Capital Bites, Pt 2: A Chef's Dinner and Other Bits

Burgers were the focus of part one of today's Capital Bites, but there's non-patty related news in the Beijing dining world, so read on for the other bits and bobs from this past week.

Got plans tomorrow night? Chef Alan Wong is hosting a special Chef's Dinner at Kagen, his yakitori and robatayaki BBQ spot on Guanghua Lu. We're told that due to some cancellations, a few seats are open. RSVPs are required; email kristen@lumdimsum.com.

Parkview Green sees the opening of another upscale eatery with Alfie's, the restaurant venture of menswear brand Alfred Dunhill. The website for the original Hong Kong branch self-describes their gastropub as "the local destination for modern British cool." That remains to be seen in Beijing, but we'll be back with a review soon.

America has made inroads into the Xiaoyun Lu courtyard near Sanyuanqiao, what with Home Plate, Avocado Tree and now 3sums, but Middle Eastern cuisine is making a strong stand. On May 1, Arabic Shawarma joined Al Safir on that same strip, adding some hummus and tabbouleh into the mix. Actually, the neighbors of other cuisines may be of little interest. Rumor has it that these two restaurants are enmeshed in their own internecine competition with Arabic Shawarma's chef formerly of Al Safir.

Beer Mania's new menu features a food-and-beer pairing option for every dish. There's incentive for educating your pairing palate; order the beer recommended with the dish and you'll get a RMB 5 discount on the drink.

Lush patrons, if you've been thinking of heading there for breakfast, better plan for brunch instead. Until May 16, the Wudaokou mainstay is doing minor renovations early in the morning. Their usual 8am opening time will be pushed back until 10.30am.

For those in Shunyi or willing to travel, Green T House Living will be hosting a performance salon at 7pm on Friday. The event, called "Dinner and a Show," includes a four-course contemporary Chinese meal with a glass of wine and theater, music and dance performances by six international artists. Seating is limited; RSVP to kelly_wadlegger@wab.edu (132 4023 5607) or to events@green-t-house.com (6434 2519).

Mother's Day is coming up on May 12. Most of us may not have our moms in town, but that doesn't mean you can't still treat yourself to a brunch (in their honor, of course). We'll be back tomorrow with a full rundown of the Sunday spreads.

Photo: Lumdimsum.com