Food and drinks

Rotaract Beijing: two meetings on 11 April

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

Our Rotaract Sanlitun had a social evening in Homeplate BBQ, well attended by the usual mix of nationalities. Most went for one of their great sandwiches, I always go for the pulled pork.

At the same time our new Rotaract West Beijing had a special meeting in BoCoffee in Wudaokou, to discuss with Koen Sevenants of Morning Tears, how Rotaract can assist for his activities in Beijing. A BBQ is planned to raise money, probably on 28 May and in the Belgian embassy (TBC). See the pic of their meeting with Koen.
This year we are happy to see such an increase in attendance!

Terrorists and smog did not stop us

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On 24 December Beijing woke up to an alert from the U.S. embassy that there was a risk for terrorist activity especially in the Sanlitun area.
Police and special security teams were present en masse, side streets were blocked, no more parked cars and part of the bar area in Sanlitun was blocked. Many people were scared and it all upset our plans for the evening, to celebrate Christmas Evev with our friends.
This time no place in our home office for our usual mega party as it is now a warehouse of antique furniture and stuff. So we opted to head to “Beer Mania” in Sanlitun Nan Lu, managed by our Belgian friend Thierry who offered an attractive menu.
Some of our friends did cancel but we were still a large group to enjoy the good beer and food.

It was also a very bad period of pollution. See some of the readings, one is taken on my balcony with the LaserEgg. Many jokes went around, like Santa was not coming to Beijing because he could not find it…
The day was full of surprises. Out of the blue my Vietnamese friend called me, we know each other since 1990 and worked closely together when I was doing the Vietnamese telecommunications market. He is now a deputy minister and was with a delegation in Beijing. We finally found a way to meet in his busy schedule, in our home after the Christmas Evev party. It was wonderful to see such a good old friend after so many years. Seems the Vietnamese located me as we had somehow lost the right contact numbers.

Exploring Chusai Xinjiang Restaurant in Gongti

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

At first I thought the brand new restaurant in Gongti Nan Lu, close to South Gate of Worker’s Stadium and the Spanish Center Instituto Cervantes was a new edition of the Beijing Duck restaurant that stood there. A bit difficult to find out the real name of the place: Chusai.
Well, very surprised to find a large and modern Xinjiang food restaurant, nice decoration and actually great food for very reasonable prices, and friendly manager.

 

We loved it all, ate too much of the BBQ lamb and the potato dish. We still had to ask for doggy bag…
Looks also suitable to come with a large group as the restaurant is fairly large. I understand they are working on a hotpot restaurant next door.

Belgian Beer Culture Week in China

Posted on by Gilbert Van Kerckhove

On Saturday 20 June, the same day our King and Queen landed in Wuhan, our friends from Vandergeeten & EG DistriSelecta launched a Belgian Beer Culture week in China. I was asked to say a few words in the Beijing opening party, done in the new Belgian bar “De Refter”, in Sanlitun. Vandergeeten, as it is mostly known, is one of the pioneers of importing Belgian beer (and more) into China. Their beers can be found all over the country.
De Refter is one more Belgian bar (and restaurant), joining the ranks of several others such as Beer Mania, The Tree, Morel’s and others that serve lots of Belgian beers.
I asked my friend James to join me to say a few words too as the “Chinese side” of the Sino-Belgian cooperation.
Before heading to De Refter we had a dinner next door so to speak, in Homeplate BBQ, I love their food, The meat is slowly cooked to become oh so tender; see the special oven they use. The place is always packed. The also have home-made beer.

I had a great time and discovered again some new Belgian beers. They are now part of my collection I have at home, all in my kitchen that is becoming too small to host the now about 100 different beer bottles. All bought and empties in Beijing. See the new add-on and part of the gallery of bottles. We are for sure happy to have so many beers from Belgian here.
Thanks to Mercedes and Bowen for the hospitality and the nice evening.
Beer, along with chocolate and diamonds are probably the best known features of Belgium around the world (maybe along with Manneken Pis…)