Today this metropolis of more than twenty million is racing ahead in another arena: eco-consciousness. The mission of the city’s 2010 World Expo is urban sustainability. It’s home to China’s first offshore wind farm, the first outside Europe. And the local green movement goes beyond business borders. Peggy Liu, founder and chair of the Joint US-China Collaboration on Clean Energy, asserts that “China is going from the manufacturing hub to the cleantech laboratory of the world.” The same might be said of developments in the areas of fashion, food and lifestyle.

Fashion

Shokay International

“As the most cosmopolitan and fashionable city in China,” points out Carol Chyau, CEO and founder of Shokay International, a clothing line sourced from silky soft Tibetan yak fur, “it is no surprise that the eco-friendly community is strongest in Shanghai.”

The company, co-founded with Marie So, aims to be socially sustainable as well as environmentally conscientious. In addition to sourcing raw yak fiber directly from nomadic herders to boost incomes in the community, Shokay is helping to preserve local culture, engaging in community development work, and promoting sustainable usage of the environment — the fiber is a renewable resource, shed annually.

FINCH

Eco-conscious fashion label FINCH just released its first line this summer, but the two female founders have over twenty-two years of combined experience at international fashion labels back in New York. After five years in China designer Heather Kaye decided it was time to take the stifling pollution in her adopted hometown into her own hands. “There’s so much manufacturing going on right here, but it’s difficult if you’re an independent, small-scale, eco-conscious designer.”

By using organic fibers grown without pesticides or toxic chemicals, incorporating special low-impact dyes and controlling for other chemicals, Kaye explains, “we’re educating sewers, pattern-makers, factory-workers who we’ve trained in our manufacturing practices.” FINCH is looking to establish a manufacturing collective. “That way, sustainable companies can work on a smaller scale and it’s viable business-wise.”

Nest

Located in a revamped factory in Shanghai’s artsy neighborhood of Taikang Lu, Nest showcases handcrafted housewares, clothing, stationery and furniture from local designers who embrace the earth-friendly ethos. In addition to their selection of Shokay and FINCH products, a popular choice is EcoBibi, whose founder, the eponymous Bibi, focuses on “products that can minimize waste and be reusable and are good for the environment.” Beautiful soaps, candles and bags round out the collection, whose profits are in part used to develop a health program for women and mothers from underprivileged communities throughout China.

Food

Downstairs with David Laris

In Shanghai, “every hip young Western chef is doing local food,” says Crystyl Mo, dining editor of Time Out Shanghai. And there might be no more hip a Western chef than David Laris, the mastermind behind Laris Restaurant on the Bund, the restaurant concepts at The Opposite House in Beijing, the first-ever Barbie Café (seriously) — and now Downstairs.

Based at URBN Hotel — itself known for a commitment to sustainability as well as good design sense — the focus here is “all about sustainable living — from where the food supply is sourced to the uniforms of the service staff,” explains Christina Kao, one of the team members. Whenever possible, the menu features ingredients that are organic, homemade and traceable to the farm.

Sir Elly’s

It’s also not just independent eateries that are serving up local, organic or veggie-friendly cooking: at The Peninsula Hotel Shanghai, Sir Elly’s, the high-end Western eatery with expansive Bund-side views, is demonstrating a commitment to these nascent food trends. Dalian beef cheeks are served with smoked cherry coulis, gnocchi and asparagus. Additionally, the prix-fixe lunch menu’s appetizer sampler (gazpacho, squash panna cotta, romaine salad and slow poached egg) is almost entirely meat-free — and the chicken wings in the salad were happily held for yours truly.

Gongdelin

Chinese chefs are going local as well. In Shanghai this harks back to the days when the original recipes were developed — centuries before Alice Waters. The Song Dynasty and its literati, mostly based in Suzhou and Hangzhou, focused on locally sourced and conscientiously prepared dishes, a philosophy which has returned in restaurants like Gongdelin, a high-end, Buddhist-friendly all-vegetarian chain. Many of China’s famous meat dishes are recreated here using soy- or gluten-based stand-ins. Chicken’s feet, Peking duck, even mock seafood — all are prepared with the meat-free eater in mind.

Ji Xiang Cao

Less pricey than “Godly” (as Gongdelin is also known), Ji Xiang Cao, whose name means “lucky grass” in Mandarin, also seeks to please the Buddhist palate. Don’t be put off by the imitation antiques — this cozy spot is authentically Chinese and vegetarian, and seeks to please in earnest. Delicious tofu, cold sesame noodles and a wonderful rendition of the famed Sichuanese “mouth-water chicken” (koushui ji) make it worth your while.

Lifestyle

Eco Design Fair

Now in its third year, this twice-annual fair brings together the country’s most influential and important eco-conscious organizations, lifestyle product brands and their designs. The goal is to furnish the locals with the tools and products they need to nudge their lifestyles in a more sustainable direction. The fair also builds community through such activities as a ten-kilometer bike ride through the city, the “Shanghai Street Bikes” photo exhibition, and Shanghai Roots & Shoots, a Chinese-based non-profit which plants trees around the country.

Jiashan Market

Providing a green, sustainable living environment for all Shangainese jumping on the eco-conscious bandwagon is the challenge that Jiashan Market aims to overcome. An integrated work/life/business community designed by BAU Architecture, the market’s six old factory buildings were refurbished based on sustainable practices, including re-using materials, double-glazing windows and thorough insulation to diminish energy loss. Rooftops are planted with gardens, and businesses located on-site ensure that tenants needn’t travel far to answer their commercial needs.

