Beijing Boyce

Palette Vino is hosting a single malt tasting on March 28 (8 PM), hosted by Kelvin Tam from Taiwan. The tasting includes selections from the Highland, Speyside and Islay regions. The single malts include:
Ancnoc 12-year-old
Speyburn 10-year-old
Balblair 1997
Old Pulteney 12-year-old
Laphroaig 10-year-old

The fee per person is RMB200 and snacks are included. To RSVP, contact Leo Liu at 8046-4461 / leo@palettewines.cn.

Cafe Europa marks its second anniversary on March 21 with free food, soft drinks and beer at RMB10 per glass, and still and sparkling wine at RMB25 per glass. While there won’t be a repeat of last year’s pig roast in Jianwai Soho’s courtyard, the BBQ will be fired up for the evening.

Q Bar now sports a shiny aluminum kitchen, so expect some snack options to soon appear on the menu. Don’t be surprised if Q also extends its popular deck. While Q has struggled with service at times – notably because it emphasizes making proper drinks, no matter how busy the place is – it ranks among the the brightest spots in the city’s drinking scene over the past two years.

I’ve only popped into OT Lounge briefly, so no review yet, but give credit to ex-that’s Beijing editor Leon Lee for lining up a slew of acts for the place. April includes performances by Xia Jia Trio (April 4), New Photon Trio (April 5, 19, and 26), New Photon Trio with Diliana Georgieva (April 11 and 12), and the Nathaniel Gao Quintet playing Thelonius Monk (April 18) and John Coltrane (April 25). OT has a happy hour from 5-8 PM daily, with two-for-one beer and cocktails and house wine at RMB25 per glass.

I’d rather not return to this topic, given my post in December, but I wish the Beijing Wine Club would get its act together. I planned to skip last Saturday’s event, but after running into the club’s co-founder at The Rickshaw a day before and getting an SMS from someone who signed up, I decided to drop into Nearby the Tree.

The event was billed as a “tasting” of wines from “women winemakers” of the world.

To me, such an event should involve education about the wines and the people making them. Instead, what I learned came from asking the servers to produce the bottles from behind the counter so that I might check the labels and from talking to a Summergate rep.

As for the “women winemakers” theme, the angle was more like “women involved in wine.” It didn’t help that the selection was limited by the club patronizing one distributor, in this case Summergate, doubly disappointing given the recent Time Out China Wine Guide mess.

In the end, I arrived, I paid RMB150, I drank five samples, I checked the wine labels, I talked to a few people, and I left. In a city where there seems to be a monthly “100 wines for RMB100″ tasting, a good weekly Friday night tasting for ~RMB100, and plenty of spots to meet friends and try wine by the glass for RMB35 and up, this event didn’t exactly ooze – or trickle, for that matter – value.

There is nothing wrong with people gathering to socialize, but here the emphasis is on “club” and “wine” is peripheral. It took me back to the wine events held by the former networking group YPHH [Young Professionals Happy Hour], though even those did more to provide a wine-centric experience.

As a consumer I hope to see more BWC events like the one held at Sequoia Café in November, which included two blind tastings, two quizzes and a barbecue for RMB220. In addition to drawing a good turnout, the event was well organized, informative, and fun.

Coming to your neighborhood ((c) ABC)

Last week, about as many people contacted me to ask “Who are Crockett and Tubbs?” as entered the contest, so this week we’ll go with some current TV characters: Desperate Housewives.

Leave a comment about where you would take the wives – or an individual “wife”, if you like – and you’ll be entered in the weekly draw. (Frankly, I’m thinking Suzie Wong. No one would blink an eye if we sipped tequila from each other’s navels, plus imagine the cat fight potential. Then again, there’s Treasure Island. Choices, choices….)

The prizes:

- A bottle of Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres

- A package of four books – Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Mandarin Phrasebook, Healthy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide, and Spicy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide – from Immersion Guides.

The deadline for entering the draw is Tuesday at noon. The winner will be announced the next day. (Note: I can only ship prizes to addresses in Beijing. One entry per week per person, please.)

