Portable Mind: A sort of travel guide

mànmàn chī! Dining in Beijing

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More suggestions for dining in and around Beijing...

Lan Club

An over-the-top, Phillipe Starck-designed bar and restaurant housed in a corporate tower, Lan Club is 60,000 square feet of aesthetic hedonism. Imagine the Hudson/Delano/Clift x100. The food is flavorful Szechuan, with just enough exotic dishes on the menu to keep it interesting. Pricey, but worth visiting if only for drinks. This is the type of place where you can get into trouble (last time I was there, I "accidentally" crashed a Josh Harnett party).

4/F Twin Tower, B12 Jianguomen Waidajie, CBD/Guomao (T) 5109-6012/13

The Schoolhouse at Mutianyu
and Xiao Lu Mian Noodle Shop

It goes without saying that while in Beijing, a visit to the Great Wall is top of the list of things to do; but while the masses usually hit the Badaling section, I strongly recommend a visit to Mutianyu, with stops at the Schoolhouse Campus in Mutianyu Village and neighboring Yingbeigou Village. The Schoolhouse is a lovely respite from crowded Beijing, and features an excellent restaurant (food is homemade, Western-style cuisine), an art gallery, glass shop (they have a studio onsite) and gourmet shop where you can pick up items to take with you on an excursion to the Great Wall.

Xiao Lu Mian (where the above photo was taken) is a simple noodle shop housed in a former farmstead building, situated in the village of Yingbeigou. Both The Schoolhouse and Xiao Lu Mian have perfect views of the Great Wall, and are particularly fantastic to visit at night, when you can sit outside under the moon and stars.

The Schoolhouse: 12 Mutianyu Cun, Huairou  (T) 8610 6162-6506

Xiao Lu Mian: Yingbeigou Village, Huairou Beijing (T) 8610 6162 6506 *Directions are on both websites

Commune By The Great Wall

This was the scene at Commune By The Wall the last time I visited. They were preparing for a wedding, which was scheduled to take place at sunset. Breathtaking. Commune is a Kempinski resort and spa, with several restaurants, just south of the Mutianyu section, about an hour +1/2 outside of Beijing. Each "hotel room" is a unique villa - there are 42 in all, designed by 12 Asian architects. Behind the Cantilever House, a hidden pathway turns into a steep, 20-minute hike that lands you atop a little-known section of the Wall. The rarely visited section is precarious and overgrown, but stunning nonetheless; and, you will likely be the only one there taking in the view.

at The Great Wall Exit No.20 at Shuiguan, Badaling Highway, Beijing (T) 8610 8118 1888    

10 Great Restaurants in Beijing

photo from Face Beijing, Thai restaurant

Perhaps it's due to the upcoming Olympics, but lately I've gotten a lot of requests for dining recommendations in Beijing. I was there one year ago, working on The Games, and had the incredible fortune of dining out practically every night. The 'jing is now one of the most exciting dining destinations in the world, and it was difficult to keep this list down to a manageable number. Another post will follow shortly, but in the meantime, some of my recommendations...

Pure Lotus - Best vegetarian in Beijing, run by Buddist monks. English-speaking staff.
10 Nongzhan Nanli,
Chaoyang Park
in compound below the JVC Tower, 6592-3627
Open 11am-11pm
Price Y200-Y299 per couple

Cepe - High-end Italian
1 Jinchengfang Dongjie, The Ritz Carlton,
Xidan/Financial Street
6601-6666 ext. 6288
Open 11:30am-2:30pm; 6pm-10:30pm
Price More than Y400 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards 

Barolo - Italian, inspired by Italy's Piedmont region
Ritz Carlton Hotel, China Central Place, A83 Jianguo Lu,
CBD/Guomao 5908-8888
Open 11:30am-2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm
Price More than Y400 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards 

Aroma - Features 5 open kitchens, each specializing in a regional cuisine: Japanese, SE Asian,  Indian, Chinese + a Western Grill.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, A83 Jianguo Lu,
CBD/Guomao 5908-8777
Open 6:30am-10:30pm; 11:30am-2:30pm; 6pm-10:30pm
Price More than Y400 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards 

Face Beijing - Features several different restaurants within one building. Thai, Indian, Chinese, & Cantonese. Face was one of my favorite restaurants while I was there, I especially loved the Indian & Thai restaurants.
26 Dongcaoyuan,
Gongti, behind the Cervantes Institute
6551-6788 www.facebars.com
Open 12am-2am
Accepts International Credit Cards 

Green T House –  The most amazing, unique restaurant I have ever been to. Simply poetic.
6 Gongti Xilu,
Gongti, behind Worker's Stadium
6552-8310/11 
info@green-t-house.com
Open 11am-2pm, 6pm-12am
Price Y300-Y399 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards 

