Makan King

I can only speak from personal experience, but it seems to me that Asians, including Chinese, are by and large not very willing to embrace different cuisines and foods. One manifestation of this has already been referred to above - Chinese tour groups being fed almost exclusively Chinese food on overseas tours. This is not just limited to Chinese from mainland China. This applies to Chinese from SE Asia as well. I have even heard stories of Chinese tour groups complaining about having to endure Western-style breakfasts and demanding that the tour guide provide Chinese fare (such as congee) instead. Another example is when I accompanied a number of Chinese clients on an overseas business trip (to the West). Our host provided a three-course lunch every day, and a number of meals featured specialities of the area. I was delighted. On the other hand, my Chinese clients complained about the food and generally did not like it. And they went to the same Chinese restaurant every night for dinner. Similiarly in Beijing, when we entertain Chinese clients, we would invariably choose a Chinese restaurant. I have been told (by my Chinese colleagues) that this is because they are much more comfortable with Chinese food. Again, this is just a personal observation, and I do not have any explanation as to why this is so. Perhaps it all boils down to not wanting to leave one's comfort zone?

I dunno. I don't recall having had mantou with peking duck in Beijing. It's always pancakes for me!

This is so impossibly droolworthy and so utterly out of reach here (Beijing). Sob. But while we are on lobster rolls, I love the lobster rolls at Pearl's Oyster Bar in Manhattan, with a mess of crisp, salty shoestring fries and a glass of chablis. Just wonderful.

Ouch, those are outrageously expensive street eats! Do you know where in Shanghai were those street eats located (must avoid!)? I haven't really eaten street grub in Shanghai (been there only on business), but here in Beijing, those items would be no where close to those prices. Even in air-conditioned fast food places (such as Yonghe Dawang), a cup of soya bean milk is at most 5 RMB, and a bowl of beef noodles would be 20 RMB or less. Prices at street-side stalls or the local canteens would be even lower.

98 RMB for the entire duck is actually pretty par for the course in Beijing. Da Dong is also 98 RMB per duck. You can probably find cheaper kao yas in Beijing, but probably at unkown neighbourhood joints. On the other hand, Quanjude is 168 RMB per duck, while Made in China is 198 RMB per duck. I've had good meals at Liqun (four diners) where the bill will be about 200 RMB for the entire meal (one kao ya with several other main dishes). By comparison, dinner at Li Jia Cai (Lee Family Restaurant) starts at 200 RMB per person, going up to 2,000 RMB per person. Of course, dumpling dining can be pretty cheap. I just had dinner with a friend at a neighourhood dumpling restaurant for 30 RMB per person (two different types of boiled dumplings (egg and mushroom, and pork with cabbage), a mashed potato and eggplant dish, and a spareribs dish, plus drinks). A dumpling meal at my favorite dumpling restaurant - Tiajin Bai Jiao Yuan (Tianjin Garden of a hundred dumplings; and it does appear to have over a hundred varieties) will cost more. But that's because I will order more seafood-based dumplings, including an incredible crab roe dumpling that is unctuously yummy.

In the summer of 2004, when I was last in China, for 200 RMB, you could get a ~17-course Michelin 3-star quality meal at the Li Family Restaurant. Has there been tremendous inflation since then, or is 200 RMB for Ka Ya unbelievably exhorbitant? I see that 200 RMB = slightly more than $25 US as of Monday, June 19, 2006 (source: http://www.oanda.com/convert/classic). ← The duck at Liqun is not 200 RMB. Each duck is only 98 RMB. Perhaps 200 RMB was for the entire meal?

In my case, the top was screwed tight all right, but after I shook the bottle and removed the cap, the pent-up ketchup exploded from the bottle and settled all over my sweater and pants. It was not a pretty sight. The restaurant paid for my dry-cleaning bills and has since swtched to plastic squeeze bottles.

Pretty sure that means they'd chop it up in the kitchen, so you'd get what? a plate for skin and a plate of meat rather than the whole quack. ← Yup, that is correct. One of the thrills of having Peking Duck in Beijing for me is that in most restaurants, you get to see the duck carved at your table, so that you can admire the skill of the carver.