All this movement in the green direction could still improve. “Compared to major international cities, [Shanghai] still has a long way to go,” says Shokay founder Carol Chyau. “Most people who are designing and buying these products are still primarily expatriates and Chinese returnees. I would love to see the day Chinese consumers start purchasing such products.” Keena Fletcher, the head of design at Shokay, agrees: “the Chinese are not yet on the sustainable fashion bandwagon.”

Photos and text by Manuela Zoninsein.

This blog was originally posted on August 17, 2010 in Tablet Talk.

Text and photos by Manuela Zoninsein.

Click here for the full PDF of the article: Beyond Bagels.

Originally published in the June 2010 issue of F&T magazine.

Originally published in the December 2009 issue of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.

Sichuan restaurants are a dime-a-dozen in Beijing, but Dezhe (1 Bei Jixiang Hutong, off Jiaodaokou Nan Dajie, Dongcheng district; 86-10/6407-8615; dinner for two RMB100), a tiny restaurant tucked inside a busy hutong, stands out for its forthright cooking. You won’t go wrong with the jiama ji, poached chicken served in a Sichuan peppercorn–imbued broth, and the xiangla huiguo, or pork belly. Though it had a rocky start, Super Ganbei (No. 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang district; 86-10/8675-1138; dinner for two RMB300) at the capital’s Ullens Center for Contemporary Art has found the path to culinary success. Helmed by inventive, Irish-born chef Brian McKenna, the kitchen sends out winners like Moroccan spiced chicken served with apple couscous and lime mint yogurt and the playful chocolate spring roll accompanied with mango salad and vanilla ice cream.

PLAY

Built to appeal to Beijing’s Russian community, the subterranean, cheerfully garish Chocolate (19 Ritan Bei Lu,across north gate of Ritan Park, Chaoyang district; 86-10/8561-3988) packs in revelers of all nationalities, who groove to the wee hours as house dJ’s spin hip-hop, techno and R&B. Make sure to catch their over-the-top stage show, complete with leggy performers, a 1980’s cover band and holograms.

SHOP

Carrie Lee, a Canadian-Korean lawyer-turned-designer, uses ethnic fabrics and exotic skins sourced from throughout the region to create the covet-worthy handbags and accessories on display at D-SATA, or Dim Sum of All Things Asia (Unit A116, Nali Patio, 81 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang district; 86/134-3966-4067; d-sata.com). Socially conscious shoppers will approve of Lee’s use of recycled materials and the fair wages her artisans earn. Even better: bring in your own bag and get a 10 percent discount.

Originally published in the December 2009 issue of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.

After decades of success with Hong Kong’s M at the Fringe and Shanghai’s M on the Bund, legendary restaurateur Michelle Garnaut brings her refined Continental–Mediterranean cuisine to the Chinese capital with Capital M (3rd floor, No. 2 Qianmen Pedestrian St.; 86-10/6702-2727; capital-m-beijing.com; dinner for two including drinks RMB400). Located on the top floor of a modern gray-brick complex at the entrance of a recently pedestrianized Ming-era area, the 400-seat eatery boasts unobstructed views of Tiananmen Square. But diners will probably spend more time admiring the interiors. Created by the team behind Garnaut’s other eateries, the dining room recalls the Belle Époque: in-laid black-and-white floor tiles form geometric patterns, referencing fin de siècle Viennese mansions, while terrazo bathroom walls lined with gold swirls allude to Art Nouveau. The masterpiece is a 50-meter Klimt-like hand-painted mural by artist Michael Cartwright that spans the length of one of the restaurant’s walls. The menu lists classics such as suckling pig and the gravity-defying Pavlova—a nod to Garnaut’s Aussie roots—as well as small plates perfect for sharing, like smørrebrød and a choice of Russian, French, English or Chinese afternoon teas. And the large outdoor terrace is perfect for the fall weather.—MANUELA ZONINSEIN

Here is a PDF of the original article.


Originally published in the October 2009 issue of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.

Originally published in the November 2009 issue of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.

China’s urban elite is getting its hands dirty, planting fruit and vegetables in plots on their balconies and in their backyards. The number of would-be gardeners seeking allotments on city outskirts has also increased in the past 12 months. Many of them have rural family roots and miss the connection with the soil – some just want to control where their food comes from after several recent food scares. Already, more than half of all the vegetable needs of China’s 18 largest cities and half their meat and poultry is produced in urban areas. In Shanghai, nearly one-fifth of the land is farmed, and the city is self-sufficient when it comes to vegetables and fruit. — mz

Originally published in Issue 27 (October) of Monocle magazine.

Sparkling wines by any other name than Champagne would taste just as sweet – at least, that’s what recent shifts in viticulture, due to the warming climate, are demonstrating. Once known as the original and best of the bubbly, this inimitable localised grape, whose provenance is France’s Champagne region, is finding itself faced with new competition; and most unexpectedly, from a region in southern England called Surrey.

Other gold standard wines are also encountering surprise rivals from upstart locales: Sweden has begun producing world-class Rieslings, Monterey Bay is now home to California’s best Cabernet Sauvignons and quality Merlot grapes are taking root in Okanagan Valley, Canada. Burgundy? Another degree hotter, and it could become a Syrah stalwart.

Master of Wine Jasper Morris, who directs the Burgundy account for fine wine distributor Berry Bros & Rudd, predicts: “Countries that were far north or didn’t have the wine tradition might become producers.” Northern Europe, the Andes, Canada – these regions are now showing themselves capable of providing the consistent heat needed to ripen grapes. “Even China could easily become a major player,” Morris hastens to add.

