The Great Wall. In my mind it stands as the ultimate irony tourist trap. What was started ages ago to keep foreigners out… is now responsible for bringing millions of foreigners into the country every year.

It’s one of those things you just have to see or do… like getting a hot dog / bagel in NYC. If you’ve visited China the first thing anyone will ask is if you visited the Great Wall (ignoring the fact that there’s a LOT of China you can visit that is nowhere near the Great Wall). So we did it.

Yup. It’s a big wall. That’s what I was left thinking after about 15 minutes, but let me back up a bit first.

I researched and researched about which section to go to. I knew I didn’t want to spend the entire day (I only had one full day) doing the Great Wall. So the larger excursions and trips along the wall were out. The debate came down to slightly closer and possibly more awe-inspiring / overcrowded or a tiny bit further out and not as visually impressive / less crowded. We chose the later – the Mutianyu Section.

It’s a quick 60KM ride out of Beijing and into the burbs rural outlands of Beijing. You arrive and must soldier uphill, braving a gauntlet of souvenir peddlers just to make it to the cable car.

Don’t be a hero here folks… there’s no one to impress. You’re a tourist and unless you fun run skyscraper hotels you’ll want to take the cable car to the top… which isn’t actually the true top, but it cuts enough of the stairs out that you’ll be able to appreciate the view once you make it up.

Maybe I lack the true adventurer spirit, maybe I’m too cynical from all my travels, or maybe I’m just a horrible person… but honestly after a few short minutes I had seen the wall. Or at least as much as I cared to see. I mean you’re just kind of standing on concrete that goes on as far as you can see. It’s a marvel… but to me a sight that was infinitely cooler when populated with horse mounted soldiers and not mesh wearing euro-trash travelers. And when it’s not a loud backpacker ruining your serene moment it’s a pants-less Chinese baby going where he pleases

We left early to get there by 8, but as you can see from the pics by the time we were actually up on the mountain the sun was moving up overhead and not ideal for serious landscape photographers. Head out really, really early and you’ll be rewarded with an epic sunrise… possibly with fog!

The Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall
info@mutianyugreatwall.net

Highlights of what to see, do and eat in China’s capital city

We sometimes worry that a short trip is giving a majestic city like Beijing short shrift, but when all is said and done, wouldn’t you rather have visited a place briefly, than not all at?  That said, you can get a lot done in this big city, and beyond, in 48 hours. So don’t miss the opportunity to give Beijing a run for its money even if just for 2 days….here’s our highlights of what to see, do and where to eat in the capital city.

See Some of the Oldest Historical Sites in the World
You can run yourself ragged in this sprawling capital, but we have a few highlights to recommend as “must do’s”…

Tiananmen Square: if you are of a certain age, like myself, you will remember the student protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989 when tanks rolled into the square and “cleared” the area and an untold number of people were killed. Reports estimate 400-800, but the China government have never confirmed. But there is more to the square than this – it was built in 1417 during the Ming Dynasty and has been the site of several significant events in Chinese history, see the Wikipedia entry for more.

Forbidden Palace: You could spend a whole day here covering the 72 hectares of this Unesco World Heritage site, and maybe you should…..I personally didn’t have the patience for that level of detail, so I would say hit the high points and main buildings and move on to a nice lunch   I am not going to lie to you…this place tried our patience a bit….it was totally overrun with Chinese and foreigners visitors alike. Be prepared to be swift and nimble in order to dodge all the sun-shielding umbrellas of the local visitors…they all seemed to be the perfect height to hit / poke us at eye level. With that said, you should definitely see the key sites like the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, the residence of the emperor and empress; The Hall of Supreme Harmony, the ceremonial center of the palace complex; and the Screen of the 9 Dragons is a true stunner outside of the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, And if you really want to thoroughly dive into it, see about a tour guide…many of the signs are in limited English, so it’s difficult to really maximize the experience based on signage alone. Check out Wikipedia for more detail on the palace.

