Happy Father’s Day! In celebration of today, we’d like to share a cocktail recipe with you – The Vasectomy.

This cocktail is brought to you by Ryan Reynolds, the Hollywood celebrity who does dry humor better than anyone.

What You’ll Need:

• 2 shots (50ml) x Gin
• 1 shot (25ml) x Cranberry Juice
• 3 shots (75ml) x Tonic
• 1/2 shot (10ml) x Lemon Juice

Recipe:

1. To make The Vasectomy get a tall and start by filling it with ice.
2. Measure and pour in to the glass the cranberry juice, tonic, and squeeze in some lemon juice.
3. Measure and add in the gin and then give the glass a good stir.
4. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Want a laugh or two? Check out Reynolds’s original video on YouTube. A few days after the video was posted, his pal Nick Cannon (dad of eight) made his own rendition of The Vasectomy.

But this yummy cocktail isn’t just for Hollywood celebrities. To help us celebrate this Father’s Day, Stevie Mac (from Beijing’s beloved MacDaddies) and his dog JonJon celebrate this special day with a parody of The Vasectomy.

And there you have it – The Vasectomy. Happy Father’s Day!

Images: Stevie Mac

It’s no secret: We love kids here at Jingkids International! We also love a good cocktail. And it is very rare that we get to combine those two things. In fact, I don’t think we have ever done it before! But we finally found a way to bring our two loves together in a completely appropriate way. We are excited to announce the first-ever Cocktail for a Cause party!

School is out for the summer, and as a way to celebrate, we are organizing a pre-happy hour free-flow party on Fri, Jul 9. An RMB 150 donation to The Library Project will get you admission to Xian Bar at EAST Beijing, with free-flow drinks and light bites for two hours. In addition, you will receive an entry into our lucky draw for some amazing prizes courtesy of Hummingbird Spa, jewelry from Maria Nauen Creations, and Elvis Bags. There will also be a silent auction for items from TRB and The Brickyard. All proceeds will go directly to The Library Project, which helps train teachers and build reading rooms in rural China. There has never been a more worthy reason to day drink!

Scan the QR code below to make your donation and reserve your spot!

KEEP READING: Shaving for a Cause: A New Reading Room Opens With Funds From Maovember!

Images: pexels

Mosto has long been a heavyweight among the Nali Patio dining spots offering casual luxury. Their menu is an experimental take on South American Cuisine, also taking inspiration from Asia, North America, and Europe. It’s a fusion restaurant that shapes up to be a perfect example of why mixing it up always pays.

The meal began with one of three “small plates”. The Smokey Salmon Tataki (RMB 88), seared smoked salmon dressed in orange-ginger teriyaki and black sesame seeds, was a refreshing and tasty start to the evening, and may require that you unashamedly wipe the plate clean with a freshly baked white mini-loaf from the breadbasket.

Smokey Salmon Tataki

I’ve always known Prawn Pil Pil as a dish prepared using olive oil and garlic or sweetened using tomato passata, so I was intrigued by the Chilean Pil Pil (RMB 88), with prawn and squid dressed in a white wine sauce with cilantro. The seafood was perfectly cooked; however, the soft fondant potato that sat beneath the generous portion of squid need not be there.

Chilean Pil Pil

For me, the Japanese Scallops (RMB 125) stole the starter show. Sweet and precisely cooked scallops sitting on a bed of sautéed shiitake mushrooms were divine, and were perfectly matched with a herby parsley sauce and sweet onion compote. This had to be one of my favorites of the evening and will likely go very quickly, so if you need to, order extra scallops for RMB 30 apiece. Ready, steady, prepare to be walloped by the scallops.

Japanese Scallops

The Boston Lobster (RMB 450) has potential to be a show-stopping plate but falls just shy of taking the crown due to the overpowering richness and overzealous quantity of butter which dresses the already rich risotto. Omitting the soaked plums and reworking the presentation would do wonders for a dish that has the makings of an opulent and oh-so-indulgent romance starter.

Boston Lobster

You never need an excuse to order a cheese board, so try Mosto’s Charcuterie Board. It’s cheese and premium cold cuts. Need I say any more?

What should be your go-to dish is the well-seasoned and seared beef tenderloin (RMB 228), which can be served with a side and sauce of your choice. Melt-in-the-mouth imported beef did not disappoint, along with a generous portion of red wine sauce and potato gratin. Other sides and sauces available to pair with the beef (cooked to your liking) include truffle mashed potato, roasted pumpkin, blue cheese sauce, and avocado salsa. This steak is not just a basic steak; it’s a Mosto steak. Say “cheers” to the night and the steak with a glass of Malbec (RMB 75).