Mare - You might not expect to get great Spanish food in Beijing, but this was one of my favorite restaurants. Excellent food and lovely ambiance.
Ground Floor, E-Tower, 12 Guanghua Lu,
CBD/Guomao
6595-4178, 6595-2890 Open 12am-10:30pm
Price More than Y400 per couple
Great local, ex-Pat hangouts

The Tree - Really good pizza and a good beer selection.
43 Bei Sanlitun Nan,
Sanlitun District, 100 meters west of Sanlitun North Bar Street 6415-1954 
Open 10am-2am
Price Y100-Y199 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards 

Café Sambal - Malaysian food in a hutong. Very local, and very good.
43 Doufuchi Hutong, Jiugulou Dajie,
Gulou 6400-4875
Open 12am-12pm
Price Y200-Y299 per couple
Accepts International Credit Cards 

The Rickshaw –  Popular ex-pat hangout, always a soccer game or cricket match on, with a pool table and an excellent DJ.
Sanlitun District, Corner of Sanlitun Nanlu and Gongti Beilu
6500-4330  Open 24H
Accepts International Credit Cards 

It's 5 o'clock Somewhere

I once read that Frank Sinatra had a flagpole, sat between two palm trees and visible for miles, at his home in Palm Springs. At 5:00pm every day, he would raise that flag, signaling to his neighbors (read: other celebs) that it was martini hour. A nice, community-oriented idea, right? Cocktail hour is never more important than in the summertime, when nice weather beckons an excuse to leave work early in pursuit of a rooftop or patio bar. Or, in some cases, a basement bar.

This year, summer began with a trip to Connecticut to celebrate the opening of Costa's Pub, the basement bar belonging to Dan's father. The party lasted an entire weekend, and for good reason - the bar is beautifully designed, fully stocked, complete with a poker table and bowling game. And in the suburbs, Costa's Pub is definitely the most happening place for miles. Why bother going anywhere else? Step outside the bar and you are on a lovely patio where he has a firepit. When lit, it becomes the neighborhood call that it's time to crack open a cold one.

Just like Sinatra.

After that summer kick-off weekend (which tested my stamina, to say the least) it was off to Miami for some R&R (red wine & 'ritas)...

MIA

Outside my window, a band plays latin jazz by the pool as hotel guests in bikinis and swim trunks enjoy their first - third - or fifth cocktail of the day. I'm at the Ritz Carlton South Beach, a hotel that on first glance was somewhat ho-hum. There is a lot of competition for eyeballs in South Beach. I toured the hotel this morning with the sales director, and it has since surpassed my expectations. Incredible attention to detail and gorgeous architecture. And, amidst all of the noise in South Beach, it is a quiet spot.

I am here to take a break, and revive portablemind while I'm at it. While I've been way overdue for a good post, I've spent much of my time posting 140 character "mini posts" on Twitter. Today, I realized that Twitter is a perfect writing tool. I "tweet" throughout the day, and then have the perfect set of notes to construct a longer post or article.

I love it. Despite technology replacing my memory, and my handwriting continuing to deteriorate.

Miracle on Bleeker Street, Nor'Easter on Commerce

Last Sunday might have been the first perfect spring day in New York, and we - along with many other tri-state area residents - chose to spend it wandering the sunny streets of the West Village.

In search of an easy place to meet some friends, we stumbled upon a small Southwestern restaurant called Miracle. It was warm and welcoming, a neighborhood cantina, and we ordered small plates - tilapia tacos and calamari (mine paired with a French rose, perfect for the spicy kick). The food was mouth-watering, flavorful and perfectly prepared. Unfortunately, we'd had dinner at Dos Caminos a few nights earlier and had spectacular margaritas, so Dan's Miracle version didn't live up; but the food beat Dos Caminos hands down, and the prices are far more reasonable.

On the way home we stopped in at Commerce, a neighborhood place tucked away on Commerce and Bedford, occupying the former Grange Hall. We settled into a corner for early evening cocktails amidst a small group celebrating a co-worker, and bartenders eager to make us whatever drinks we wanted. I tried their version of a mint julep - smooth, refreshing, and cut with ginger, while Dan had a Nor'easter, a drink highlighted in NY Mag. He followed up with a Brunswick, which was so good he Twittered about it. A solid recommendation if ever there was one.

Pickpockets in Barcelona, part II

Dan finally provides his own account of the pickpocketing incident in Barcelona. Well, sort of.

In the WD~50 Lab

People travel for all sorts of reasons, but one that truly resonates with me is the pursuit of great culinary experiences. Food, whether it's intimate and homemade, a dish created by a master chef, or purchased at a street fair, can undoubtedly alter an experience for better or for worse, particularly when away from home.

