EAT: Liaoning Cuisine, 11.11 Menu at La Maison Lyonnaise, New Winter Dishes
EAT: Your bite-sized guide to the best eats to be had in Beijing this week.
Liaoning cuisine discovery menu at Jing Yaa Tang
Jing Yaa Tang's head chef Li Dong takes frequent research trips around China to find inspiration for new dishes. His most recent trip took him to the northeastern province of Liaoning, where he explored the cities of Dalian, known for its seafood, and Shenyang, known for its hearty Chinese imperial dishes. Taste some of the dishes he discovered on the menu at Jing Yaa Tang until Dec 19, including stewed Bohai Sea prawns with Chinese cabbage, braised sole fish with tofu and sea urchin sauce, and the Dongbei classic, guobaorou, aka deep-fried pork slices in sweet and sour sauce.
Nov 11: 11.11 menu at La Maison Lyonnaise
Who says 11.11 (aka Single's Day) is also about shopping? Whether you're single, in a relationship, or something in between, grab a partner and head over to Maison Lyonnaise in the Embassy District to enjoy a special French menu created by chef Nadia Meliani. Priced at RMB 650 for two, including two glasses of sparkling wine, the menu features classic Lyonnaise bouchon-style dishes like escargots profiteroles and halibut fish in tarragon sauce. A good way to explore a different kind of consumerism on 1.11 as far as we're concerned!
Enjoy polenta at Annie's
Not often seen at Italian restaurants in Beijing, polenta is a northern Italian staple made from boiled cornmeal. It's a popular winter dish, and this year Annie's has decided to add it to the menu as a side. Their polenta is cooked, shaped into a cake, then sliced and grilled, and comes as an option with all their steak and lamb dishes. You can also order it separately for RMB 15.
New winter dishes at White Tiger Village
Modern Yunnan bistro White Tiger Village has introduced a series of new dishes perfect for Beijing's latest cold snap. As ever, the dishes draw inspiration from Yunnan ingredients, such as a Spanish-style seafood rice given a twist with a broth made from sour Yunnan tamarillos and scented with lemongrass, or charcoal-grilled threadfin fish served with a sauce made from "carved" Dali plums. But if you ask us, we've got our eye on the wagyu beef tartare, perfect with a glass of one of their natural red wines.
Images courtesy of the venues