Beef Tenderloin

To complete the evening, the manager recommended the chocolate soufflé. Dark chocolate with a lava center was indulgently washed down with a glass of Prosecco (RMB 65). A passion fruit coulis cuts through the richness and adds a pleasant palate-cleansing finish to the dish. If this isn’t the luxurious ending that all couples should experience on a date night, I don’t know what is!

Against a backdrop of exposed brick and candlelight, Mosto has instant flair and notes of bohemian charm, but unfortunately can be let down at times by lackluster service. This can be forgiven when knocking back one of their finer offerings, such as their Whiskey Sour (RMB 65); sweeter than usually prepared and finished with a frothy and fragrant egg white foam, this yumminess in a glass will prepare you to enjoy South American contemporary fare that you may just decide to make a regular trip for.

Whiskey Sour (left) Espresso Martini (right)

Top Tip: Order the Espresso Martini (RMB 80) with or for dessert. Well-balanced coffee, vodka, Kahlua, and Baileys will keep tiredness at bay, sweeten the tooth and add some warmth to your night (not that you’ll need it.)

Mosto
D308, 3/F Nali Huayuan, No.81 Sanlitun Bar Street, Chaoyang District (010 5208 6030) 朝阳区三里屯酒吧街81号那里花园3楼D308号 (近三里屯VILLAGE)

Photos: Nicole Bonnah, www.chifanforcharity.org

It’s time to take you on another culinary journey! It’s date night, and I’ve taken your weekly or monthly need for romance, good food, and glamorously seductive surroundings to a whole new level. Be prepared to be spoiled for choice.

Jing Yaa Tang: Sophisticated Hedonism

Nestled beneath the calming oasis that is Opposite House Hotel you will find a touch of unpretentious class. This one is for the discerning date night foodie, who will enjoy an eclectic mix of some of China’s best-loved and most inspired cuisines.

In this former nightclub, now a mood-lit and modern dining space, friendly and knowledgeable staff await to help you peruse the concise but colorful menu. Let the well-traveled and experienced front-of-house team take care of you, with paired wines poured by their resident sommelier, and beautifully presented dishes that deliver on both elegance and flavor.

Punchy, sweet cherry tomatoes in plum sauce (RMB 58) burst in the mouth to provide you with an appetizer that could just as well be a dessert or sweet palate cleanser. This dish was a surprising and robust element among the flawless, flavorsome bowls I devoured before the main; Sichuan poached chicken with crushed peanuts in spicy sauce (RMB 78), tea plant mushroom salad with Meiji dressing (RMB 78), and botan shrimp with ginger dressing (RMB 118). Simply divine.

Cherry tomatoes in plum sauce, Sichuan poached chicken in spicy sauce, and tea plant mushroom salad

Don’t let the starched linen covered tabletops deceive you. No one is trading in substance for style. This is fine dining with a hedonistic and modern flair epitomized by such dishes as the Jing Yaa Tang pork ribs in spicy black bean sauce (RMB 198). Guests can also enjoy well-executed classic offerings like stir-fried string beans with minced pork (RMB 68). Whatever you do, don’t leave without ordering the “three cups” clay pot with cod fish and basil (RMB 228). A little more on the pricey side, but worth the extra Renminbi for an experience I can only describe as heavenly.

Jing Yaa Tang Pork Ribs

If you’ve frequented just a few Chinese restaurants in the Jing, you will know that most will offer some variation of Chinese fried rice (chǎo fàn), and here you will find what I believe to be a superior take on the humble staple. Shaved dried scallop, organic egg, and beautifully cooked shrimp dress white grains of seasoned rice in their Jing Yaa Tang fried rice (RMB 128). A cut above all the rest.

Jing Yaa Tang Fried Rice

All this, washed down with a Sauvignon Blanc (RMB 85 per glass) to pair the starters, and a Pinot Noir (RMB 120 per glass) for the pièce de résistance that was the Jing Yaa Tang Roast Duck (RMB 188, half/ RMB 328, whole). Hung and dried in-house for 24 hours before cooking, the duck really is a showstopper, not because of the usual ceremonial carving at the table, but because of the quality of the duck served, with exceptionally crispy skin that melts in the mouth. If you really want to impress on date night, this is the way to go.

The simple equation that leads to all successful date nights is atmospheric surroundings, plus good food. Jing Yaa Tang has perfectly partnered these two elements and takes you on a refined culinary expedition of China’s expansive regional delicacies.

Top tip: Before taking to your seats, take a look at the installations on loan in the exhibition hall in the lobby area of the hotel, and grab a cocktail at Mesh. The Jing Yaa Tang (RMB 88) is fab: a sweet take on the classic whiskey sour with notes of orange in the finish. Enjoy!

Opposite House
Taikoo Li (Lower Ground Level) Sanlitun North, No. 11 Sanlitun Road, Chaoyang District (www.theoppositehouse.com/10 6410 5230) 朝阳三里屯路11号太古里北区地下1层