Hmmm, they seem to like wine. A good sign… ((c) ABC)

Cellar Rat rules: Whatever you do, he gets the next seven shots. ((c) stockvault)

Whizzing along the Third Ring Road, you might have passed the rainbow of lights that is The Pool Bar sign. Things are no less eye-catching inside the place.

Imagine six people got together, opened a bar, and each designed a portion to their liking. That kind of sums up the decor of The Pool Bar. The entrance, in B1, is fronted by a huge door that is one part bank vault, one part submarine hatch and one part Buck Rogers in the 21st Century. A whoosh of air to suggest decompression upon opening would be perfect.

I won’t go into all of the details of the décor, but some of the features include:

- Pool tables down the bar’s left side, which is carpeted and topped with a white ceiling of exposed piping and strings of Christmas lights. The odd thing is the designer added fake pipes. As The Cellar Rat noted, “The artificial pipes didn’t do me to well. You see pipes, you think effluent.”

- A bar with space for about a half-dozen people.

- A grand piano.

- A separate area with seven old-fashioned wing chairs faced by a kind of psychedelic wall covering broken up by strips of electric-blue fluorescent lighting.

- An area of high tables and high black-leather and chrome chairs.

- A strip of three computer terminals.

- An area of simple diner-style booths that each seat four to six.

- A sort of Winter Wonderland area with tree branches decked in tiny white lights.

- TVs

And so on. As they say, you have to see it to believe it, and it is certainly worth a look.

Pool is RMB69 for the first hour and a staff member is on hand to rack the balls and watch as people, like The Cellar Rat and I, make fools of themselves. A bottle of 1998 Lafite is RMB20000+; Jacob’s Creek is more wallet-friendly at RMB250 or so. We stuck to Corona at RMB35 per bottle.

“The place has good tables and strange décor,” said The Cellar Rat. “It’s not bad.”

It’s especially not bad if you play by The Cellar Rat’s rules. These include: 1) each of my mistakes mysteriously resulting in him getting three free shots; 2) the requirement that I cross myself three times, do twenty pushups, wear bottle caps over my eyes, and call the pocket when shooting the black ball or I automatically lose (I may be slightly exaggerating here), and 3) no penalty for him creating unfair distractions.

And there was one such distraction: The Cellar Rat moved his coat and RMB8000 in RMB100 bills spilled out of it and onto the floor (he had been to the bank but had no time to drop his cash at home).

He could pick up that coat a thousand times and never duplicate the ensuing mess. It was if every bill in the pile hated the others and wanted to get as far away from them as possible. Given the difficultly of picking up paper on thin carpeting and my laughing, he did a good job of gathering the money together in, say, 45 seconds. It broke my focus, but you know what, some things are worth it just for the memory.

For the inaugural Celebrity Pub Crawl, players recommended Beijing bars for the dynamic crime-fighting, pastel-wearing, Spyder-driving duo of Crockett and Tubbs from the TV show Miami Vice. The picks included Bar Blu, Alfa, Q Bar and Bus Bar, among others.

Alack and alas, there is only one winner. The name of everyone with a legitimate bar recommendation was written on a card and entered in a draw. Mark ‘The Dapper Dude’ Rybchuk from China Radio International’s China Drive show witnessed the process and pulled the winning card. The winner gets:

- A bottle of Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres

- A package of four books – Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Mandarin Phrasebook, Healthy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide, and Spicy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide – from Immersion Guides.

And the winner is: Badr B.

Congratulations to Badr and thanks to everyone who participated. Celebrity Pub Crawl II starts tomorrow.

Upcoming Beijing tastings

March 12, 7 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB150
Mount Langi Ghiran tasting, by The Wine Republic; four wines with “tasting plates”; RSVP with Joseph Kiang at Cafe Europa (5869-5663).

March 13, 7 PM, L’isola, RMB898
Pio Cesare wine dinner, by Torres, with fourth-generation proprietor Pio Boffa; RSVP with Sophie at 5165-5519, x208 / sophie@torres.com.cn.

March 14, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Café (Sanlitun), RMB150
Pinot Noir blind tasting, with appetizers; RSVP with Frank at frank.siegel@gmail.com.

