Beijing Boyce

Shares in Ciro’s Pomodoro, the Italian restaurant in New Nali Studio that opened just ahead of the Olympics, are available according to this post on The Beijinger blog. The defining feature of the restaurant is photos of namesake Ciro with a wide range of Hollywood stars, sports figures, and political leaders.

Double hat tip to Babs for the tip.

See also:
Out and about: Sunset, Cepe, Ciro, Q Bar, Maggies, and more (see point 6)
Ciro’s Pomodoro: As its slogan goes, ‘Expect the Unexpected’

Maison Boulud leads the nominee’s for this year’s The Beijinger Restaurant Awards, with the center piece of the  Legation Quarter picking up 7 nods. The award ballot goes live at www.thebeijinger.com at 6 PM today.

The Beijinger’s Mike Wester says the awards categories have increased from 26 to 35 this year and about half of the restaurants nominated are new to the awards. The nominees are picked based on a survey of about 200 people interested in the food and beverage scene in Beijing. Here are the top nominees (* means it is new):

7 – Maison Boulud*
6 – Chef Too
6 – Dali Courtyard
6 – Mosto*
5 – Alameda
5 – China Grill (Park Hyatt)*
5 – Element Fresh*
5 – SALT
5 – Sureno (Opposite House)*

I have written extensively about the Burger Battle of Beijing this past year (see links at bottom). Here are the nominees for best burger:

25 Degrees
All-Star Sports Bar & Grill
American Cafe
Blue Frog
Chef Too
Grandma’s Kitchen
Let’s Burger
Rickshaw
Union Bar & Grille
Vineyard Cafe

Finally, of interest to those who regularly read my sibling blog Grape Wall of China, here are the nominees for the best wine list:

Aria
Cafe Europa
La Maree
Maison Boulud
Mare
Mosto
One East on Third (Hilton Beijing)
SALT
Sureno (Opposite House)
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“Burger battle” links:
The Big Bite is back: Kiosk reopens
The Beijing burger battle rages on: 8 songs on CJW
Luga’s Villa: Bumping up burger prices
Sanlitun burger battle: The Rickshaw fights back
Today’s beef: Union Bar & Grill
Let’s Burger: A bit too saucy
Bits and bites: Burger battles et al.

I wrote several times about the brunch value at Union Bar & Grille, including ten days ago, when I noted breakfast now comes with four pieces of toast instead of two. Some readers, and particularly p3wong, disputed the four-toast policy was universally applied and insinuated I had received preferential treatment.

What can I say? I checked with two other people that day and they received four pieces of toast. Last weekend, I visited again and a walk-about found patrons each had four pieces of toast. And on Tuesday night, I ran into Union chef Zachary, who said the policy is four pieces of toast. Four.

Why didn’t p3wong get four? Maybe it was mistake, given her visit came near the end of the holidays, the place was short-staffed, and a few newbies were working the floor. Or maybe it was in retribution for her apple juice incident (see comments here).

Anyway, if you receive toast with your meal, it should consist of four (4) pieces. That means two slices of bread cut in half (2 X 2 = 4).

And if you want the bottomless coffee, you have to settle for the drip kind. Not the cappuccino, not the mocha, but the drip. Let’s prevent the next controversy being about latte-gate.

Can't we all just get along?