Many climatologists point to global warming – caused by greenhouse gases that result from human behaviour – as the explanation for wine-growing regions beginning to shift toward places that are cooler, including the poles, cool coastal areas and higher elevations. Gregory V Jones, climatologist at Southern Oregon University, leading researcher in the burgeoning field of wine region climate studies and the son of an Oregon vintner, has found that worldwide, higher temperatures are occurring during ripening, there is less frost and growing seasons are getting longer (from 20 to 40 days longer in Europe, and up to 90 days longer in Napa Valley). Southern Hemisphere climate changes were less pronounced than in the Northern Hemisphere, due to the moderating effect of the higher ratio of ocean to land mass. Jones believes those trends will continue during the next 50 years – which is the time frame according to which most vintners plant and tend their vineyards – with worldwide average growing season temperatures increasing an additional two to 3.5 degrees.

Greater warming is projected for southern France, parts of eastern Washington and central California. Temperatures in Spain and Portugal could increase more than five degrees, he says, which would make all but high-altitude viticulture extremely difficult.

Change you can taste
The acute environmental sensitivity of wine grapes separates vineyards from other agricultural systems, says Dan Cayan, a climate researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Or, as Campbell Thompson, an Australian whose company, The Wine Republic, imports cool-climate wines into China, puts it: “Wine is the canary in the climate-change coal mine.” He points to European wine regions, that have recorded the date of the wine grape harvest for hundreds of years, as one of the best “human” records of climate change over a long period (before temperature could be recorded accurately). “With wine,” says Jones, “we can taste climate change,” especially since the slightest temperature changes can wreak havoc on high-quality wine, making it acutely sensitive to global warming.

Some among winemakers and connoisseurs are hesitant to blame global warming, in part because not all the science is definitive, and because we’re just beginning to understand what it means for our lives. Certain regions are known for mercurial temperature shifts, while others, like California’s coastline, remain consistently temperate – all of which makes it difficult to come to concrete conclusions. “Everything is so unstable at the moment,” contemplates Morris aloud, “that one’s reluctant to say there’s a [conclusive] effect from global warming.”

Yet others point to changing techniques as the cause for changes in grapes and quality. Vintners around the world have altered their viticulture practices during the past two decades, increasing the time that grapes remain on the vine – appropriately called “hang time.” This increased exposure of the fruit to the sun has raised sugar levels, which raises alcohol levels. According to The Wine Anorak, an online wine magazine, “Table wines used to hover around the 12% mark: now it’s rare to find them below 13%, and wines with 14 or 14.5% alcohol are commonly encountered.”

It’s unclear whether the higher alcohol content is due to climate change, to improved viticulture which has led to picking grapes later, or to changes in winemaking styles. “For example,” explains Thompson, “many winemakers are harvesting later: they’re looking for riper, richer flavours in the wines, and using more powerful yeasts, in order to match a sweeter fruit profile – in an ‘international’ style. Wines are becoming more alcoholic partly because of this change in winemaking, but also because of increasing temperatures.”

“Our parameters for ripeness have changed,” says Paul Hobbs, a California winemaker well known for his ripe, powerful wines. He no longer even tests for sugar levels. And by concentrating instead on the
phenolic development – which refers to other qualities of flavour “ripeness” such as tannins and acidity – many vintners, like Hobbs, are harvesting later. “I farm completely differently than I did 17 years ago,” he says. “I can’t see any effects from global warming on my grapes.”

It’s not just grapes, however, that have been affected; other luxury treats that are heavily dependent on weather, such as truffles, are migrating to newer, cooler territories. The area around Tricastin, north of Avignon, once served up a bounty of the rare delicacies; now they are moving northward. Rising temperatures are widely considered to blame.

One thing is certain: new regions, such as Germany, “now are seriously delicious,” asserts London-based wine critic Jancis Robinson in her column. On the other hand, she says, wines from warmer regions including Spain and Australia are suffering the rise in temperature, as evidenced by heat waves, drought and bushfires.
Warm response
Vintners are responding in kind: Spain, where the first World Conference on Global Warming and Wine was held in 2007, in Barcelona, is studying whether vineyards can be planted in the cooler foothills of the Pyrenees. Belgium, Denmark and Sweden are also jumping into viticulture.

Perhaps the most salient proof that things are changing lies in the pudding – or should we say, the crème brûlée: late 2007, French wine regulators approved the use of vineyard irrigation, reversing centuries of tradition to rescue regions suddenly too hot for dry farming. Whereas New World regions have the flexibility to move to new locations to escape rising temperatures, says Thompson, “Burgundy and Bordeaux are very clearly ‘mapped’ and delineated, and far less flexible.” These terroirs, then, face a greater threat as temperatures continue to rise.

Water is quickly becoming the central issue. “In fact,” argues Fongyee Walker, founder of Longfeng Wines in Beijing, a wine consultancy and Master of Wine training programme, “the issue of water is far more important than the issue of grapes.” She claims it is easy enough to find drought resistant grape varieties; but “the act of making wine requires water in such great amounts – three to ten litres of it for one litre of wine – that it may well prove impossible to supply the industry’s needs.” She points to dry areas like Mendoza, Argentina, Rivertina in Australia and California’s Central Valley as particularly pressed. Victoria and South Australia, irrigated mostly by the Murray River, are regions already considering abandoning tracts
of land. Worries about water have risen to the top: the last Master of Wine Summit focused specifically on this issue.

