Alameda duo sell interest in award-winning eatery

News flash: the dynamic duo behind of one of Beijing’s most beloved restaurants, Alameda, have sold their interest in the eatery and are currently eyeing their next move.

Manager Gaby Alves and chef Vivi Goncalves have passed their culinary torches to Brazilian Daniel Aldana, who says the restaurant will still keep the same menu, but will add a new chef from Brazil next month.

Reached by phone from Hong Kong, Goncalves gave no clues as to the reasons behind the sale but said she plans to travel for now and that she may open another restaurant in the future.

The news comes as a surprise to many in Beijing who consider Alameda the cream of the crop in Beijing fine dining. Despite its hidden location behind a row of Sanlitun bars and an unfinished office building, the tiny restaurant quickly gained a loyal following with its five-star quality cuisine served at modest prices (RMB 60 for a 2-course lunch) and constantly evolving daily menus that reflected the morning’s market bounty.

Barely a year after opening in the spring of 2004, the restaurant had already earned a reputation as one of the finest restaurants in Beijing, winning that’s Beijing’s 2005 reader restaurant awards as the Restaurant of the Year, a title they retained in 2006 and just two months ago for 2007.

The Brazilian pair arrived in Beijing in 2004 by way of London, where Goncalves had studied for a degree in culinary arts as well as honed her skills in some of London's finest restaurants.

No word on how the handover has influenced the quality of the meals quite yet, though the restaurant has been busy as usual.

Rumors around town are that Gaby and Vivi may be scouting locations around Sanlitun, possibly on a yet-to-be-developed parcel of land on the south end of the street across from the Rickshaw and the Bookworm, though none of these could be confirmed.

Links and Sources
tbj: 2007 Reader Restaurant Awards