Sunshine. Beaches. Exotic food. Ice-cold cocktails. Historical ruins. If your inconsiderate friends are clogging your social media feed with such vacation photos, even while you’re stranded in your Beijing office, life can be tough. However, you can at least try and find some solace with these local restaurants’ summery new dishes.

The Rug
Be it their eggs benedict, bagel brunch, lobster rolls, butterfly-pea flower drink (pictured above), or their kimchi Bloody Mary, the menu at The Rug has no shortage of decadent treats which are still light enough to suit a summer day. They’ve now also launched a handful of new hot weather delights like handmade pastas (a highlight being the bone marrow crab roe pasta, RMB 98) and oysters from Marlborough, New Zealand served with champagne. There are also over a dozen new cocktails to counteract the at times unbearable heat and humidity of Beijing, as well as a stylish range of “boutique drinks” by the bag at their new Wangfujing location, which make for a fun alternative for customers on the go.

Combal
Combal, the Mediterranean fine dining destination at Cofco Plaza, recently launched its weekend brunch (11.30am-3pm), including a three-course brunch set for RMB 308/458, or a four-course set for RMB 568. The complimentary parmesan cheese ball topped with salmon roe (pictured above) is a savory delight.

Lox with passion fruit salad

The lox with passion fruit salad, meanwhile, is a zesty and refreshing mix of leafy greens and radish, among other flavorful and summery ingredients. But if you’re hankering for something more indulgent, say, steak for brunch (and since you’re pretending to be on holiday, why not?) then upgrade your brunch to grain-fed 300-day Angus rib eye, sirloin, tenderloin, or Wagyu beef steak for an extra RMB 100-300. If you really want to push the boat out, add RMB 200 for free-flow Italian sparkling wine.

Simply Fresh
Staying at China Overseas Plaza, Simply Fresh has released their new Spanish menu overseen by their new head chef Frida Pan. Highlights include the tapas platter for RMB 98 (pictured above, featuring pan-fried quail egg with mixed veggies, marinated salmon with truffle sauce, potato and salami, and mushroom) and the paella, which boasts a delightfully crunchy base as well as fresh morsels of seafood to whisk your taste buds away to the Spanish coast.

Seafood paella (RMB 208)

There are also plenty of great value dishes to get you salivating, like the Mexican chili oil marinated salmon with cayenne pepper (RMB 108), and their juicy sous-vide chicken leg (RMB 88), which is paired with orange marmalade for a nice citrusy balance. And if you want something fancy, try the pigeon trio (RMB 158) with sous-vide marinated pigeon breast, fried pigeon leg covered with crispy oats, and a melt-on-your-tongue pigeon liver pate. Couple with Simply Fresh’s new range of beautifully designed cocktails and non-alcoholic beverages for maximum effect.
More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos courtesy of venues, Tracy Wang

Alongside jianbing, baozi, and just about every street food, your local maodou (edamame to the Japanese among us) lady may become more and more elusive in the back streets of Beijing. Well, you could probably head to the nearest barbecue joint and grab a bag for 10 kuai but then again, why not perfect the art of hairy bean making over a weekend and never worry yourself ever again with the joy-killing powers that be.

Below we’ll walk you through a spiced edamame recipe that pairs perfectly with ice-cold beer, just about any type of barbecued meat, and the sweet taste of self-reliance. Want more than what the recipe allows or like your edamame extra spicy? Simply throw in more of whatever ingredient you want and don’t be afraid to experiment. This is your goddamn life, man!

Finger-Lickin’ Spiced Edamame

Ingredients (serves 1-2 as a snack)

– 500g raw edamame (毛豆, máodòu)
– Scallions (大葱, dàcōng)
– 100g ginger (生姜, shēngjiāng)
– A handful of star anise (八角, bājiǎo) and aniseed (大料, dàliào)
– A piece of cinnamon bark (桂皮, guìpí)
– 10 bay leaves (香叶, xiāngyè)
– A sprinkle of fennel (茴香, huíxiāng)
– A handful of dried chili peppers (干辣椒, gān làjiāo)
– A pinch of salt (盐, yán)
– Seasoning wine or baijiu (optional) (料酒 liàojiǔ, 白酒 báijiǔ)

Instructions

1. Wash and prepare the raw edamame in warm water.

2. Cut off both ends of edamame, so the beans will absorb more flavor during boiling later.

3. Add all the spices to 2 liters of water in a large pot and bring to the boil.

4. Add the edamame to the water and cook until tender (about 8 minutes).

5. Add a pinch of salt and the seasoning wine or baijiu (optional) into the pot, and turn off the heat after 5 minutes of addition boiling.