The problem is when these rising temperatures continue to rise yet further, the wine becomes a soupy,
jammy mix no longer worth imbibing. We can’t yet tell the effect, and it depends in large part on the rate of change. A two-degree rise is what we’re facing at the moment; but with a five-degree jump, “all bets are off.” That’s when the human race begins to struggle to survive. And at that point, we won’t be worried about where the next glass of fine wine is coming from.

Which brings us back to the point that wine is a luxury to be savoured – increasingly so.

Originally published in the Fall issue of Millionaire Asia.

Night owls have plenty to choose from in the Chinese capital, from world-class restaurants to indie music clubs. By MANUELA ZONINSEIN

6:00 P.M. Start the evening surveying the city from the 65th floor of the Park Hyatt Beijing, where you’ll fi nd the suave China Bar (2 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District; 86-10/8567-1234; beijing.park.hyatt.com; drinks for two RMB150). Before admiring the 360-degree panorama, a rarity in Beijing, peruse the exhaustive drinks menu, which lists more than 440 wines and nearly 100 cocktails. (We recommend the expertly made Manhattan.) With your drink in hand, join the well-heeled guests on black leather sofas or take a seat by the bar fashioned out of illuminated, translucent onyx for a front-seat view of the sunset. Then turn your attention eastwards to the iconic, OMA-designed CCTV towers (and its charred neighbor, the TVCC, where the Mandarin Oriental Beijing was meant to be).

7:00 P.M. Take a cab to the historic Legation Quarter, newly renamed 23 Chi’enmen (23 Qianmen Dong Dajie, Dongcheng District; legationquarter.com), Beijing’s destination du jour just southeast of Tiananmen Square. Originally built to house U.S. diplomatic offices at the turn of the last century, the stately stone complex is now home to a contemporary art gallery, a Patek Philippe outlet, restaurants and, come next fall, a wine and jazz bar. Tour the elegant quad before claiming your table at the opulent Maison Boulud (86-10/6559-9200; maisonboulud.com; dinner for two RMB1,200). Daniel Boulud’s first Asian effort is as high-caliber as his famed New York eateries; diners tuck into Eastern-influenced French fare amid neoclassical murals and Art Deco furnishings custom designed by Paris-based Gilles & Boissier. We recommend starting with the king crab, which comes wrapped in avocado and accompanied by carrot coulis, followed by the crispy suckling pig with apple coleslaw, Dijon mustard jus and daikon sauerkraut. Make sure to request a view of the back room where Henry Kissinger met Zhou Enlai in 1972 to arrange then-president Richard Nixon’s historic visit.

If you’re looking for a more casual ambience, head over to Beijing’s hipster hotel, The Opposite House, and sup at Sureño (The Opposite House, 11 Sanlitun Bei Lu, Chaoyang District; 86-10/6410-5240; surenorestaurant.com; dinner for two RMB500), a buzzing Mediterranean eatery with cerulean walls that lures the city’s worldly young professionals. A wood-fired oven delivers the city’s most authentic thin crust pizzas, but save room for the Italian ham with white truffle honey and melon.

9:00 P.M. Designed by Japanese minimalist master Kengo Kuma, The Opposite House boasts an impressive collection of contemporary Chinese art on view in its lobby. After viewing artworks such as Wang Jin’s PVC rendition of an imperial robe, go underground—literally—with Punk (86-10/6410-5222; barpunk.com; drinks for two RMB100), an edgy nightclub designed by Shanghai design darlings Neri & Hu, who’ve decorated the space with moveable pods and moody backlit walls. Expect pierced staff, music-mad locals and a line-up of international DJ’s spinning hip-hop, techno, house and more.

10:00 P.M. Punk stays open until 3 A.M., but there’s a lot of live music to be discovered in Beijing, which boasts one of Asia’s liveliest indie rock scenes. Before beginning the club crawl, stroll through The Village at Sanlitun, a short walk south of The Opposite House. A colorful collection of asymmetric glass-and-steel buildings, this lively retail and entertainment complex attracts a crowd late into the night. Then hail a cab and head over to Mao Livehouse (111 Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng District; 86-10/6402-5080; maolive.com; tickets from RMB20), a gutted cinema that’s now the testing ground for local up-and-coming indie rockers and occasional acts from overseas.

12:00 A.M. Across from Mao Livehouse is Nanluoguxiang, a gentrifi ed hutong that’s packed with quirky-cool boutiques, cozy cafés and cheap-as-chips bars. Choose any of the convivial waterholes for a RMB10 beer, though we favor Salud (66 Nanluoguxiang; 86-10/6402-5086; drinks for two
RMB60) for its homemade rums that come in fl avors such as mango and anise. For a posher nightcap, join revelers at LAN Club (Fourth floor, Twin Towers, B12 Jianguomenwai Dajie; 86-10/5109-6012). Designed by Philippe Starck, it’s a celebration of excess: velvet chaise longues, crystal chandeliers and gilded chairs. Framed oil paintings cover the ceiling. It’s worth seeing—if only for the kitsch value and the sight of Beijing’s beautiful people preening.

Published in the September issue of Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia.

MANDARIN

Among the aged stone facades of Jerusalem’s historic city center, it’s impossible to miss the yellow neon-lit sign with Chinese characters. Surprisingly, the restaurant itself has been around since 1958, making it the oldest continuously running Chinese restaurant in Israel. Following the stairs up to the second floor, past crimson-colored and calligraphy-covered walls, one must knock to gain entry to a room reminiscent of Wong Kar Wai’s 1960s vision of Hong Kong. Ming-style dark mahogany tables and chairs are joined by carved wooden partitions; silk lanterns shed a moody red over walls depicting serene mountain scenes.

