There is one Asian ingredient that has been controversial for decades: the infamous white crystallized powder, monosodium glutamate, aka MSG. It was first discovered by Japanese scientist Kikumae Ikeda in 1908, who created a new flavor known as umami, which translates to “deliciousness” in Japanese. However, many Westerners new to ... Read More
Before coming to China I only knew of two types of Chinese cuisine: Hakka, and the terrible American Chinese restaurants that my family wouldn’t dare step into. But since I moved to Beijing, plumbing the depths of the entire country’s various cuisines has been an enlightening experience. Many ... Read More
Last year for Chinese New Year, I viewed the fireworks from Atmosphere, on the 80th floor of the China World Summit Wing. Though the view of dusty Beijing looking like a warzone was unlike anything I’d ever seen before, I was really craving traditional Chinese dishes that I’m ... Read More
Ring in the New Year and bring on the New Year’s Resolutions! But instead of typical, boring, lose weight kind of goals, I’m setting fun and measurable dining resolutions for myself, so that this year will be one of gourmet growth and indulgence.
The biggest weakness of being ... Read More
In my opinion, cheese is the best dairy product on earth. Growing up on a strictly Chinese diet, I only discovered it late in childhood in the school lunchroom. But since moving to Beijing, I’ve found that cheese is actually an integral part of a handful of Chinese cuisines ... Read More
Now that it’s officially cold and the heat’s been turned on, it’s time to hibernate. On the weekends, waking up hungover, there is nothing I want more than to recover in my bed, watch a show and order in. Luckily, Beijing’s food delivery services are multiplying ... Read More
With colder weather ahead, I’ve been thinking about those not fortunate enough to eat well or enjoy the simple things in life that we all take for granted. Luckily, Beijing is a booming capital of foodies who are eating for the greater good. And the growing number of charity ... Read More
From dressing up as Disney princesses during my childhood, to crazy nights throughout the weeklong celebrations in college, Halloween has always been my favorite holiday of the year. With candy in the spotlight, pumpkin often gets overlooked as a great Halloween food, but these orange gourds are versatile and delicious ... Read More
Italian food is a cuisine very dear to my heart. College vacations spent working at La Pastaria, a family-run Italian restaurant in America, made me believe I had become an expert in this realm of cuisine. It was only later on, when I studied abroad in Rome, that I realized ... Read More
Molecular gastronomy—the culinary art of combining cooking and science—has been quietly sneaking into Beijing’s food scene, and it looks like it’s here to stay. Starting August 23, Raffles’ Jaan will even host godfather of molecular gastronomy Ferran Adria, along with molecular magician Chef Dani Garcia. When ... Read More
One of my favorite combinations of taste and texture is sour and salty tang mixed with a crunchy bite, and nothing offers this better than pickles. I’m not trying to sound like the Jersey Shore’s pickle-obsessed munchkin Snooki, but pickles show up in many cuisines—from Korean to ... Read More
Tofu is a versatile ingredient of many different textures made out of soybeans and water, coagulated into a semi-solid element with lots of nutritional value. Though mostly associated with vegetarianism in the West, tofu is not just for meat-free meals. It originates from China and is prominent in many Asian ... Read More
In an inland city like Beijing, finding fresh seafood is a challenge. Most expats here already know about the Sanyuanli Market, which supplies the capital with very fresh seafood. But if you are willing to travel a little farther, venturing to the Jingshen Seafood Market, located in the south of ... Read More
The Hakka (kejia, or “guest” in Chinese) are known as the nomads of the Chinese people. My family typifies this characteristic, and has migrated throughout East and South Asia to America. Throughout their travels, they’ve adapted Hakka food, incorporating flavors from the various places they have lived in, while ... Read More
I have always been a die-hard carnivore, and therefore very skeptical about vegetarianism. But as a foodie who’s willing to eat anything, I decided to put my annoyance aside and go on an exploration of the city’s vegetarian “food,” just in time to lose some weight before I ... Read More
Growing up in the restaurant industry has given me thorough insight into day-to-day food service operations. When I was a child in America, my parents would sit me at the back table of our family restaurant, Oriental Court, an experience that taught me what it takes to run a successful ... Read More
Outdoor dining is my favorite activity in Beijing. After a long winter, we all deserve some vitamin D and playtime outside. Everyone enjoys a good meal on the various terraces atop the Village, but I appreciate more classical architecture for the best local atmosphere. Of course I love dining at ... Read More
I am truly blessed to be a food writer in Beijing. I’ve been on my fair share of full-out binges in restaurants and kitchens all around the city and enjoy every second of indulgence. But sometimes I enjoy cooking at home for a change of pace. This means finding ... Read More
Waiting tables is truly an art. You have to keep track of each dish on each table, be attentive and cordial without seeming overbearing, all while keeping your cool even if you’re serving the rudest jerk on the planet (believe me, I’ve been there). Foreigners in Beijing know ... Read More
Before I moved to Beijing, Xinjiang food was an absolute enigma to me. Since coming here almost three years ago, though, I’ve enjoyed lots of China’s western cuisine. Recently, I went to food writer Jen Lin-Liu’s talk at the Capital M Literary Festival on Foods of the ... Read More
Call me a pothead, but I think some of the best meals are hot pot and dry pot, both made in one of China’s main cooking utensils—the guo (锅), or cooking pot. What I love about these meals is their versatility, since you can always choose what to ... Read More
Home to the city’s newest Champagne brunch, TANGLA Hotel’s Café d’Or boasts a well-executed and decently-sized buffet, as well as top class service. The buffet (¥193 for lunch, ¥250 for dinner) spans two sunny dining rooms. One is stocked with a salad area, seafood and Japanese cuisine ... Read More
How do you judge good food?
I like clean food that don’t confuse. For me, the presentation is very important. I like colours and textures. I work with colours like greens, pink, red, black—clean colours that complement each other. You can eat with or without the sauces. In ... Read More
Try asking a foodie to name three famous female chefs and I doubt you’ll get any answers. Women are the traditional family nourishers and recipe-hoarders, yet they don’t dominate the professional culinary world in the least. I spoke to Beijing’s top female chefs and restaurant pros to ... Read More
Jianguomen | Chuan Ban
Chuan Ban is one of the finest Sichuan restaurants in the city—naturally since the government officials from the Sichuan province have their representative office in the same building. Chuan Ban does a textbook version of this dish (¥18) that takes an extra 20 minutes to prepare ... Read More
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Middle 8th: The New Sanlitun Village Location Has Creative Zest
By JPDM
I tried the new Middle 8 location last night. We tried to make a reservation... >>