March 15, Blu Lobster, RMB1788
Chateau Cos d’Estournel dinner, by ASC, with Cos d’Estournel CEO Jean Guillaume Prats; RSVP by calling Blu Lobster at 6841-2211, x6728.

March 20, 7 PM, Grill Restaurant (Radisson SAS), RMB588
Kendall-Jackson wine dinner, by ASC, with Jackson Asia-Pacific Regional Director Jack Cook; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226, or Daisy Wang (Radisson) at 5922-3152.

March 26, 6:30 PM, Aria (China World), RMB1200
Riedel wine tasting dinner, by ASC, with company CEO Maximilian Riedel; 4 wines; participants take home 4 Riedel glasses; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226.

Note: To get an wine event listed, send the event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.

Upcoming China trade shows

Shanghai China International Wine Exposition, 10 AM-5 PM, March 14-16, Shanghai Mart*

Wine Culture China, March 16 -18, China World Trade Center* (does anyone know anything about last year’s show? I hear this event is focused more on olive oil than on wine)

Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2008, 9:30 AM-6:30 PM, May 27-29, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

* A hat tip to Ricardo D for sending me these links.

Yellow Valley’s de Ruiter and Beijing Cheese Society’s Ruwart (Photo:BCS)

There is no shortage of wine and cheese events in Beijing, but rare are those featuring Chinese wine and Chinese cheese that are both good.

Last night, Beijing Cheese Society gathered at New Verandah in Shunyi to taste Yellow Valley cheeses and Grace Vineyard wines from nearby Shanxi province.

I first tried Yellow Valley cheeses at a Palette Vino wine tasting last December and, like many other people, was surprised to learn they were domestically made. The cheese is tasty and fresh, and flavors include plain, herb, and garlic and onion.

Yellow Valley founder Marc de Ruiter started experimenting in 2004 – “I was making cheese five kilograms at a time,” he says – and set up the company in 2006. The company’s three goals: to make the best artisan Gouda in China, to help the local farmers, and to be “socially responsible.” de Ruiter deals directly with the farmers, thus enabling them to make more money, he says.

We tried the cheeses with Euro-bakery bread, Veranda appetizers (including delicious sausage rolls), and Chardonnay and Cabernet-Merlot from Grace Vineyard, which is only a 90-minute drive from Yellow Valley.

(Hmm, a winery and a cheese-making operation close together. Do I sniff a road trip?)

The event and the quiz were organized by Beijing Cheese Club co-founder Sharon Ruwart, who has been giving feedback to deRuiter on his cheeses for three years.

By the way, New Veranda (next to Western Academy Beijing) offers a large airy space, with rough plank floors, cranberry colored walls, and white thick-trimmed ceiling-to-floor windows. And free wireless. And there is a lengthy veranda out back. The place has a 48-kuai breakfast that yours truly intends to soon check out. Yellow Valley cheeses are available at Euro-bakery, Palette Vino and South German Bakery, among other venues.

For more information:
New Veranda
Yellow Valley
Grace Vineyard

Checking out Chinese cheese at The Veranda (Photo: BCS)

City Weekend is looking for a Beijing Entertainment Editor to cover the city’s dining scene as well as the community and sports sections. The magazine seeks someone who is familiar with the dining scene and has editorial experience, strong writing skills, and conversation Chinese skills. For more details, see this ad on the City Weekend Web site.

Coming hard on the heels of The Haiku Challenge, my new contest – The Celebrity Pub Crawl – is off to a roaring start with… uh… one participant (thanks m-dawg).

I don’t know what is more depressing: 1) the lack of participation or 2) that five people told me via the Internet that they draw a blank when they see Miami Vice’s Crocket and Tubbs, the focus of this week’s contest.

Talk about making a guy feel dated.

Then again, I’m glad I didn’t use The Golden Girls, The A-Team, The Brady Bunch or Australia soap Neighbours (check out Kylie Minogue in this clip. Who’da thunk she’d go on to remake The Locomotion).

Really, it’s not that hard. The original contest post has a link to the show’s opening credits (probably the only one in history to include a clip of jai alai) and a pivotal scene (with Phil Collins’ In the Air Tonight).