Mandarin is where Chinese tour groups come to sate homesick hunger, and it is this loyalty to tradition that explains the restaurant’s perennial success. The cooking is mainly Cantonese (the area around and including Hong Kong), meaning flavors are light, with simple cooking techniques that elevate the freshness of ingredients—steaming, boiling and quick sautéing instead of deep-frying. The egg drop soup is a straightforward take on the original: eggs cooked in a flavorful broth and garnished with chives. Rice noodles with vegetables carries a light oyster sauce—perfectly sticky/sweet to complement the skinny, chewy noodles.

Paired with a bottomless pot of tea (4NIS), at Mandarin diners can momentarily imagine themselves as actors from “In the Mood for Love”.

2 Shlomziyon Hamalka, Jerusalem (06-252890). Daily 12:00-15.30, 18.30-24:00.

CHINA COURT

Those seeking a spicy repast should head to Szechuan province, which has gained notoriety for its sauces mixing tongue-torturing red peppers and lip-tingling peppercorns. At China Court, the heat is turned down a few notches vis-a-vis the original version, and dishes follow more of the Cantonese prescription—not surprising, since the owner is from Hong Kong. However, the restaurant stays packed throughout the day, no doubt due to generous portions and rich flavors. The result? A boisterous, family-friendly environment expected of the most authentic Szechuan eateries.

Egg rolls, crisp-fried and filled with cabbage and bamboo shoots, go nicely with the accompanying sweet-and-sour sauce. Better yet, the Szechuan style eggplant demonstrates China’s excellence in cooking the purple vegetable: the outside is flash-fried and crispy, while the inside remains soft and supple. The sauce retains a slight kick—just enough to demand a bowl of steamed rice to absorb the heat.

For a real deal, come in for the business lunch, served daily 12:00-17:00, which includes soup, an egg roll, main dish (meat or noodles), fried rice and a soft drink.

14 Shalom Aleycham, Tel Aviv (03-5178454). Daily 11:00-23:00.

PAT QUA

Since opening Yin Yang on Tel Aviv’s Rothschild Boulevard in 1982, Israel Aharoni has generally been considered the country’s emperor of Far East cuisine. At Pat Qua, his thirty years studying Chinese cooking become evident in food that manages to be at once traditional and modern. The menu spans the spectrum of the Chinese tradition and serves up its highlights, while incorporating local ingredients as well.

Chicken a là Szechuan begins to find its footing with a fiery kick, and the pepper-red oil sauce is perfect over a bowl or rice (don’t worry about slurping with chopsticks—that’s how it’s done in China). The duck meat is tender, and a sharp ginger sauce balances its sweetness. Noodles, like the chilled sesame kind, remind well-traveled diners of the simple street food for which the People’s Republic is famous.

Reservations are necessary at the hip, modern joint, located in Herzliya Pituach’s popular industrial zone, which is always packed.

6 Galgalai Haplada St., Herzliya Pituach. (09-9547478). Daily 12:00–24:00.

View printed version here:
Fine China

2,000 City Weekend Beijing readers voted for their favorite Beijing restaurants. These are YOUR winners.

By Juliana Loh and Manuela Zoninsein

MOST CREATIVE: Tao

This chic Mediterranean bistro updates its menu weekly, working with fresh seasonal ingredients that fire the chef’s creative juices. The sharp black-and-white décor perfectly compliments Tao’s cutting-edge flavors. BEI and Blu Lobster took a backseat in this competition, but given the tight economic environment, it makes sense that people would look toward Tao’s resourcefulness for inspiration.

Runner Up: SALT
Editor’s Pick: BEI

BEST CANTONESE / DIM SUM: Din Tai Feng

Twenty years after the The New York Times rated it among the 10 best restaurants in the world, Din Tai Feng continues to lure hungry diners with its melt-in-your-mouth xiaolongbao soup dumplings. While the chain continues to expand its global reach, in Beijing, it holds down this number-one spot for the third year in a row.

Runner Up: Crystal Jade
Editor’s Pick: Lei Garden

BEST CHINESE: South Beauty

Attracting nearly a third of your votes, South Beauty emerged the decisive winner in this category. Given that our capital city isn’t lacking in choices for Chinese cuisine, it’s clear that this local chain’s stellar service and delectable Sichuan flavors have conquered the hearts and taste buds of locals and laowais alike. It seems, you just can’t get enough of South’s succulent giant prawns.

Runner Up: Ding Ding Xiang
Editor’s Pick: Camp

BEST NEW RESTAURANT: Mosto

From Alameda to Salt to Mosto, Beijing’s Latin flavors consistenly win top marks from readers. In 2008, SALT took home Best New Restaurant at our Readers’ Choice Awards. This year, Mosto’s contemporary Mediterranean-European menu, peppered with Chef Daniel Urdañeta’s Venezuelan fuego, dominated the New Restaurant category (no doubt thanks to its juicy beef tenderloin)—even outperforming restaurants with Michelin-starred big wigs at the helm.

Runner Up: Taste at The Westin Chaoyang
Editor’s Pick: Element Fresh

MOST ROMANTIC: The Courtyard

Long before he spearheaded Ch’ienmen 23 and Shanghai’s Three on the Bund, China’s King of High Culture, Handel Lee, created The Courtyard. Reputed as one of Beijing’s top upscale fusion restaurants and lauded for its extensive wine list, The Courtyard continues to reign today—as a romantic respite. Seats along the Forbidden City moat provide unparalleled views of the former imperial domain, something newer eateries simply can’t compete with. (China Grill, eat your heart out.) As far as fusion cooking is concerned, it’s more yin-and-yang than East-meets-West: dishes are either Chinese or foreign, never truly integrating. The Courtyard easily won the hearts of our readers—perhaps due to its noble heritage, or perhaps because this is the spot where so many of our readers have won another’s heart. Guests may have to fork over a princely sum for such regal treatment, but then your date will know you can afford to live like a king.