The best Peking Duck in Beijing, to my mind, is served at Made in China, a restaurant in the Grand Hyatt at Wangfujing. I know, it's a hotel restaurant, but the duck is truly the best that I have tried so far. The duck itself is crisp and flavorful without being fatty or greasy, the crepes are served warm in a bamboo basket and in addition to the typical condiments (scallions, cucumbers and hoisin sauce), there are dishes of sugar and pickles as well. Reservations at least one day in advance are a must - this place is that popular. And reserve your duck(s) at the same time as well when making table reservations. Another place that I like for Peking Duck is Jiuhuashan, which is on the western part of the city, near the Shangri-la. The downside is that they do not carve your duck at your table. I also like Liqun for the atmosphere. It really has a lao-beijing (old beijing) flavor to the place and it is true that the hutongs around it are facing the wrecking ball, so who knows how long the place will last? The duck I had on my last visit was not great, though. There are a lot of foreigners at this place, but to be fair, I have not seen tourist buses on the several times I have been there. These foreigners come and find the place on their own, eager to experience a dining adventure off the beaten track. And reservations are also a must, and you must also reserve your duck(s) at the same time. I'm not sure that there is such a thing as a top restaurant in Beijing. But for atmospheric dining in a lovely courtyard house in a hutong, I would suggest either Meifu (Shanghainese cuisine) or The Source (modern Sichuan). I prefer The Source; it is also (relatively) easier to find. These places are listed, with phone numbers and addresses, in That's Beijing, a free monthly English magazine. I suggest calling the restaurant while you are in a cab and then passing the phone to the cabdriver so that the restaurant can direct him/her. Happy eating in Beijing!

Congratulations and well done! That was a wonderful thing that you did - it was a true labor of love. You should be very proud of having pulled off such a great meal so well, but I think no one will be more proud than your grandmother and your mother. You have certainly given them a lot of face.

I loved the Little Pie's Company's products when I was living in Manhattan, especially the apple walnut sour cream pie. It's one of my favorite pies of all times. What's nice is that they sell the pies in different sizes, including small individual ones. That was dangerous! I used to live a block from their shop/bakery on 43rd Street, and each week before Thanksgiving, it would be a joy to walk past their shop, as the air would be redolent of baking. It's especially nice on a cold night to walk into warm wafting aromas of baking pies.

Thanks for the blog! It is an inspiration to see how your family eats - to me, it's a wonderful blend of casual yet contemplative dining. It's really nice to see you take the effort to make each meal a beautiful, considered and composed event. Lovely!

Thanks for reporting back! That is a lovely-looking cake. Very elegant. Congratulations to your friends!

Tea and Sympathy in Manhattan stocks this. Perhaps you can call them to see if they deliver?

Thank you, MK. I believe you are referring to this school below which I will contact. Shermay's Cooking School, Chip Bee Gardens, Blk 43 Jalan Merah Saga #03-64 Singapore 278115 tel :+65 6479 8442 fax :+65 6479 8414 ← Yup, that's the one. Please let me know if I can provide any information or suggestions about eating in Singapore.

My take on lunch options for your Saturday is that it depends on your plans before and after lunch. Which part of Manhattan do you plan to be in around that time? The suggestion of Balthazar for brunch on Saturday is a great idea if you are planning to stroll and browse around in the Soho/Nolita/Village area. That would probably mean spending the whole day in that area, given your early Babbo reservations. Of course, if you do plan to do that, there are many options for brunch in the Soho/Nolita/Vlillage area. A favorite is Tartine in the West Village - no reservations taken, just join the line. Or if you are in the Gramercy/Union Square Park area, Fleur de Sel is a nice small, intimate French restaurant on E 20th Street. Blue Water Grill is also a nice place to have brunch/lunch, right off Union Square Park. On the other hand, if you plan to visit the art galleries in Chelsea, then the Wild Lily Tea Room on W 22nd Street between 10th and 11th Avenues is a good option. A lovely, intimate room with a Japanese/Zen feel. You can sip tea, have a light meal, and feel refreshed in time for Babbo. If you are in mid-town, then there is always your original choice DB Bistro Moderne, but within a 15 min walk from the Waldorf there's also Artisanal (all those cheeses!), the Modern at MOMA, Brasserie, Brasserie 8 1/2 and so on. Happy dining!

