Capital Bites: Wintering at Ssam, Kro's Pizza Cup Party and Hello Kitty Opens for Business
It was a good week in food. Yes, the weather is terrible. Yes, nobody else can breathe either. Yes, all of it yes, yes, yes. But you gotta focus on the positives of being in the Beej. Maybe you've got an ayi who'll wash your window frames for you. Maybe you have the luxury of supporting yourself easily (*cough*English teachers*cough*) while figuring out what you want to do in life. Maybe you're in a city where world-class cuisine is comparatively cheap. So, y'know, go out and get some this weekend.
(Oh, and in case you forgot, we ran this little pizza competition a while back. Now we're throwing it a party. Keep reading for details and more food news.)
I was at Sureño on Monday night (Dec 12) where the house was packed for the first night of their "Who's Your Daddy?" promotion, featuring chef Jurg Blaser. Their usual speed is (excellent) Mediterranean fare, but chef Blaser does remarkably delicious French. Some things on the menu were quite a departure - the "chicken tea" listed is not tea-flavored chicken - but my favorite of the night was their beef tournadeau. That's it pictured above. I am lucky to be frequently given the chance to enjoy good steak, but it still knocks my socks off every time. Chef Blaser is there until the December 17, so call now if you want that dinner reservation!
Ganges' Sanlitun Village branch has closed. They plan to open another new branch soon, but for now, Sanlitun dwellers can visit their Dongzhimenwai location, just ten minutes walk from the Village. Throughout December, customers will also receive a complimentary glass of house wine or draft beer.
Ssam has a revamped menu for winter. Highlights include a very hearty bulgogi (like a san choy bao but much tastier!) and ginseng-poached chicken breast. The kimchi and pork sausage is also a standout, with a slightly softer kimchi flavor allowing the porkiness to come through. Ssam also have a lot of low-cal desserts (chef Ahn likes using tofu) but it tastes like the real thing, and not like Splenda.
On a related note, I've noticed that Sanlitun Soho (home to Ssam) is still receiving very little foot traffic. This is somewhat concerning, as restaurants have already started going out of business - I'm lookin' at you, Tonton & Tata. I'd like to think that others won't go the same way, but the pedestrians just aren't there. You don't have to go to Ssam (though you should) - but on the weekend, try exploring SLT Soho. There are all kinds of gems in the cracks - it might just surprise you.
One of Sanlitun Soho's better venues, Moment Cafe, are doing pastas and risottos for winter (yay!).
So our Pizza Cup ended a fortnight ago, and we're celebrating with Kro's. Next Monday (Dec 19) is when it all goes off, from 7pm. There's a 12 percent discount running all night, so you can eat all the fried mushroom chips your little heart fancies.
Nobu is beginning to serve Sunday brunch as of this month (we're surprised too!). We're told that diners will have a choice of appetizer and main, as well as a selection of carbohydrate-based dishes and desserts. RMB 388 will get you in the door on Sunday morning, and a further RMB 250 all-you-can-drink sake. Let us know if you go!
It was brought to our attention that Nathan's Famous lacked a directory entry. That has now been remedied. Go forth and opine!
Agua's set lunch: A+ stuff. It's hard to stand out in a sea of Sanlitun set lunches (and facing stiff competition from the rest of the Nali Patio set!) but Agua impressed with their lemon-in-a-jar (super cute) and their simple pan-fried fish of the day. Seriously, don't bother with the other mains. Not that they're bad, but because Jordi Valles has a divine way with the fishy. RMB 89/99 for two/three courses respectively and good for businessmen, ladies who lunch and splurging students alike.
And finally, the Hello Kitty Dreams restaurant in Shimao department store has soft-opened. They serve burgers, sandwiches and other Western dishes (menu possibly to be expanded). I'll pay them a visit soon - expecting the worst, but still hoping for the best. Which is all we can ever do. Have a good week, Beijing snacksters!
Photos: Susan Sheng