Runner Up: Green T House Living
Editor’s Pick: Café Sambal

BEST VALUE: Alameda

Let’s face it, when times were good, we all got used to living luxuriously. Fortunately, at Alameda we can still afford to. Its lunch is a majestic mouthful of Brazilian flavors, ringing in at just ¥60 for two courses. As CW user Rachels puts it, “The Lunch Rapido satisfies both the budget-conscious diner and the lover of haute cuisine.” Here, you don’t have to choose between tasty and thrifty.

Runner Up: Mosto
Editor’s Pick: W Dine and Wine

BEST PIZZA: The Tree

This comforting tavern, known for home-baked, wood-fired pizzas, has sunk its roots deep into Beijing, dominating the Best Pizza category for its third year in a row. Casually decorated like a Belgian inn, The Tree is a favorite among boisterous groups and loners alike. The fruit-flavored Belgian ales are perfect for washing down The Tree’s classic pepperoni pie.

Runner Up: Kro’s Nest
Editor’s Pick: Alla Osteria

BEST FRENCH: Maison Boulud

This sublime restaurant has been making waves in Beijing’s five-star dining scene since it opened last August. As Daniel Boulud’s first foray into the Far East, the proof is in the pudding that the renowned two-star Michelin chef triumphs in all corners of the world. Boulud is committed to the Beijing namesake and makes regular visits to inject new inspiration and culinary alchemy into the menu. Per your votes, Maison Boulud knocked Le Petit Gourmand off last year’s pedestal and Jaan followed not too far behind. Given the breadth of restaurants serving quality French cuisine in Beijing—from casual bistros and brasseries to sophisticated fine dining establishments—this coup d’état underscores our readers’ preference for high-end gastronomy. Economic crisis be damned: Beijing diners like it haute.

Runner Up: Jaan
Editor’s Pick: Brasserie Flo

BEST ITALIAN: Ristorante Sadler

Beijing may love Italian food, but there are only a few stellar Italian eateries, so in this category, readers knew their favorites, and competition was fierce. Ultimately, the namesake of two-star Michelin chef, Claudio Sadler, squeezed by with a single vote to triumph over La Dolce Vita. “Great place to dine,” is how user Emiaglaia sums it up. Perhaps it’s due to the equal parts tender-yet-toasty veal Milanese. Sadler hails from Milan, after all.

Runner Up: La Dolce Vita
Editor’s Pick: Barolo

BEST AMERICAN: All-Star Sports Bar and Grill

No surprise that the city’s best burgers, according to our survey, are served at the capital’s best American restaurant (though we do reject the notion that American food can be summed up by meat patties alone). One CW user, Blade, was overcome with nostalgia: “The food is so authentically American that it truly hits the spot.”

Runner Up: Steak and Eggs
Editor’s Pick: Element Fresh

BEST KOREAN: Gaon

The large Korean expat community living in Beijing gave big-ups to Gaon in this new category. Arranged according to a minimalist design, Gaon’s sensational organic-only dishes (like the divine abalone with pork and the melt-in-your-mouth stewed beef) are hearty and flavorful. The low-key décor lets the Korean cuisine take the spotlight.

Runner Up: Ai Jiang Shan
Editor’s Pick: Huoluhuo

BEST MEXICAN / TEX-MEX: Saddle Cantina

Always packed on the weekends, Saddle Cantina probably didn’t need a poll to know it was our readers’ favorite. Saddle’s rooftop patio is always packed with night-time fiestas thanks to tasty Tex-Mex and margaritas so potent that they deserve a warning label.

Runner Up: Mexican Wave
Editor’s Pick: Tim’s Texas Roadhouse / BBQ

Runner Up: Yotsuba
Editor’s Pick: Nishimura

BEST INDIAN: Ganges

This Indian eatery made a name for itself in Beijing by serving up a menu of authentic flavors at modest prices amidst colorful, Bollywood-themed décor. Caffeinated, a regular commenter on our website, sums it up well: “Delicious Indian cuisine, from the curries to the garlic naan. The price is reasonable and the staff are ultra friendly.”

Runner Up: Taj Pavilion
Editor’s Pick: Indian Kitchen

CHEF OF THE YEAR: Jordi Valles of Agua

Hailing from Barcelona, this Catalán took the top spot with nearly 40 percent of all votes. Chef Jordi’s dishes are impeccably executed, and he makes a genuine effort to meet and greet guests. He gladly gives recommendations and tweaks dishes to suit different palates. If his food doesn’t charm you, he certainly will.

Runner Up: Chef Ana of SALT
Editor’s Pick: Chef Daniel of Mosto

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN: 1,001 Nights

Last year’s runner up, 1,001 Nights knocked Rumi into second this year, heating up a Gongti Beilu feud that has no end in sight. The regular clientele of Middle Eastern expats delights in the nightly belly dancing performances, a fair accompaniment to the fantastic food. Lamb and chicken kebabs are top picks, along with the city’s one-of-a-kind spicy pita bread.