6. Leave the edamame in the spiced water for 30 minutes, and then drain them.

7. Put the beans in the fridge if you prefer eating them cold, or sprinkle with a little extra sea salt and serve immediately.

Et voila! You’ve done gone made a healthy, vegetarian snack that works as both an appetizer and a side snack that everyone likes.

Photos: Tracy Wang
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.

Beijing is not the best city when it comes to kitting out your house with creative furniture brimming with personality and flair. In fact, let’s face it – our fair city is downright lacking in small furniture stores with character. Thankfully, if you are looking for something for a special occasion or to burn some of your bonus, the Dairuhe Handmade Art Store at Xinyuan Nanlu is a solid option to do just that.

Dairuhe is full of goods carried over by Japan

The name dairuhe (待入荷) means waiting for the arrival of goods, which luckily you won’t have to do once you’ve perused and filled your basket with household furnishings, accessories, tableware, and other knick-knacks that were personally carried from Japan by the owners.

Rock candy-like houses by Satoko Narita & Mellow Glass

The unique items are spread out across the store’s airy two-floor space, which is made immediately appealing thanks to its white façade, and is just as dedicated as looking good inside, using lighting that’s reminiscent of a museum’s. What’s more, that theme continues, with the owners inviting artists to hold monthly exhibitions at the venue. This past month’s exhibit was conducted by Satoko Narita & Mellow Glass from Japan, who are famous for their glass artworks, some of which were still on display in the store and include tiny transparent houses that look like they’re made from rock candy.

The heartwarming wood-carving figures by Mokko Kumakichi are heartbreakingly expensive

During our visit, there was also an individual exhibition called Wander on Forest by Japanese artist Mokko Kumakichi, who was exhibiting his wood-carved and painted animals in China for the first time. “Every figure has its own expression, which I believe allow specific ones to connect with you; take one of them home with you, let it accompany you through all your memorable moments,” reads an introduction to the exhibition by Kumakichi.

The shop’s second floor

Art, of course, doesn’t come cheap, meaning the goods from Japan here are priced at RMB 400 or more on average. That shouldn’t phase patrons looking to splurge on something special, however. That wide range of slightly upscale wares, along with the shop’s bright lighting, spacious but not empty set up, and other mindful elements make Dairuhe a pleasure peruse.

Dairuhe Handmade Art Store
Wed-Mon 11am-7pm. 1/F, One World Apartment, 16 Xinyuan Nanlu, Chaoyang District (6461 1687)
待入荷：朝阳区新源南路16号世方豪庭1层

Photos: Tracy Wang
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger.

Between the hotels and Beijing’s more creative restaurants, there are a fair amount of chic afternoon teas to be found around the city, but can any of them claim to be more “authentic” than the offerings at The British House at Beijing Fun. This thoroughly English, spacious, and elegant 500sqm café and roomy sofa area encompass the building’s second floor, providing enough space for close to 100 diners to sit and enjoy their scones at any one time.

British House’s first floor is jam-packed with clothes and accessories

The British House was opened by Harrods earlier in the year, the world-famous London brand and store founded in 1849 as a fine tea trader. The British House maintain that heritage, boasting a massive 170 teas and a dozen specialty teas (RMB 88 a pot), Harrods coffee, and several signature cakes (Napoleon Millefeulle, éclair, Earl Grey crème brûlée, red velvet, and maple mascarpone cheesecake).

The set tea and cake set above (RMB 168) featured a choice of Harrods’ fine tea, savory sandwiches (smoked salmon, avocado and wasabi cream cheese; cucumber, dill and butter; ham and English cheddar; egg, aioli and caviar), two homemade scones paired with apricot and raspberry preserves and clotted cream; as well as sweets with a Chinese twist, such as vanilla genoise, zabaglione custard, strawberry compote and crème Chantilly. Other sets range RMB 99/168/238/268, and are available from 11.30am-10pm.

Their Beijing Breakfast No.20 tea also plays on a local theme, using a Chinese tea base mixed with Ceylon to provide a richer body, the addition of Kenyan tea for extra color, and Assam for bold and malty flavors, for a combination that retains its British staunchness without wandering too far afield.

On the way out, peruse the first floor for clothing brands, tableware, bedding, accessories, and food all selected and brought over by Harrods. It all amounts to a jolly good way to spend the afternoon and a potential retreat to lure in many a homesick Brit.

