was a Monday.
Otaku: Just the Right Amount of Quirk
CORRECTION: The following article appears exactly as printed in the Beijinger's November issue. Otaku's management has since pointed out that Otaku should not be linked with Izaka-Ya and Jazz-Ya as part of a "family" of venues, as our article implies. We apologize for any offense caused.
Otaku follows Spice Factory as the second recent addition to Li Bo’s stable of stylish venues, also including Jazz-Ya, d lounge and Izaka-Ya. It’s as obsessively tasteful as the rest of the family, but gets bashful with manga art and cocktails in bubble tea cups. The quirks won’t wash with everyone, but are minor distractions.
Moon Concubine Izakaya: Dipping Source
A school friend of mine had a peculiar food foible. He would insist that his baked beans be served apart from his sausage and chips. Far apart, as in a separate bowl. This inconsequential tic lay dormant in my subconscious for years … until I had the dipping ramen (RMB 29-35) at Moon Concubine Izakaya. Noodles, pork, egg and nori in one bowl, soup in another. The menu warns that on no account should you add the soup to the noodles. Presumably doing so would usher in a reign of Akira-esque chaos. Or maybe it’s just something about dulling the texture of the noodles. Cleverly, the soup is thick and salty enough to ensure each dunking imbues a satisfactorily saucy coating. Lots of fun, but they also have regular ramen for you stick-in-the-muds.
T for Tempura: Japanese Fine Dining in the CBD
Run by Kiichiro Asano, the Japanese restaurateur responsible for bringing the Inagiku brand to China, this modern, two-story Japanese restaurant features seasonal kaiseki sets (RMB 98-288 for lunch, RMB 450-3,000 for dinner) and tempura. As with many other high-profile fine dining places in town, a 10 percent service fee is charged.