Runner Up: Rumi
Editor’s Pick: Biteapitta

BEST BURGER: All-Star Sports Bar and Grill

Burger joints have been popping up like Major League Baseball steroid allegations this past year, and the newly competitive landscape has forced meat patty purveyors to bring out their A-game. The debate over best burger continues to sizzle, but for this round, more than a quarter of the voters gave All-Star Sports Bar and Grill a decisive nod. Something about the American joint’s 65 plasma screens, stellar sound system and sports video games might add to the appeal, though we’ve been told by native Californian friends that this sports fan oasis serves the next best thing to In-N-Out’s revered classic. What is certain, despite the hemming and hawing, is that scarfing down a burger during the wee morning hours after clubbing is as American as apple pie.

Runner Up: Let’s Burger
Editor’s Pick: One East at Hilton Beijing

BEST BUFFET: Matsuko

This unexpected win suggests that readers are seeking true value for their money by hitting the all-you-can-eat buffet tables. Last year’s winner, Guantanamera, closed late last year, leaving Matsuko to rake in the votes. In addition to the Japanese favorites, unlimited Asahi beer or soft drinks and the free plate of sashimi keep the customers spinning through the doors.

Runner Up: Todai
Editor’s Pick: Monsoon

BEST WI-FI: The Bookworm

For three straight years, The Bookworm has dominated this one. Sure, lots of places have great Wi-Fi, but only at the Bookworm can you pen your next novel, term paper or blog post in the company of two dozen other mobile nomads. Powerful Wi-Fi, an incredible authors series and jam-packed quiz nights make this the perfect spot for the information generation.

Runner Up: Starbucks Jianwai SOHO Editor’s Pick: Café Zarah

BEST STEAK: Chef Too

As last year’s Best American winner, Chef Too continues to garner accolades for its steak, burgers and brunches. This time, the Chaoyang restaurant’s simple take on quality meat has risen above the rest of the menu. Always one of the most buzzed eateries, Chef Too’s online reviews are adoring and effusive. Says Gmilam: “I’m thankful for Chef Billy and his greatness.”

Runner Up: The Bar & Grill at The Regent
Editor’s Pick: Astor Grill at The St. Regis

BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH: Senses at The Westin Financial Street

Last year’s champ does it again, raking in a quarter of reader votes. Formerly named the Bubbly brunch, Senses recently received a gourmet reboot with the introduction of its inspiRED brunch, an even larger buffet with Champagnes, fine wines and incredibly innovative food stations. Among its divinely decadent cakes, pastries and candies, the giant strawberry mille feuille left us speechless. User Fenners88 sums it up: “This is a wonderland of culinary delights.”

Runner Up: Chef Too
Editor’s Pick: Asia Bistro JW Marriott

BEST FAMILY RESTAURANT: Blue Frog

Two Shanghai upstarts—Blue Frog and Element Fresh—nabbed top spots for family-style service, leaving last year’s winner, Annie’s, in the dust. Blue Frog, with less than one year in the capital, is a newcomer that consistently bowls the parents over. The chain boasts two branches in Beijing—one in Sanlitun and a second in Europlaza out in Shunyi—though the latter focuses more on American classics and offers twice the burger choices of the former. We’re guessing the kid’s playroom in Shunyi, along with an outstanding brownie rendition, doesn’t hurt parents’ preferences—especially if this allows them to eat their salads and Tex-Mex specialties in peace. We’re still scratching our heads, however, as to how Shanghai’s cut-throat culture produced such kid-friendly chains. Maybe the daily buy-one-get-one-free happy hour quiets dad’s nerves?

Runner Up: Element Fresh
Editor’s Pick: New Veranda

BEST THAI: Purple Haze

Whether this Thai classic serves the best Thai food in town or the owners are slipping addictive narcotics into the curry has yet to be explained. But one thing is for sure: Beijing’s foodies can’t get enough. Purple Haze has swept this category three years in a row. For user Pulpo, the reason is simple: “Purple Haze serves the best Thai food in town! The papaya salad, the tom yam kung and the curries are … just like in Thailand. The food is always fresh, tasty and consistent in quality.” Still not ready to believe in Purple Haze’s spicy voodoo? You need to taste the tangy Thai orange chicken. In a recent Dish column, City Weekend dining columnist Emma Starks investigated where Beijing’s top chefs eat. We were little surprised when Readers’ Choice for Chef of the Year, Agua restaurant’s Jordi Valles, put Purple Haze atop his favorites list.

Runner Up: Serve the People
Editor’s Pick: Very Siam

BEST HOT POT: Little Sheep

Move over, Haidilao, you’ve been ousted by the unstoppable chain Little Sheep, which took home top honors with nearly a third of readers’ votes. Boasting 18 chains on our website alone, this hot pot spot is winning fans across the capital (and the planet) with loads of flavorful meat at modest prices that others simply can’t match.

Runner Up: Nan Men Hot Pot
Editor’s Pick: Ba Niao

BEST SERVICE: Agua

CW site user Intensebreeze writes, “The staff here treats you as someone very special.” Pulpo agrees, recounting, “The staff gave us a warm welcome when we got off the taxi and accompanied us to the restaurant on the second floor.” Seems nearly everyone who voted had a similar experience: Agua came out on top with a convincing 339 votes.

Runner Up: Tao
Editor’s Pick: China Grill Park Hyatt

BEST WINE SELECTION: Domus

Sleek and minimal, Domus ousted long-time wine heavyweight Aria from the top spot, attracting a quarter of your votes. This world-class watering hole is testimony to the massive makeover Beijing underwent preparing for the Olympics. Minotti furniture, understated lighting and tasty tapas bites: everything, including the wine list, is confident and classy here.