The British House
Daily 10am-10pm. Bldg 4, West Area, Beijing Fun, 21 Langfang Toutiao, Xicheng District (6313 2122)
英园：西城区廊房头条21号院北京坊西区4号楼

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos: Tracy Wang

We remember how excited we were when Sweetie Salad founded its online food delivery business back in 2014, way before what food delivery platforms are today (hard to imagine, really). At that time, Sweetie won its legions with, well, a legion of muscular workers who showed up to demonstrate how to shake it properly (and let’s not forget the Sparta saga in 2015).

The dining area is kitted out with long benches and a bright, clean decor

Now, the team have opened their very first brick and mortar location on the first floor at Grand Summit. The venue has a touch of picnic-themed décor; bright lights illuminate two long, large wooden tables where people gather on benches. Different kinds of greens and insects, and the slogan of “HAI – Health All In,” adorn the walls.

The various base salads are displayed in the counter upon which you add supplementary ingredients

A counter displays a range of ready-mixed salads (RMB 20 each), including grilled vegetables and coix seeds; avocado and orange; baked apple and brie; and dried beef and arugula. Additional ingredients such as your choice of protein can be added separately (grilled salmon or chicken) and there’s also a range of hot dishes (Italian spinach roll, crispy vanilla flounder with pistachios, roasted vegetables etc. for RMB 16-30). For drinks, there are coffees and teas (approximately RMB 25) or freshly made juices (RMB 35). If you’re still hungry, you can also bulk it out with a slice of bread or two.

Chicken, quinoa, and vegetable salad

The quinoa and vegetable salad used good quality ingredients, evident from its simple but vibrant flavors. The additional grilled chicken breast was succulent and seasoned with salt, black pepper, and a garnish of lemon, while the grilled salmon was a nice, long, and lean cut of moist fish. As for the drinks, the Strong Nutrition was a sweet and refreshing combination of cucumber, apple, carrot, kiwi, and kale. You can also opt for yogurt with muesli and fruit (RMB 25) or various types of kombucha courtesy of Papp’s Tea.

At RMB 70-120 per person, a meal with a drink here is perhaps a little on the higher side of similarly health-focussed restaurants. Saying that, the venue is a crowd pleaser, with many diners sticking around after they had finished eating. Now that they’ve rolled out seating on their adjacent patio, it looks certain that Sweetie Salad’s once entirely web-based clientele will quickly translate to visitors looking for a healthy fix.

Sweetie Salad
Daily 8am-9.30pm. 41, Bldg 1, 19 Dongfang Donglu, Chaoyang District (8532 6178)
甜心摇滚沙拉：朝阳区东方东路19号1号楼会所41号

This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.
Photos courtesy of Sweetie Salad, Tracy Wang

Spring is the season to finally shrug off that heavy jacket, enjoy the breeze and sunshine, and indulge in a fancy afternoon tea session with old friends who’ve been hibernating all winter. Just in time for the warmer weather, here are three new afternoon teas that caught our attention.

Conrad Hotel Beijing
To celebrate their fifth anniversary, Conrad Hotel Beijing has revamped a sugar-free High Tea menu at Chapter and Lobby Lounge, featuring mango & passion-fruit cheesecake, chocolate cannoli, apple mousse tart, carrot cake, vegan scones, cookies, gluten-free crisps, nachos, and rye bread crackers with hummus. To avoid any refined and processed sugar, the culinary team used xylitol, and fresh ingredients as alternatives, Harald Feurstein, the General Manager explained.

Among a dozen bites, we especially liked the carrot cake, which had two layers of round dough filled with cream cheese frosting between the layers. It was satisfying and sweet, seasoned with cinnamon, and topped with a tiny fake carrot made of meringue. The healthy cookies were infused with superfood chia seed, and oatmeal, which made them sturdy and rustic.

Chapter has an elegant atmosphere with a library-esque ambiance, designed by Spin Studio from Japan. Having delicate afternoon tea among all those books will surely impress your guests. This mindful afternoon tea costs RMB 298 (plus 15 percent service charge), and is available between 2.30-5pm at Chapter. It also includes two cups of teas or coffee. Call 6584 6270 for reservation.

Laurent Moreno

Nuo Hotel Beijing
Meanwhile, Nuo Hotel Beijing has collaborated with Laurent Moreno, a world-renowned executive pastry chef from France, and will launch a new afternoon tea for chocoholics at Lobby Lounge on Apr 2. Moreno has 15 years of professional experience and has worked with the famous Pierre Hermé (dubbed “the Picasso of Pastry” by Vogue), Michelin three-starred restaurant La Tour d’Argent, Champs-Elsyées Ladurée shop in Paris, Fauchon, and Dalloyau. Sounds impressive? He is also a training and business consultant at the World’s Top Ten Pastry School Ferrandi, and Ecole Gastronomique Bellouet Conseil, and represents Cabosse Chocolate and Grand Marnier brands as a Celebrity Ambassador.

