Small Talk With... Sushi Secrets

bAlan Wong, owner of Haiku by Hatsune, chats about his new venture and this year's CW Reader's Choice Awards.
Haiku by Hatsune won the Best Newcomer award last year at the CW Reader's Choice Awards. How'd that feel to have your achievement recognized like that? We didn't expect it at all but it was an overwhelming relief to us to be so quickly received in Shanghai's notoriously competitive market. To win this award really gave our hardworking staff the affirmation they so deserved. Did anything change for you or the restaurant after the award? Aside from the obvious increase in customers? I think we matured as a team. We faced a new challenge to live up to the expectations that all the new attention had brought upon us. People were talking about Haiku and California-style sushi--without knowing it, we started a revolution in creative Japanese cuisine here. So how do you think Haiku stands up to the other nominees for the Best Restaurant awards this year? You have some tough competition. If we win, it'll be champagne and canapes at Aqua Lounge [laughs]. If we don't win, it'll be beer and baijiu down the street from Haiku. We hear you've started a new place as well. Tell us about your new restaurant, Sushi Inc. With Sushi Inc. we wanted to create a new venue and not just copy and paste Haiku into Pudong. We made a new fantastic menu offering all new sushi rolls, nigiri sushi and added a yakitori section. But what about our old favorites from Haiku? Of course regulars at Haiku can still enjoy their favorites at the new Pudong restaurant, no worries. If you were a roll, what would you be? I'd be the G Rollin', from my secret menu in Beijing. There's a secret menu? What is this, In & Out Burger? Yeah, we have a list of about nine rolls and 10 kitchen dishes that are all secret--or were all secret--for Hatsune Beijing. The G Rollin' is like a supe'd up Spider Roll, with soft shell crab, avocado and sauces. It's the bomb, and until this interview it was kept secret for our most loyal customers and friends. It's like saving the best parts of me for my closest compadres. With a secret menu and a loyal following, things are looking good for you this year. Have an acceptance speech planned out? It'd be short and sweet: "I love Shanghai. I love being a part of the scene in Shanghai. Thanks to everyone who, just by enjoying our sushi creations, has made us into the success we are today."

Details:

What: CW Readers' Choice Awards
Where: http://www.citweekend.com.cn/shsurvey
When: Vote through May 15

Everyone Is Talking About... What's in a Name

The Beijing Midi Festival goes the way of the Shanghai Midi Carnival, squelching the anticipation of the crowds

After the fall-through of the prospect of a Shanghai Midi Carnival, Shanghailanders who were planning to make the pilgrimage north have yet another cause for disappointment. One of the largest live music festivals in China, Midi, which was set to take place in early May, has recently been "postponed." It seems that the music industry is just not getting any love these days.

Supposedly the festival will take place sometime in autumn, though, as so many of the participating bands already made visa and flight arrangements for May as well as set additional concert dates, it's doubtful that we'll see the same roster later in the year. On the bright side, a post-Olympic Midi may mean an easier time getting visas for those who do decide to make the journey. And the cancellation of Midi didn't put a stop to the music as many of the bands were still scheduled to play smaller shows in Beijing and Shanghai. These performances may have lacked the "Midi" title and the energy of a 10,000 strong crowd (we all know that the crowd is the thing that made the show--and maybe its demise) but at least offered fans a consolation prize.

Midi seems to have been a victim of timing and circumstance rather than negligence. Having secured all its permits and an initial approval from the powers that be, its cancellation came as a not-so-unexpected surprise. Busy with last minute preparations for the millions that will pour into Beijing come August, a pre-Olympic rush was just not in the cards. Eager concert-goers are left now to hope that they'll be dealt a better hand come autumn.

News You Can Use

Glass, Anyone?
In case you haven't been keeping up with international news, there's a brewing controversy surrounding bisphenyl A or BPA, a chemical found in hard, clear plastics and resins (particularly polycarbonate containers). While the chemical is defended by the plastics industry, studies say that once in the body, BPA mimmicks natural hormones and is carcinogenic. While its effect on humans are not yet conclusive, Nalgene water bottles are on recall. Many plastic baby bottles and toys also contain BPA products. How do you know which plastics contain BPA? Many (but not all) plastic products are marked with the label code 7 on the bottom, though metal food cans can have BPA in the lining and are not. To best avoid exposure use glass, stainless steel or porcelain containers, and glass or hard plastic bottles without BPA for baby bottles (look for acrylic bottles).

Put it Out
Beijing is waging a war against smoking, banning smoking in public places. The caveat to this is that smoking is permissible in restaurants, bars, internet cafés and amusement parks in designated areas. While efforts may have increased due to the Olympics, the National Health Ministry has been making a move to curb smoking habits since 1991. If Beijing is moving towards smoke-free status, perhaps Shanghai will be the next to follow suit.

The Mean Streets
Our friends over at Shanghaiist recently came across a protest on Taikang Lu by a resident who felt that the burgeoning Bohemian development was disruptive to residents; she decided to pin up some banners to that effect. The banners were taken down by police, but in the interests of community building, while enjoying the many delights of Taikang Lu, you may want to use your indoor voice while sipping your cappuccino out of respect for local residents.