Runner Up: Sureño
Editor’s Pick: Vasco’s

BEST BEIJING DUCK: Da Dong

For the second year in a row, Da Dong takes home the title, which could have something to do with its claim to be lower in calories than the competitors. (Though the succulent bird meat left skeptics of more than just a few of us.) The restaurant’s newest branch in the Nanxincang complex, especially its second floor, comes heaped with praise for décor and ambience. What has changed since we collected votes in 2008 is that readers were more willing to venture out and taste newcomers like Duck de Chine and Made in China. Old-timer Quan Ju De also made a come-back. Last year Da Dong took home a whopping 40 percent of the popular vote. This year, they squeaked by with 23.7 percent. Regardless, the double-D remains synonymous with Beijing kaoya.

Runner Up: Made in China
Editor’s Pick: Sky Fortune

RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR: AGUA

“Finally, a restaurant where everything fits together: the food, service, ambiance, tablewear and value for money,” writes user Pablo, and other voters agreed, helping Agua rise above the competition. This new kid on the block is helmed by award-winning Spaniard, Chef Jordi Valles, who can’t produce his famous torrija dessert fast enough to sate the sweet-toothed romantics who come for “dinner in beautiful surroundings.” With a new terrace open, Agua is sure to be this summer’s hot spot.

Runner Up: SALT
Editor’s Pick: Hatsune

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijingbest-restaurants ]]> http://www.manuelasweb.com/?feed=rss2&p=414 0 http://www.manuelasweb.com/?p=436 http://www.manuelasweb.com/?p=436#comments Sat, 30 May 2009 11:52:06 +0000 admin http://www.manuelasweb.com/?p=436 Put aside the fact that Brasserie Flo took root in Paris in 1901—or that it was the first French brasserie in China. With a new decree emanating from HQ that demands a fresh, healthy take on Gallic cooking, what was once your grandmother’s heavy, cream- and butter-laden menu has become a truly contemporary carte du jour. Marseille-born chef Bertrand Combe hand-picks ingredients at the market daily, enabling the freshest tomato-mozzarella salad we’ve ever tasted in Beijing (which, when paired with a creative parmesan sherbet, made for a classic truly reborn). The wild mushroom risotto with black truffle was at once gooey and toothy: equal parts grain to fungus and none of that rice-pudding mush found elsewhere. Delicious fresh juices (such as kiwi-celery-pear-cilantro) and inventive sorbets home-made daily (beetroot, yellow pepper, rhubarb & basil…oh my!) make Flo preferable even to Element Fresh or HaagenDazs. With a set lunch menu priced competitively (RMB68 two courses, RMB98 three), we were pleasantly surprised by the impeccable service and crispy warm bread. So pleasantly, seated out on the patio, it felt like Paris again.

Find it: 2/F, Rainbow Plaza, 16 Dongsanhuan Beilu,东三环北路16号隆博广场2楼,
Tel: 6595-5135

Although the menu imitates expensive Japanese joints by featuring pricey teppanyaki ingredients such as kobe beef or lobster (¥680), Gen Ji Ko succeeds in its ability to keep the freshest fish in stock. The tuna (straight from Canada) and salmon (care of Norway) in the sashimi platter were sharp, fresh and rich in flavor. This comes as part of the Japanese buffet offered for lunch and dinner, along with tempura, teppanyaki, dessert and unlimited soda, sake and beer. At ¥168 (plus 15 percent), it’s a steal. The cold green tea noodles (¥35) came with a wasabi-soy-green onion-quail egg concoction to dip the noodles. It’s both classic and contemporary. Our vegetable tempura (¥45) managed to be light, crunchy, savory and not greasy.

The service surprised us. Despite the moderate prices, we received the kind of treatment expected at the most lofty of eateries. Add to that the genteel ambience of a quiet room made of stone, wood and glass and you start to get the feeling this place is one of the best values in Beijing. This is how we like our Japanese food: light, modern, tasty and friendly to the wallet.

http://www.cityweekend.com.cn/beijing/listings/dining/japanese/has/gen-ji-ko/

-Three stars

209 Jixiangli, CBD/Guomao, Beijing

唐缘朝阳区吉祥里209号

86-10-6553-0198

Tang demonstrates Singaporeans’ common zeal for food and for debating the ins and outs of the town’s dining scene. Locals are not unknown to queue in anticipation of street snacks–but that’s traditionally been in pursuit of Chinese, Indian, Malay, or Indonesian hawker cooking. Now, they will wait several hours, at any time of the day, to get their hands on a specialty donut.

Yes, that’s right: I just paired the words “specialty” and “donut.” It’s precisely this high-low combo that will blow the mind of any American who’s ever pulled into a truck stop, head lowered, to sneak a taste of Krispy Kreme, or who felt it was a step down to hit up Dunkin’ Donuts for breakfast instead of Starbucks. To Singaporeans, frying dough balls is a form of connoisseurship. They give donuts as gifts; they eat them instead of cake at birthday bashes; and they order them from foreign outlets, like Mister Donut in Taiwan, or J.Co. before it crossed the Malacca Straits from Indonesia to Singapore.

With nine franchises and a near-total of 50 outlets peddling over 100 varieties (including such far-out flavors as Wasabi Cheese at Donut Factory, Pistachio Crunch at Missy Donut, and Chocz O’Latte at Munchy Donuts), the battle is booming. It’s also undoing the perception that the city-state lacks creativity or panache. Just one look at the menu offerings at Pop DoH, Donut Empire or Donut Outlet in Singapore, and Dunkin’s claims of being “America’s best donut” left me shaking my head in shame. Thankfully, donut diplomacy as yet doesn’t exist.

Originally published in Condé Nast Traveler’s Daily Traveler blog on April 14, 2009.