Asian Pursuits

As promised, more Asian-oriented gastronomic updates.

A small eatery that I like to visit when I'm in the mood for some traditional Chinese cuisine is Yin Xiang Xiao Guan (印巷小馆) located on Lucky Street (好运街), where one is spoilt for choice with a wide array of restaurants. While it does offer authentically Chinese cooking, there are also interesting selections like mash potato with blueberry sauce and curry chicken nestled in a deep fried thick toast (my favourite decadent treat). This would go down in my list as a good introduction to Chinese cuisine (aside from the Peking Duck) for visitors to Beijing.

As I have been grappling with a dim sum craving for the last 2 months as well as a piping hot bowl of Cantonese-style porridge, was irrationally happy when the other half brought me to Heng Shan Hui (衡山汇) a well known value-for-money eatery. Things that I would definitely order again: supersized har gow and zha leong (chee cheong fun stuffed with youtiao). Porridge wise, it was such a disappointment that I would not be dwelling further on this thing that doesn't deserve a picture. Nevertheless, this is a dim sum place that deserves a repeat visit if one orders the right items.

After the terribly disappointing bowl of porridge (baleful sniffs) and my craving STILL unsatisfied, good old Crystal Jade finally saved the day. While I personally think that standards have fallen in Singapore, all is good in Beijing. In fact, their har gow and siew mai could potentially be better than what we can find in Singapore while their spicy dumplings as well as XO carrot cake are other must orders.

Oogle away at what we have been up to:

Some of our preferred cold dishes and the much raved about curry chicken...

While the fried rice and roasted duck is nothing to shout about, I simply adore the tofu (bottom left).

Dim sum craving satiated at Heng Shan Hui except for the porridge.

Good old Crystal Jade: where we ordered (once again) more than we should for 2 and the porridge was worthy of my sighs.

While one can continue to appreciate the powers of my Lumix, come visit us if you are hankering for some good dim sum.

Post note: For the record, we are just a very deprived couple. As Singapore's dim sum can definitely hold its own, we won't subject future visitors to Crystal Jade. *spies many relieved sighs*