The chocolate-heavy delights that he brings to Nuo are artsy and elegant in appearance. They include strawberry and basil chocolate cheesecake, French dark chocolate (using cacao from Vietnam), Le Carnaval (milk chocolate cake, raspberry confit), Choux Laurent, and more. His Le Bounty was very impressive, thanks to its glossy ganache glaze, topped with a chocolate sheet and tart passion-fruit flavored cream, and a generous spoon of caviar with savory and umami flavors to balance the rich sweetness of the dark chocolate. The touch of a tiny gold leaf foil made it more like a work of art than a mere dessert. The Sesame Blanc, green tea, vanilla chocolate Ivoire was also impressive, which involved Moreno creating the perfect ratio between Chinese tea and chocolate. Its white chocolate was not overly sweet, with a hint of tea flavor.

You could also pair the sweets with their creative iced coffee – they freeze the coffee into cubes, put them in a nice glass, then you could just pour milk and syrup on those cubes to make your perfectly chilled cup of joe. The chocolate afternoon tea will be available from Apr 2 at Lobby Lounge, Nuo Hotel. Call 5926 8888 for reservations.

Rosewood Beijing
After collaborating with China’s notable Bao Bao Wan Fine Jewelry, Rosewood Beijing joins Delvaux, one of the world’s most famous luxury brands to present an exquisite afternoon tea at Bistrot B Lounge and Bar until Apr 30.

Founded in Belgium in 1829, Delvaux filed its first patents for handbags in 1908. Their bags are works of art with dynamic and incandescent colors, such as chili orange, turquoise, flamingo pink, saffron red, and ebony, inspired by Ethiopia. Executive pastry chef Florian Couteau and his team create a number of savory and sweet delights to echo Delvaux’s latest collection, such as orange and roasted pine nut marmalade with Madagascar whipped vanilla ganache, which came in a beautiful ball-shape with shiny orange glaze that was not overly sweet; Caribbean chocolate crèmeux with Himalayan salt sable, which mirrors the season’s Ethiopia silk twill; and rye bread with ricotta and asparagus. This afternoon tea costs RMB 388 and is available between 2.30-5.30pm at Bistrot B Lounge and Bar, and includes an exclusive gift prepared by Delvaux. Along with the afternoon tea, there will be a pop-up store in the Lobby Shop with the maison’s latest Spring/Summer 2018 collection. Call 6536 0066 for reservation.

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos courtesy of venues, Tracy Wang

Central Sanlitun seems to be having a bit of a café and bakery explosion right now. To add to the plethora of ground-floor bakeries in Topwin Center as well as the newly minted Moleskine Café, Gertz Danish Bakery continues the positive trend toward baking that aligns more with western standards (read: bread that’s not sweet and cakes not slathered in whipped cream).

Gertz wears its Scandinavian roots on its sleeve; a neat minimalist décor moves the gamut of neutral tones from cream to light gray to dark blue. Edison bulbs match the sparse design and have the effect of illuminating the mountain of bread (RMB 9-42), with a warm and comforting glow.

Aside from those loaves, there are plenty of basic Danish-style dishes, such as salads (RMB 66/68), soups (RMB 25-42), open sandwiches (or smørrebrød, RMB 48-54), sandwiches (RMB 58/62), breakfast sets (RMB 48-62), as well as the usual drink options: coffee (RMB 24-34), tea, and juice.

The salmon sandwich (RMB 62)

The salmon sandwich (RMB 62) was a satisfying wedge of baguette covered with black and white sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, and a filling of thick slices of smoked salmon, a generous spoonful of caviar, sour cream, dill, and lettuce. The sandwich more than proved its heft via the fact that it required both hands to pick it up as well as a fork to shove the fillings back in from time to time.

The egg and shrimp open sandwich (RMB 48)

Of the open sandwiches, or smørrebrød, we tried the egg and shrimp version (RMB 48), featuring a large lettuce leaf atop a piece of rye bread and finished with a sliced boiled egg, tomato, shrimp, and mayonnaise served on a wooden board. Similar to the sandwich, it required a certain technique to best tackle this fresh and wobbling flower-like tower. For a dessert option, the large, moist, and delicious kanelsnegle (cinnamon bun, RMB 18) comes covered in icing sugar and a punchy cinnamon kick that is sweet enough to have you instantly hooked.