You had that 'SAFARI' only in July and you're already homesick for the food??? I can't imagine how the other poor souls who have left their food roots longer than you must be suffering. ← I blame it on all the great food pictures on this thread!

Tepee, thanks for the wonderful pictures of the hawker food and the beautiful jambu air presentation! I am really homesick now for hawker goodness. Hawker food really is the best culinary offering in Singapore - cheap, tasty and quite nutritious (okay, so maybe some of the fried stuff isn't really good for you, but the flavor!). There's a hawker centre right smack in the middle of the business district in Singapore amidst all the skyscrapers, (the Golden Shoe Hawker Centre) and several stalls there serve economy rice too - rice and four dishes for a total of S$2 (around M$4, or US$1.20)! The hawker centre is mobbed at lunch time, but it is currently closed for renovations.

Congratulations on embarking on a new career! A culinary tour through SEA is an exciting and wonderful way to launch the next chapter in your working life. I happen to think that some of the best eating in Singapore are in the hawker centres. These have probably been discussed elsewhere on this site, but let me know if you would like some recommendations. Apart from hawker food, I would highly recommend trying Peranakan food, which I still maintain is the original fusion cusine. It originates from the 15th century when Chinese sailors arrived on the Malay peninsula and married the local girls. The result are rich, complex, hearty and robust dishes that blend Chinese ingredients (especially pork) and Malay spices and seasonings. The traditional Peranakan cooking techniques are meticulous and demanding, hence the best Peranakan cooking is often found at home. However, there are some decent Peranakan restaurants in Singapore to try - including Blue Ginger and Chili Padi. I believe there is a cooking school in Holland Village that offers Peranankan cooking lessons. It is run by the granddaughter of the late doyen of Peranakan home cooking (mother of current Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew). All the best for your trip! I can only imagine that planning and researching it is part of the excitement and anticipation. I look forward to your reports!

Erm, I think Suzy was responding to Tepee's comment that Telok Gong was a place in the middle of nowhere. ← That's exactly what I meant! I can't imagine getting in the car, driving to an unfamiliar suburb, choosing a restaurant at random (by the number of cars parked outside!), and turning up that kind of incredible meal in Hawaii or New York for that matter! ← But, as I said, in Malaysia... ← That's true too!

That's true. I agree that Malaysians and Singaporeans will go to great lengths for good food! I don't mean to hijack this thread, but as an example, some friends and I embarked on a hawker food safari back in July when I was back in Singapore for a week. In one afternoon, we hit about 12 food stalls spread over 5 hawker centres and 2 coffee shops located in the eastern and southern part of Singapore! Then we met more friends for a great ze-cha dinner. Anyway, back to this thread, yes, I am now stationed in Beijing. I don't know how to post pics, but I will try to post dining experiences in the future.

Erm, I think Suzy was responding to Tepee's comment that Telok Gong was a place in the middle of nowhere. Tepee, I was curious, why did your family decide to travel 35 km to Klang for dinner? Is that a well-known restaurant haunt? I must say, the food looks fantastic! It seems like y'all chose the restaurant rather randomly but it was certainly a great choice. Thanks for sharing the pictures. Dinner must have been a magnificent feast. Happy eating over the next week!

Beijing food is okay, I guess, but I miss the Teochew food I grew up with.

Wonderful! This has been such a treat to read and devour. The food pictures and writing are vivid, fantastic and, frankly, drool-worthy. Thank you for sharing your beautiful family and friends and very enviable culinary world with us. Bravo!

I don't recognize the photographed dishes as being particularly Teochew. I don't think you would be able to find them in any of the Teochew restaurants in Singapore. In particular, the fried beef rice noodles (or kuay teow) with satay sauce seems very un-Teochew to me. Satay sauce is more of a Malay/Indonesian concept and not at all like Teochew style cooking. Of course, in Singapore, there is a hawker dish called satay beehoon (or rice vermicelli), but that's local fusion and not Teochew. I miss the Teochew restaurants in Singapore. Teochew cuisine is sadly lacking in Beijing. Oh for a promfret delicately steamed with sour plums, sliced shitake mushrooms and fat; braised goose and tofu; hae cho (beancurd skin wrapped with minced shrimp, crabmeat, minced pork, waterchestnut and diced mushrooms, steamed and then deepfried); and oh nee!