Simply post a comment about where you would take Crockett and Tubbs for drinks in our city. At this point, your odds of winning are extremely high. (My sponsors must be proud.)

If that sounds too difficult, I can make it even easier…

The show features two cops who wear pastel clothing and three-day shadows, drive around Miami in fancy cars, and bust drug dealers. Maybe they’d be good in a place that has Latin music… maybe like that place near The Bookworm. Its name consists of two words – the first is a condiment used with tortilla chips, the second sounds very close to the word “caribou“… hint, hint…

The deadline for entries is tomorrow at noon.

The prizes:

- A bottle of Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres

- A package of four books – Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Mandarin Phrasebook, Healthy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide, and Spicy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide – from Immersion Guides.

The Pomegranate is branching out and opening a new spot – Blue Mango – in Shunyi.

Mike Hall says the new family-oriented venue will feature “a clean, bright and purpose-built kids’ room, and a varied kids’ menu, and a seperate bar and dining area.”

“With imported coffees, Italian espresso machines and a menu that includes waffles, panini and sandwiches, and healthier options such as quiche, soups and salads, we’re aiming at the Shunyi expat and family market,” he says. He also adds that there will be a selection of Belgian beers and an extensive wine list.

The Blue Mango,opposite Radiance shopping area, will be open from 10 AM to late (8046-1228; mangoblue@yahoo.com).

Hall also notes that The Pomegranate’s outdoor music season will soon start.

Previously: Grabbing a slice of the pie – The Pomegranate now has pizza

UPDATE: This week’s contest is closed! The winner will be announced tomorrow – I will get meet with two trustworthy members of the public. I will ask one to write the names of the entrants on pieces of paper and stick them in the hat. The other will pick the winner. Look for a new contest on Thursday and thanks to everyone who participated in this one.

Hot on the heels of The Haiku Challenge, I’m kicking off this blog’s second contest: Celebrity Pub Crawl. The idea: each week I post a photo of a movie character or two and readers propose which bar (or bars) they’d take him, her, or them to.

List your bar recommendation in the comments section of this post and you’ll be entered into a weekly draw for:

- A bottle of Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres

- A package of four books – Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Mandarin Phrasebook, Healthy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide, and Spicy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide – from Immersion Guides.

I will put up a new celebrity photo every Thursday. The deadline for entering the draw is Tuesday at noon. The winner will be announced the next day. (Note: I can only ship prizes to addresses in Beijing. One entry per week per person, please.)

Here we go…

Week 1: Celebrity Pub Crawl

Crockett and Tubbs from Miami Vice (the TV show, not the movie)

(c) NBC Universal

Frankly, I’m taking Crockett and Tubbs to BabyFace and somehow we are getting their Ferrari Daytona Spider inside so they can smash it through the glass facade, do a 360 on Gongti West, tear up the Pavillion’s patio, and then race off, all while Tubbs casually reclines in the front seat with a bottle of Chivas in one hand and a bottle of green tea in the other. And later we’ll cruise down Sanlitun North so they can rough up some “lady bar” touts.

Anyway, check the opening credits of the show and a clip that I think of every time I hear Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight”, the latter covered in this Wikipedia entry:

While the show didn’t invent pastels it made them popular. The other aspects of Miami Vice considered revolutionary lay in its music, cinematography, and imagery, which made large segments of each episode resemble a protracted music video. Perhaps the best example of combining these three aspects is found in the pilot episode “Brother’s Keeper” when Crockett and Tubbs are in the Ferrari Daytona Spyder, driving through a damp, nighttime Miami downtown heading to a somber showdown with a sinister, murdering drug lord as “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins surrealistically plays along.

Think I’ll get out the pastel shirt this weekend. In the meantime, post your itinerary and you’ll have a chance to win wine and books – do any two things go better together?

In addition to the list of wine events I posted earlier this week, here are two more:

March 7, 6-8 PM, Atrium Bar (Great Wall Sheraton), free
Lindemans wine tasting, including reserve range, with Jebsen
March 8, 6 PM, La Baie des Anges
New wine list event, with more than 50 wines; RSVP in advance and receive a 15 percent discount on bottles (6657-1605

Here is the original list of upcoming tastings;

Upcoming Beijing tastings

March 6, 7 PM, Brasserie Flo (Rainbow Plaza), RMB498
Gerard Bertrand wine dinner, by East Meets West; six wines; 30 seats available; To RSVP, contact Felix (Brasserie Flo) at 13161-338-874 or Wendy (EMW) at 6445-5797.