Liz and Noah arrived in New York last weekend from Boston, to dine. Liz is passionate about food, and she planned their weekend around several locations in the city, most of which I'd never heard of. We were invited to join, but not to alter their plans; and having seen her in action, I understand why. She clearly knows what she's doing (hint: please write a blog. or a book. or Twitter).

Saturday was reserved for WD~50, Wiley Dufresne's much-ado about molecules restaurant, on Clinton street, LES. The interior begs casual chic, but it doesn't feel pretentious - it's almost whimsical. Which is counterpoint to the food, which was, well... complicated.

We'd decided on the tasting menu, with wine pairing ($200pp - but, when you can let the chef choose what you eat, it's usually the best option ). The effort begins with the first second dish. The first was a clean and simple starter paired with a wine I recognized, so I felt ahead of the entire experience. That lasted until the next dish, which was, um - pizza pebbles. Four delicate balls placed on a crisp white plate, with slices of pepperoni and shitake mushrooms in between. The consistency was doughy- but the flavor was rich and satisfying. That is, until Noah commented that they tasted like Pizza Combos - which, they kind of did.

The eggs benedict was a much anticipated dish, as it took Dufresne three months to perfect. It is eggs benedict as a shot, delicate pieces of bacon arranged around a column of egg yolk and cylinders of deep fried hollandaise sauce. It was a spectacular punch of breakfast, but I was more intrigued by the choice to serve Pinot Noir with it. Hello, new brunch drink.

Crab tail with cinnamon dashi was next, and outrageously good. The powerful cinnamon scent floated around the creamy texture of the crab, sweet and spicy, like an exotic dessert. It was the crab and the next dish that really stood out for me, along with the fantastic wine pairings throughout. Mom, hold onto your seat - the next dish was chicken liver spaetzle, with pine needle, radish and cocoa nib. It was delicious, and I am not even sure why I liked it so much. It tasted like... chicken, but better?

If WD-50 is to be taken seriously - and, I'm not sure that it is, because Wiley Dufresne certainly plays with his food - it would be a restaurant with only ten tables, individual servers for each, talking about the food the way sommeliers talk about wine. Our server did tell us about the dishes, and he gave each of us a copy of the tasting menu, but it didn't help as much as it should have. At times, I felt like Violet Beauregarde, handed a piece of Willie Wonka's gum and told to chew through all of the different courses. Still, it was one of the most memorable dining experiences I have ever had, and perhaps that's the point. It is food that inspires you to think about how it was prepared, forces you to taste, then describe it by using more words than 'yum'. A rare indulgence.

(I know, I should have taken photos of the dishes. You can find many of them on Flickr, which is where the top photo is from.)

adventures in wine tasting

Vineyards at Chateau de Vie

The aroma of fresh coffee woke me sometime around 8:30 on Sunday morning. It had been placed outside our door on a tray, fully serviced with the proper accoutrements.  The temptation to sleep in was strong, but I'd read so much about the fantastic breakfasts prepared by Phillip that we forced ourselves awake, and joined the other guests in the dining room. Cranberry corn muffins and eggs benedict with an orange hollandaise sauce were on the menu that morning.

There were eight of us at the table. A mother and daughter from the South, and two couples. I was eager to ask everyone for wine tasting recommendations, but no one wanted to get a conversation going. A B&B risk I'd forgotten about - awkward silence at the communal table.

Peter, who'd served breakfast that morning, had suggested several places; and so we began in Sonoma at Ledson. It is family -run winery housed in a 16,000 square foot faux-French Normandy "castle" with a gorgeous view, although compared to rustic Charbay, it felt like a wedding hall. Nonetheless, it was lovely and the wines were outstanding. Of note, the 2004 Reserve Redwood Valley Old Vine Zinfandel and an exquisite Reserve Pinot Noir that I couldn't buy, because it was a Future release. I seriously thought about joining their wine club so I could purchase it, and am still thinking about it. Ledson wines are only available for purchase at the winery, a very select group of wine shops and restaurants, or via the online store.

From there we stopped in at Kunde, which was forgettable; then Mayo Family Winery in Glen Ellen. We had to try the "Adventure Tasting", of course, which featured 12 wines. I have since decided that 12 wines in one tasting is too many to process. Thankfully I had my notebook, and jotted down things like " '05 Page/Nord Syrah, lucious plum, delectable, tastes like dessert", and  "the Sangiovese... walking through the vineyard on a late summer afternoon"... my notes became more colorful with each glass.

The 2002 Syrah we tasted at Merryvale was glass number 25. I love Merryvale reds, particularly the Cabs, so it's always a stop for me when I am in Napa. It was the end of the day, and our server had lost track of which tasting we had ordered (we'd kind of lost track as well), so we ended up tasting 6 wines in total, including the pricey "Profile" flight and a fantastic Cabernet 2004 Reserve.

