The Beijinger Blog - Jessica Wang

Italian Cooking School Comes to Town

thebeijinger — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 18:44:51 +0800

Piazza Italia is Beijing’s one and only Italian food-culture experience. This grand, three-floor space houses imported Italian food products from cheese to olive oil, cooking ware, Italian wine, a cooking school, a supermarket, a bar, banquet rooms and an upscale restaurant. Recently, Boscolo Etoile Academy, located on second floor, started their weeknight cooking classes (from 7-9pm) run by Executive Chef Vincenzo Pezzilli. For RMB 500 (classes include all materials and a cooking kit to make the dish again at home), food lovers are taught the fundamentals to Italian cooking, Italian pasty, Italian wine, and much more. Check out their website to find out more or visit Piazza Italia to sign up for classes.

W Bringing Cocottes to Town

thebeijinger — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:00:57 +0800

The creative chef and owner of W Dine and Wine, Geoffrey Weckx has introduced a new dining concept using Cocotte (“koh-kot”), a cast-iron pot traditionally used for stews. It has become one of the hottest cookware in modern kitchens and restaurants. In French, “la cocotte” means both “casserole” and “darling.” Designed and made by French cookware STAUB, cast-iron cocottes’ heat-retaining, flavor-enhancing, indestructible practicality produces tender and flavorful stews.

Who Wants Crabs?

thebeijinger — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:00:09 +0800

Mid-October to mid-February is peak time for dining on Shanghai’s beloved crustacean: the hairy crab 大闸蟹 (dàzháxiè). During this time, the waters at the Yangtze River delta turns colder, forcing crabs to move less and thus fatten from inactivity and produce roe for the mating season.

These crabs are available in most upscale Chinese restaurants. Almost all five-star hotels will carry them. Some places will let you pick which crab you want to eat. Be sure to pick the bigger ones that smell somewhat sweet. Turn them upside down to check their bottom flap for coral-colored roe. These are best eaten when steamed and dipped in sweetened black rice vinegar with thin slices of ginger. At Noble Court inside the Grand Hyatt, they go all out with XO sauces and home made chili dips.

Oh Bei-bee!!

thebeijinger — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:58:39 +0800

Bei inside The Opposite House, a boutique hotel in Sanlitun, is a hip and modern restaurant offering contemporary cuisine from Japan, Korea and Northern China. Chef Max Levy is originally from Louisiana and has worked in several New York City kitchens such as Megu and Sushi Yasuda.

Home on the Grange

thebeijinger — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:00:35 +0800

Grange, the new steakhouse inside the Westin Chaoyang, is worth a try. We understand that walking through a swish hotel lobby can be intimidating if all you’re wearing is your low-key sweats. So put on a nice pair of jeans and powder your nose for this is one steakhouse not to miss. At the end of your journey, you will be rewarded with a perfectly grilled slab of meat to be paired with your choice of exotic homemade mustards such as hot English, thyme, rosemary and Guinness (yes, we’re not joking, it is indeed Guinness-flavored mustard). You can also sprinkle your streak with gourmet salt and pepper options like Hawaii volcanic salt and smoked salt. Every bite can be a burst of new flavor as there are close to 20 different flavors of mustard, salt and pepper for you to choose from.

New Openings: Mosto

thebeijinger — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 11:00:01 +0800

Mosto had barely thrown open its doors before it generated a buzz big enough to power all of Beijing. Headed by Chef Daniel Urdaneta, formerly of SALT (click here for our interview with their new chef), Mosto take its name from the Spanish word for unfermented grape juice. Those familiar with Urdaneta won’t be surprised to hear that Mosto serves quality food at sensible prices. On the second day of opening, the flow of food and service were as smoothly executed as the Beijing Olympics. Guests will doubtless appreciate the funky wine list with its emphasis on new-world wines. Likewise, the smart menu is influenced by South American flavors, a specialty of the Venezuelan chef who personally comes to greet each table. For lunch, two-course set menus go for RMB 70 and three-course sets are RMB 85. Dinner is a la carte ranging from RMB 60-200.