March 7, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Café (Sanlitun), ~RMB100
Weekly tasting; join the e-vite list by contacting Frank at frank.siegel@gmail.com

March 8, 6 PM, Nearby the Tree, RMB150
Women winemakers, by Beijing Wine Club; 5 wines with light canapes; contact: Gabe at info@beijingwineclub.com

March 12, 7 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB150
Mount Langi Ghiran tasting, by The Wine Republic; four wines with “tasting plates”

March 15, Blu Lobster, RMB1788
Chateau Cos d’Estournel Grand Cru Classe dinner, by ASC, with Cos d’Estournel CEO Jean Guillaume Prats; RSVP by calling Blu Lobster at 6841-2211, x6728

March 20, 7 PM, Grill Restaurant (Radisson SAS), RMB588
Kendall-Jackson wine dinner, by ASC, with Jackson Asia-Pacific Regional Director Jack Cook; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226, or Daisy Wang (Radisson) at 5922-3152

March 26, 6:30 PM, Aria (China World), RMB1200
Riedel wine tasting dinner, by ASC, with company CEO Maximilian Riedel; 4 wines; participants take home 4 Riedel glasses; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226

Note: To get an wine event listed, send the event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.

Upcoming China trade shows

Shanghai China International Wine Exposition, 10 AM-5 PM, March 14-16, Shanghai Mart*

Wine Culture China, March 16 -18, China World Trade Center*

Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2008, 9:30 AM-6:30 PM, May 27-29, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

* A hat tip to Ricardo D for sending me these links.

Cafe Europa’s Austrian wine lineup (Photo: C. Thompson)

Forty people gathered at Café Europe on January 24 for the launch of four Austrian wines the restaurant is not only selling, but also importing. Good times all around (see this China Daily article).

Expect to see more restaurateurs import their own wine and make their own beer (with The Saddle and 1949: The Hidden City planning to do the latter).

For Austrian wine lovers, or for those interested in giving them a try, here are the options:

Schloss Maissau Gruner Veltliner DAC 2006 (retail: RMB150; in restaurant: RMB180 bottle / RMB38 glass)
Johann Topf Riesling, Wechselberg 2006 (retail: RMB210; in restaurant: RMB250 bottle)
Umathum, Zweigelt 2006 (retail: RMB180; in restaurant: RMB200 bottle / RMB40 glass)
Prieler, Schuetzner Stein, 2004 (retail: RMB320; in restaurant: RMB350 bottle)

The two wines by the glass are good value – they are not only tasty, but also unavailable anywhere else in town.

The blog is getting some press these days. Today’s China Daily has an article I wrote called, “For local wines, these are the best of the bunch“, and quotes me in another article by Ye Jun, “Cheers to more wine“.

I also did five interviews with Mark “The Dapper Dude” Rybchuk of China Radio International that will air on Thursdays during the next month between 11 AM and noon and between 5 and 7 PM, starting tomorrow. The interviews cover Chinese wine, Whiskey in Beijing, and some venues that will soon open in our fair city. We recorded them at 1949: The Hidden City.

And, yes, I know I sound like a dork.

Imports of wine to China are booming, a Chinese company buys a Chateau in Bordeaux, and Hong Kong drops its wine taxes. It’s been a wild year so far. I’ve been busy of late interviewing people about China’s wine scene. The three most recent:

Jancis Robinson
I sat down for a quick interview with Jancis Robinson last night at Flow Lounge & Bar in Swissotel Beijing. Besides having a popular Web site, Robinson writes a weekly column for The Financial Times, edits The Oxford Companion to Wine, and, with Hugh Johnson, wrote The World Atlas of Wine. We talked about her visits to China and her thoughts on Chinese wine.