Indeed, from the moment you enter this inviting bakery and café, breathe in the soothing aroma of the freshly baked bread, and devour one of Gertz’s sizable sandwiches (open or closed), you’ll soon be wrapped in a plush blanket of what is now perhaps Denmark’s most famous export: A deep feeling of coziness.

Gertz
Daily 9am-10pm. S2-11, 1/F, Bldg 2, Sanlitun Taikooli, 19 Sanlitun, Chaoyang District
朝阳区三里屯路19号院2号楼1层S2-11单元

More stories by this author here.

Email: tracywang@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @flyingfigure
Instagram: @flyingfigure

Photos: Tracy Wang

The saying “if you can’t beat your enemy, join them” rings particularly true during Spring Festival, a time when our sight is inundated by a sea of red and an explosion of characters decorating doorways and windows. Without some prior knowledge of Chinese language or traditions, it can be hard to decode the many symbols that appear around this time year so we’ve created this guide so you know what exactly all the fuss is about.

福 fú – Happiness or blessing
You’ll see this character more than any other during Spring Festival. Printouts, paper cuttings, or hand-written characters are pasted to doors, glass, and walls and represent the invitation of happiness and good fortune into homes, restaurants, and offices. If you see the character pasted upside down, you may be forgiven for thinking that someone’s botched it but it’s actually a play on words: 福倒了 fú dàole, or “happiness upside-down,” has the same exact pronunciation as 福到了, or “happiness has arrived.” There’s also a set day to affix your 福 (along with couplets, New Year pictures, and the Gods of the Gate; more on those below) which falls on the 30th day of the 12th lunar month, Feb 15 for the upcoming Year of the Dog.

春联 chūnlián – Couplets
The custom of pasting couplets to either side of your front gate originated in the Song dynasty, when people would write or buy couplets from local poets expressing good wishes for the new year. There’s no punctuation in couplets, and to read them in the correct order, first read the left horizontal scroll, then the horizontal scroll on the right, and finally, the scroll above the door.

An example would be:

事事如意大吉祥 (shì shì rúyì dà jíxiáng) May you have good luck in everything;

家家顺心永安康 (jiā jiā shùn xīn yǒng’ān kāng) May your family be healthy and trouble-free;

四季兴隆 (sìjì xīnglóng) Be prosperous all year long.

Or:

迎新春事事如意 (yíng xīnchūn shì shì rúyì) With the spring incoming, everything goes well;

接鸿福步步高升 (jiē hóngfú bùbùgāo shēng) Good luck falls on you, and your career will bloom;

好事临门 (hǎoshì línmén) Good things are around the corner.

门神 ménshén – Gods of the Gate
People also often paste a pair of images detailing Chinese Taoist gods to drive away “evil spirits” and safeguard their house. Normally, the gods will face each other and their auspiciousness can be bolstered with additional images of 福 or matching couplets.

年画 niánhuà – New Year paintings
These propitious paintings are also hung during Spring Festival to invite good luck and add a little extra decoration to the house. They often feature gods and mascots, conventional practices, stories of the folk tales, chubby babies, happy husbands and wives, and fish (normally carp). The holiday season presents a time when last year’s picture is replaced with a new one, what is known as 辞旧迎新 (cí jiù yíngxīn), “to say goodbye to the past and welcome the future.”

剪纸 jiǎnzhǐ – Paper Cuttings
Traditional paper cuttings are usually made from red paper (by far the luckiest of Chinese colors; see below) and pasted on windows or glass. The cuttings can be a mix of characters, flowers, or pictures of the happy events that express good wishes and happiness.

红 hóng – Anything Red
Yes, red is the color of the season. The reasons are that red, hóng, is a homophone of 洪, meaning prosperity, and the color is traditionally shorthand for everything fortuitous, hence the unending sea of red packets (红包 hóngbāo) red lanterns, red couplets, red paper cuttings, red Chinese knotting (中国结 zhōngguójié), red undies … you name it, it can be found in red. Stuck as to what to wear to your Chinese friend’s house over the break? Slap some red on you and become the instant life of the party.

双喜 aka 囍 shuāng xǐ – Double Happiness
Though not specifically for Spring Festival, the character for double happiness (two characters for 喜 happiness together), apart from adorning many a cigarette packet, represents well-wishes to soon-to-be-married bride and grooms, of which there is an influx during Spring Festival given people’s penchant for celebration at this time. You’ll often see them in close proximity to the bride and groom’s house or at the wedding venue.

Photos : bjxlmc, huitu (1), zcool,  163, thmz, 1688, sina, guoku
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See more stories by this author here.