The only wine we purchased that day, oddly enough, was the Libertine from Mayo. My notes about LIbertine read: "Libertine, an easy evening wine". Not so much, it turns out.  The wine is indeed true to it's name - and probably the reason we ended up outside in the hot tub, in the middle of the vineyards, at midnight.

Another Perfect Weekend

Napa afternoon

A woman in the elevator at Hotel Rex in San Francisco told Dan that she hadn't slept during her entire stay. It seemed as though she was implying that there was a strange history to the hotel - ghosts, perhaps? An idea I brushed off until after I'd had two restless nights, and then had to agree - as nice as the hotel is, perhaps there really is something strange going on. Regardless, it was the beginning of another perfect weekend in California

Every time I go to San Francisco, I have a desire to linger. It is a result of being on the west coast in a city where being outdoors is part of the everyday experience, and culinary pleasures are found in every neighborhood. This time, I created an itinerary that would take us to Napa and Sonoma for the weekend which, after a few busy days and sleepless nights, was a much needed break. But before we left, we made sure to hit a few key spots - drinks at the Big Four, dinner at Chouquet's, and brunch at Beach Chalet for a Ramos Fizz and some fresh Pacific air.

I'd sifted through Trip Advisor before we left for California, and chosen a small but highly recommended inn called Chateau de Vie in Calistoga, a small town at the northern end of Napa. CDV, as it's called, is known for flawless customer service and incredible food provided by hosts Peter and Phillip - and the reviews are exactly right. The inn had a calming effect that we didn't even know we wanted until we arrived. Warmly greeted by Phillip, we got our room key, dropped our bags and headed off to our first wine tasting, at Domaine Charbay in St Helena.

Up winding Spring Mountain road, Charbay is located in an area reminiscent of the way things were back in the 70's, when the California wine scene was starting to bloom (I was told, and it's easy to imagine). And, that's exactly when the winery/distillery - "the still on the hill", as it was described to us - was founded. Charbay is owned and operated by the Karakasevic family, who have been making wine and spirits since 1750. Based on our afternoon tasting, they clearly know what they're doing. I had originally chosen Charbay because I wanted to taste their whiskey, which a friend of mine raved about - but, our timing was off and they were doing wine tastings that Saturday. It did not disappoint. Lara Karakasevic was our hostess, and she sat with us for over an hour, telling us about her father Miles, their family history, and stories about the more interesting visitors they receive at Charbay. Miles was working in the lab next door during our tasting, and I was secretly hoping he would join us because he'd just returned from Mexico where he had been making tequila - I knew there were probably some good stories there. (no such luck)

It was late afternoon when we wrapped up, and we took with us a Chardonnay dessert wine that Lara served over ice, but can also be served in a brandy snifter; and a really delicious Port, which is unlike any other I've tasted.

Charbay is a refreshing departure from the stripmall-esque scene that Napa's Highway 29 can resemble on a Saturday afternoon. Still, beginning a wine tasting journey there sets the bar fairly high. A sense of adventure from that point forward, is required.

Losing control

A sign...

I returned to the hotel and approached the front desk to tell them what had happened to us, hopeful that they would be able to advise me on what to do; or, at the very least, give me a free glass of rioja to make me feel better. No such luck. The front desk attendant gave me a weak smile (dare I say, disdainful?), and said he was sorry to hear about our trouble. When I remained at the desk, he asked me if I wanted to call the authorities? I didn't really, and resigned myself to what had happened. He said to me that it is a common story, being robbed in Barcelona, as if that was supposed to provide me with comfort. Anger changed hands with concern, and I began to wonder whether Dan would return or not.

He had taken off from where I left him to find the neighborhood ring of thieves, in the hopes that someone would lead him back to his wallet. He asked around, and it didn't take long before he found himself in the Arabic section of Barcelona, in a plaza where I'd taken his picture a few days earlier. For 50 Euros, he was told he could get his wallet back. Someone handed him a key and led him to a building, where he waited outside for further instructions. There was an argument, followed by confusion about why he was there, and when he was asked 'where's your girlfriend, the blonde?', he decided that entering the building and continuing on his quest was no longer a good idea. (this is my version of the story - Dan, feel free to fill in the details...)

Almost two hours later, he returned to the hotel in one piece with an adventure story buzzing in his head, which became even more interesting when this story broke, not a month after that night.

Despite the distressing first hours of new year, we managed to recover the next day.  At sunset, we found a place in Port Vell with a view of the harbor and the sea, where we sat outside under heat lamps. It was our first meal on New Year's Day, and over rioja and a gorgeous paella, we recounted the unexpected adventure and astonishing beauty we'd found in Barcelona, and decided to keep it on our list. Of places to return to.