John Gai
A former China country manager for Zonin wines, John Gai started the Beijing-based distributor Palette Wines in 2002 and the retail-oriented Palette Vino in 2005. I talked to him about how he got involved in wine, what inspired him to start his companies, and where he sees the Beijing and China wine scenes heading.

Ethan Perk
Deputy general manager of Jebsen Fine Wines, Ethan Perk has been in China’s wine sector for six years. I asked him about the wine scene in different regions of China, reaching local consumers, trends in wine consumption, and more.

For nearly three years, people have suggested I go beyond writing about the bar and restaurant scene and open my own place. Why don’t you open a bar? Why don’t you open a restaurant? Why don’t you open a bar and a restaurant? If only I had a kuai for every time I have heard this.

I have hesitated because of the myriad headaches that come with getting registered, dealing with landlords, inspectors, contractors, and food and beverage distributors, hiring and managing staff, facing unruly customers, plunging toilets, giving up weekends, and on, and on, and on, and on.

Plus, there is the issue of a theme. I’m not sure my idea of a bar called Zamfir – featuring live pan flute music 24/7, a free wind chime with every purchase, and discounts for people into crystals and unicorn art – would work. Frankly, bilingual pan flute players aren’t easy to find in Beijing.

All kidding aside, the time has come. Now, finally, and not a minute too soon, Boyce is throwing his spatula and martini glass into the ring.

That’s right, Bob Boyce (no relation), the Shanghai entrepreneur involved in the blue frog and KABB chains will expand to Beijing. In part five of my series of posts on places projected to open over the next few months, I interviewed Boyce about his Beijing plans. (Previously – The new China Doll; The new Nali Studios: Saddle, H2O; The new China Doll; The Legation Quarter)

Boyce (Jim): There have been rumors of blue frog coming to Beijing for years. Why now?

Boyce (Bob): We actually had plans to open last year but the projects we are located in were both delayed. I’ve wanted to have a blue frog presence in Beijing for a long time but until recently it was tough to find good space. There are some great new buildings and developments opening up right now and we are looking forward to being a part of them. I personally love Beijing and can’t wait to be able to spend more time there.

Where will the blue frogs be in Beijing, what can patrons expect, and when will the places open?
We will open two new blue frogs in the next several months. One will be in the new Sanlitun project and the other will be in Europlaza out in Shunyi. We should be open in the last part of May or early part of June for both locations.

Our Sanlitun blue frog will have about 100 seats and will be casual but sophisticated. It will be warm and inviting but also contemporary and hip. There will be a bar and a restaurant together. The goal is to have place where people let their hair down. It will have a great late night vibe as well as a lot of outdoor space for relaxed weekend brunches.

The Europlaza blue frog will be more family oriented and have plenty of space for kids as well as areas for big groups of families and friends. We will focus on creating and maintaining a relaxed, fun community gathering place.

Steaks, burgers, pastas, and salads are the core of our menu. We also will have a great selection of cocktails and wine.

At all blue frogs we really focus on giving our customers a great experience at a reasonable price.

(Interview continues after photo)

One of seven branches in Shanghai (Photo: blue frog)

What is your client based in Shanghai and how do you expect it to differ, if at all, in Beijing?
We have a really diverse group of patrons, people from all over China as well as the world. Most are in white-collar jobs or have their own businesses. About 80 percent are based locally. I believe we will have the same type of following in Beijing.

People bringing concepts and franchises to Beijing have struggled over the past few years – Capone’s, RBL, Trader Vic’s and others closed. What makes you think blue frog will work in Beijing?
blue frog is a business born in China and we are really proud of that fact. We spend a lot of time getting to know our customers and building a sense of community in our places. That sense of community is what brings people back. In Beijing we plan on being fully engaged with our customers and with the neighborhoods we are located in.

What kind of promotion of blue frog are you planning for Beijing?
We will have a great happy hour offering two-for-one well drinks, from 4 PM to 8 PM. every day. Weekend brunch will start immediately as well as a number of food and drink promotions during the week. There should be something going on pretty much every day. We will also have our famous / infamous wall of fame. Drink 100 shots from our shots menu and we’ll put your name on the wall of fame and give you a shot on the house every time you come back in.

