On adventures about town some time ago - friend Anuj and I ended up eating here once we had given up on our intended destination and found another venue not to our less than exacting standards. It might, thus, have been assumed that our subsequent delight was caused more by relief and finally having found food and a place to sit than by the quality of the food and refreshments on offer - but return visits have only improved impressions of this place.
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/11/27 - 17:26.
For those of you (and there where about 17 of us crammed into a small private room) who attended last year's Liu Zhai Shi Fu dinner and then too my sorely inadequate tour of the old 蒋家大苑 - you will remember not only the delicious food and wood fired roast duck, but also how close this place is to my home. I also hope you remember the gluehwein. My renovations finished this last week and I am moving in to the new place.
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Submitted by richardp on Wed, 2008/11/19 - 18:50.
This weekend I take delivery of my newly renovated dwelling. So - I am not planning a dinner, as I will be spending the duration nesting.
Anyone interested should feel free to drop by - call for directions if you like - and take a peek, or if you are really missing dinner... bring some food round and I will help you eat it.
Meanwhile for those of you missing my regular email and in need of something to read, here is the wikipedia entry on dinner:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinner
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/11/13 - 13:33.
This is a second time suggestion from Nels, known to many of you from http://stylites.net/. Before those of you who know where Nels lives accuse him of gross self interest - bare in mind that the poor man is quite invalid at the moment following a run in with gravity, an electric scooter of some sort, Norse mayhem and the cobbles of Nan Luo Gu Xiang. So, it is within hobbling distance of Nels' house, into Xi Cheng, we go to investigate what the intriguingly described 'touch of French' does to Hunan cuisine.
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/11/06 - 15:46.
The first time I tried to go here was with Beijingers who on realising the place served Dong Bei food ran for the hills. (Though the Japanese dinner we ended up having that night was quite a treat.) The second time was in the company of Dong Bei Ren. This, it turns out was possibly a great thing as, amongst other things, I would not likely have ordered the traditional, northern style, tofu without prompting. It is not that I am against tofu, love the stuff, but this dish is not displayed in its best light in the menu. Similarly I might not have had the gumption to order a roast lamb leg.
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/10/30 - 19:28.
So, last week I ended up having a few drinks with Ken and Jesse after our wonderfully ordered Sichuan feast at Chuan Ban. There are many, many, interesting facets to a discussion between Ken and Jesse, not the least of which is their inevitable inclusion of middle eastern themes.
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Submitted by richardp on Wed, 2008/10/22 - 19:08.
There are many things to recommend Chuan Ban. It fits into my cunning plan to travel China by visiting all the province representative offices in Beijing - well their restaurants at least. The food is also spicy, fragrant and very, very fresh. So much so that on my last trip we where informed that the 辣子鸡 would take at least 20 minutes as the bird needed first to be killed. So if you are after the finest in Sichuan food Beijing has to offer, and a little bloodsport by proxy this week's dinner is for you.
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/10/16 - 09:58.
After an extended break caused by national holidays, a stint being entertained at the leisure of the Qing Hai provincial government and sheer unburnished lethargy - the weekly Sunday dinner sneaks its way back onto the calendar...
This week is another recommendation and another variation on hotpot. Unlike 麻辣香锅 this is cook at the table food. Sauces are added to the pot and your choice of meats and vegetables braised in the pot. Fish is recommended, but the choice of flavours extends through chicken and duck to bullfrog.
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/10/09 - 16:29.
Its back to our roots. Hot pot is where Sunday dinner started and we are back, nearly a year on. This is hot pot for everyone, quality ingredients and that certain something only gui jie has. Come along, dip your meat and veg in the boiling water, and experience happiness.
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Submitted by richardp on Fri, 2008/09/12 - 17:30.
Delicious West African fare. A combination of fragrant rices and stews, roasted meats, grilled fish and other stuff you are not going to find too often around Beijing. Touray himself has been in Beijing on and off since the early 1980s and he and his music collection make the trip worth it in itself.
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Submitted by richardp on Thu, 2008/09/04 - 17:21.