New Openings: Domus

thebeijinger — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 11:59:08 +0800

Located in a stunning restored courtyard east of Tiananmen, Domus, (taking its name from the Italian furniture company, which is behind the venue) combines the art of food with the art of architecture. The bar and lounge upstairs is decked in contemporary designer furniture, while the downstairs features an open kitchen, dining tables and two chef’s tables. Chef Jamie DeRosa, who has worked in famous kitchens such as The Patina, The Fat Duck and The French Laundry, puts together a smoking six-course tasting menu (RMB 688) that includes braised rabbit, Indonesian grouper, Australian grass-fed lamb and caviar – each displaying adventurous imagination. Unfortunately, the a la carte menu was not available at the time of the review, but a separate bar menu is packed with extravagant appetizers, desserts and shellfish – try the creative tuna tartare with jalapeno jelly served in a sweet sesame cone (RMB 128). While you bask in the posh environment, sipping on a martini, you might as well be in Paris, London or New York.

Review: George Benson and Al Jarreau

thebeijinger — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 17:46:15 +0800

Sep 4
George Benson & Al Jarreau
RMB 380-1,280.
8pm. Beijing Exhibiton Theater (6835 4455)

Jazz legends George Benson and Al Jarreau put on a fantastic and energetic show for a full house last night at the Beijing Exhibiton Theatre. Al Jarreau started the show by singing Elton John’s Your Song, before living up to his reputation of being the Acrobat of Scat and wowing the crowd with his scat routines - including a nice little riff on the word Beijing. He also won applause by dropping a few lines of Chinese into his on stage banter and charmed them even more when he invited them to start scatting along with him.

Dining News Bites: Kro's to re-open, new branch of Panino Teca

thebeijinger — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:53:57 +0800

Kro's Nest Gongti is getting ready to open up again after being forced to close for the Olympics. Estimated date of opening is set for this Thursday, Aug 28. The rest of Gongti should also be up and running by weekend. Kro's Nest Beida is already open.

Fans of Panino Teca, the nice little sandwich place just north of the Sanlitun Jenny Lou's, will be happy to know they no longer have to compete for a seat with hungry diplomats as a new branch has just opened up in the southern section of the Village (the new shopping center that Apple and Adidas call home). The new venue has the same menu as the original store but is at least three times the size. Service at the new branch could do with some improvement, but at least you're guaranteed a seat. It's just south of the Tongli Studio strip, across the way from Aperitivo and Luga's.

Dining Roundup

thebeijinger — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:30:44 +0800

The hottest kitchens in town are the ones where you get involved. With a ton of new restaurants opening each day, diners are looking for a new experience – and I don't mean one with good service and food, Beijing already has that. Cooking classes where diners meet other like-minded foodies while enjoying a scrumptious meal afterwards has attracted a huge following. A few favorites include Hutong Cooking, Black Sesame Kitchen - www.blacksesamekitchen.com, Chef at Work, and The Hutong, all of which are set inside traditional Chinese courtyards. They offer relaxing environments, experienced chefs, and a chance to put your cooking skills to the test. So what are you waiting for? Get ready, get set, cook!

But if you’re looking for some prepared food, head to the newest branch of El Fogoncito on Dongdaqiao Lu – this Mexican restaurant dishes up some of the city's best burritos, tostadas and tacos. Huajia Yiyuan, a fantastic restaurant that has made a name for its exceptionally well-prepared home-styled cuisine, has also opened a new branch on Jianguo Lu across from Wanda Plaza. One of the Beijinger staff's favorite Cantonese finds, Herbal Cafe, will open another branch in the new Sanlitun Village. This healthy Cantonese restaurant serves herbal teas and an assortment of dim sums that is always fresh and always good. The beloved Element Fresh from Shanghai will also make its debut in Sanlitun Village this month, dishing up healthy recipes with fresh ingredients for the health-conscience eaters out there.