Start the New Year Afresh by Trying One of These New Restaurant Openings
The Spring Festival holiday is over and now we're looking at two whole months of work before the next national holiday – Qing Ming – in early April. However, it's not all doom and gloom. Rejoice in the fact that all your favorite venues are back open for business or take advantage of the pervasive "new year, new you" type vibe at this time of year to try one of the many excellent new openings from over the past couple of months (note: call in advance to double check opening times, as some venues will still closed long past the official end of the holiday).
RECENT REVIEWS
Grain bowls and smoothies for vegans and carnivores alike at Nooxo
Located in Chunxiu Lu dining destination Yu 育膳房 (or The Crib, as we are used to calling it), new concept Nooxo does just that, serving a range of dairy-free (and often plant-based and gluten-free) soups, grain bowls, and smoothies, with plenty to enjoy for vegans and carnivores alike.
Schoolhouse-themed Taiwanese bento at Topwin Center's Little Ming
Featuring school-themed decor (right down to the waitress's school uniforms and the homework-like multiple choice menu), Little Ming serves Taiwanese-style bento boxes, of the type you would traditionally find sold at railway stations in Taiwan. Bentos are great value for money at around RMB 50, including lots of healthy vegetable sides dishes. The crispy chicken leg comes highly recommended.
Suika: Your new favorite Japanese izakaya
Suika is a small Japanese izakaya located within the rather marvelous First Avenue Food Court (一番街 Yī fān jiē) near Maizidian, home to a slew of good quality Japanese restaurants. The wide-ranging menu includes a selection of the classic izakaya snacks and dishes – fried chicken (RMB 38), edamame, grilled eel rice – but for us the real attraction is the kushikatsu, deep-fried skewers of meat and vegetables (sometimes known as kushiage).
Sushi, sashimi, and Japanese cheese fondue at third Sake Manzo location
It hasn't even been a year since Sake Manzo opened the doors to its second branch on the northeast corner of 21st Century Hotel near Liangmaqiao, but as of mid-December they now have a third location at Tianshuiyuan, just south of Chaoyang Park. Food at this newest location upholds the quality we have come to expect from foodie and sake connoisseur Chef Taka Yamamoto who continues the tradition of making fresh tofu daily, and serving up the restaurant's signature dish: his popular eel rice.
Try successful Peruvian pop-up Pachakutiq at their new Sanlitun Soho location
We visited the Peruvian eatery, which serves dishes from the Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei tradition, earlier this winter, not long after it moved from its original CBD pop-up locale into a more permanent space that it shares with Cafe Flatwhite in Sanlitun Soho; the café is open during the daytime, while this Peruvian restaurant takes over the space in the evenings.
Fancy western and Chinese vegetarian fare at Lin's Dining Lounge
Tucked away on the second floor of the New Grand Dynasty Hotel on Maizidian Jie, Lin's Dining Lounge is a fashionable vegetarian restaurant incorporating both elements of Chinese and Western dining at reasonable prices. The decor is modern, with neutral-colored furniture and a low-hanging lights spread out across the sizable dining room.
Delicious high-end dim sum at Dawang Lu restaurant The Beijing Kitchen
This new restaurant might be called The Beijing Kitchen, but it actually brings a taste of fine Hong Kong dining to Beijing's CBD. Having recently opened in the Dawang Lu-adjacent SKP, the restaurant is unassuming upon entry, decorated in muted earthy colors, and featuring standard latticework dividers to section off the tables and the Din Tai Fung-style open kitchen that has become a prerequisite at many eateries around town.
Mediterranean fusion tapas and organic wine at Fu Tapas & Wine
Fu is the perfect date spot, with its modern, quiet, and relaxing atmosphere coupled with delicious bites. The first floor bar and dining area is especially suited towards a more intimate night whereas the larger second floor with its longer tables is good for larger groups, and the third caters for private parties. All in all, Fu lives up to the hype, and we're glad to see a new, elegant venue open in the hutongs, and can’t wait to see how it grows.
NEW MENUS
New chuan'r and excellent seafood rice at White Tiger Village
From the get go, Xiang'er Hutong restaurant White Tiger Village offered a new and interesting take on that most satisfying of street foods: chuan'r. Around a year and a half after opening, they are taking their creativity even further with the latest iteration of their menu, featuring 13 different skewers and a truly excellent risotto-like seafood rice.
Tasty comfort food classics at Domain
East's latest addition, chef Tim Hunt who came back to Beijing and took over from Rob Cunningham last summer, has been busy throughout the hotel's numerous F&B outlets. His latest changes can be oggled on Domain's menu, the home of East's more casual dining options, which now includes comfort food such as cheesy lasagne.
Casa Talia by Tiago revamps menu with 48 new dishes
We believe that one of the key ways to keep people interested in Beijing is by revamping your menu with new, good dishes. Thankfully, we find that there is no shortage of new dishes, including, most recently, at Mediterranean restaurant Casa Talia by Tiago in Raffles City. Aside from the original delicious tapas and dishes, we were invited back to try the 48 new dishes adding just a little extra innovation to their menu.
The Georg's new 'Fat Freddy's Brunch'
The Georg, ever the ones to conjure up a tasty meal, have launched their next brunch concept, and this time the name alone already has us salivating: 'Fat Freddy's Brunch.' This new brunchy beast costs RMB 350 per person, a pretty great deal for this much food, with the option to add RMB 148 per glass of Champagne, and RMB 55 per person for free-flow Voss water.
Food coma-inducing delicacies and Instagram-ready desserts at revamped Tiago
We were invited to the flagship Tiago brach to try its new menu. We sampled enough dishes to leave us in a food coma, beginning with the burrata cheese and grilled vegetable salad. Another new highlight is the Boston lobster with seafood paella to share. The portion of huge paella with two massive imported Boston lobsters was stunning and seasoned well.
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Photos: Robynne Tindall, Tracy Wang, Uni You, courtesy The Beijing Kitchen Margaux Schreurs, courtesy Casa Talia