You lived in Beijing in the mid-90s. How does the restaurant and bar scene compare then and now?
I studied Chinese at Beijing second Foreign Language University (Er Wei) in 1994, so my roots are in Beijing. At the time there were not a lot of options for Western food and drink. We used to have to travel a couple of hours by bus to get to the McDonald’s in Wangfujing. Sanlitun was full of flower and frame shops and Poachers Inn and the disco at the Kunloon Hotel were the only games in town. Those of your readers who remember those days are probably a little misty-eyed right now because they were fun times.

Now, Beijing is a really sophisticated international city with a lot of options for food, drink and entertainment. Beijingers have a great deal of choice and the market is competitive.

Based on your recent trips to Beijing, what places have impressed you?
I love Dongbei food so I usually head to the nearest dumpling restaurant I can find.

Wet your whistle at these upcoming wine events and shows…

Upcoming Beijing tastings

March 6, 7 PM, Brasserie Flo (Rainbow Plaza), RMB498
Gerard Bertrand wine dinner, by East Meets West; six wines; 30 seats available; To RSVP, contact Felix (Brasserie Flo) at 13161-338-874 or Wendy (EMW) at 6445-5797.

March 7, 6:30 PM, Sequoia Café (Sanlitun), ~RMB100
Weekly tasting; join the e-vite list by contacting Frank at frank.siegel@gmail.com

March 8, 6 PM, Nearby the Tree, RMB150
Women winemakers, by Beijing Wine Club; 5 wines with light canapes; contact: Gabe at info@beijingwineclub.com

March 12, 7 PM, Cafe Europa, RMB150
Mount Langi Ghiran tasting, by The Wine Republic; four wines with “tasting plates”

March 15, Blu Lobster, RMB1788
Chateau Cos d’Estournel Grand Cru Classe dinner, by ASC, with Cos d’Estournel CEO Jean Guillaume Prats; RSVP by calling Blu Lobster at 6841-2211, x6728

March 20, 7 PM, Grill Restaurant (Radisson SAS), RMB588
Kendall-Jackson wine dinner, by ASC, with Jackson Asia-Pacific Regional Director Jack Cook; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226, or Daisy Wang (Radisson) at 5922-3152

March 26, 6:30 PM, Aria (China World), RMB1200
Riedel wine tasting dinner, by ASC, with company CEO Maximilian Riedel; 4 wines; participants take home 4 Riedel glasses; RSVP by contacting Helen Lu (ASC) at 6418-1598, x226

Note: To get an wine event listed, send the event information, preferably in text format, to beijingboyce@yahoo.com.

Upcoming China trade shows

Shanghai China International Wine Exposition, 10 AM-5 PM, March 14-16, Shanghai Mart*

Wine Culture China, March 16 -18, China World Trade Center*

Vinexpo Asia-Pacific 2008, 9:30 AM-6:30 PM, May 27-29, Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Center

* A hat tip to Ricardo D for sending me these links.

The ballots are out for the annual that’s Beijing restaurant awards. Four restaurants tied for the most nominations – Alameda, Cafe de la Poste, Chef Too, and Salt – with five each.

In terms of the best non-Chinese restaurant category, the nominees are Alameda, Aria (China World Hotel), Blu Lobster (Shangri-La Hotel), Cafe de la Poste, Cepe (Ritz Carlton Financial Street), Chef Too, Hatsune, Jaan (Raffles Hotel), Mare Nostrum, Rumi, Salt, and W Dine & Wine.

For best Chinese restaurant, the nominees are Da Dong Roast Duck, Dali Courtyard, Din Tai Fung, Green T House, Haidilao Hot Pot, Hua Jia Yi Yuan, Made in China (Grand Hyatt Hotel), Pure Lotus, South Beauty, Three Guizhou Men, Whampoa Club, and Xiao Wang Fu.

And for best wine list, the nominees are Cepe (Ritz-Carlton Financial Street), Cafe Europa, La Baie des Anges, The Courtyard, Aria (China World Hotel), Amigo, Vineyard Cafe, and Mare Nostrum.

Voters may also choose a write-in candidates. To cast your ballot, check here or fill in the paper ballot in the next issue of that’s Beijing.