The Back Lakes, Shichahai Lakes: This is by far my favourite part of the Forbidden City complex…tranquil and soothing, this seems to be almost undiscovered compared to the frenzy inside the complex. You can stroll around the three lakes (Qianhai, Xihai and Houhai) or simply sit and relax in their gentle presence. We bought water from a local vendor and simply sat for a bit and watched the world go by….rickshaws and boys on bicycles, old ladies peddling wares and groups of girls in school uniforms giggling. You really start to get a feel for old Beijing in this picturesque and timeless part of the city.

The Great Wall, Mutianyu Section: one morning, get up very early and hire a car to take you to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. If you leave Beijing at 8am you can cover the 60km trip quickly and get there before the sun and all the tourists. Supposedly this is the less crowded section of the Great Wall…I will say though as we were leaving, it seemed to be filling up with great speed, so it seems early morning is indeed the ideal time to go. At this section of the wall you can take a cable car to the top and explore one of the best preserved parts of the Great Wall surrounded by lush woodlands and streams. It’s nearly indescribable…you simply have to see it for yourself.

For sure there is more to see in Beijing, but to do it in 48 hours, we would limit it to these 3 timeless sites.

Visit a Tea House and Shop for Local Ceramics
A trip to Beijing wouldn’t be complete without a visit to a Chinese tea house for a tea ceremony. And we know just the place….right outside the back gates of the Forbidden City lies the Terrace Tea House. Just walk past the lakes and onto Donghuamen Daije to reach the Terrace Tea House at #69. Take a seat and let the experts lead you through the timeless Chinese tea ceremony. The crowds and hustle and bustle of the city will wash away in no time.

Also, if you have the time and the interest, visit the Celadon Story, right next door at #49 Donghuamen Daije. Celadon Story has a wonderful selection of elegant celadon ceramic pieces for the home. The graceful lines and the soothing icy, jade green colour of celadon will likely tempt you in to taking a piece or two home.

Just for Laughs
Head down to the Donghuamen Street Night Market for a look at some unusual street food. This is the stuff of TV…things you have heard about but may have never actually seen. From innocuous hot teas that bubble and foam to stranger things like sheep’s penis and offal, since 1984 there have been over 100 vendors offering food here. While the grilled corn and spring rolls look familiar and appetizing, the squid flapping about on a stick and beef hearts less so. But it’s worth a look and makes for some fun photos…stroll through about 5 or 6 pm while it is still light out and you can get a good look at things before it gets too crowded. If you are feeling adventurous and prefer your food impaled, you can try the lizards on a stick.

Enjoy Rooftop Cocktails with Stunning Vistas
While there are lots of elegant places to imbibe in Beijing, we think one of the best has to be the Yin Bar at the Emperor Hotel. Widely reputed as the best rooftop bar in Beijing, you can see the emperor’s estate sprawled before you with the elegant sweep of the tiled Chinese rooftops as your vista. Go at sunset for the most impactful moment. And don’t avoid it if it is rainy on the day that you want to go…the fog and mist can lend quite an ethereal quality to the view even in inclimate weather.

Eat like an Emperor
Food is where this city shines. And I don’t mean lizards on a stick. I love Peking duck and there is no better place to get it than its city of origin. And beyond that, there are a bevy of Michelin-starred chefs (or those who have worked in Michelin-starred kitchens) in town.

Made in China: This is in the Grand Hyatt Hotel. I usually don’t gravitate to hotel restaurants when I am traveling…they tend to feel less adventurous. But we made an exception for Made in China and hope you will too. We were intrigued by the concept of bringing a street food market indoors…it works and what is really cool is that all the various chef’s stations are behind glass so you can see all the creations in progress. Peking duck is also excellent here.

Legation Quarter: This is the former US embassy, from 1903 – 1949 when the communists took over. Today it has been restored and now houses some of the beat restaurants in the city. The highlights include Daniel Boulud’s Maison Boulud and Ristorante Sadler. We really enjoyed our visit to the Ristorante Sadler, featuring a 2-Michelin starred chef. Don’t miss some of the most elegant food in Beijing….from wonderfully simple gnocchi to steamed sea bream and Tuscan-style steak….this is a restaurant who’s commitment to impeccable quality and service is apparent in everything they do. Go for the lunch set, it is an amazing deal at 200RMB ($30USD) for 3 courses of truly fine food, including wine.

Blu Lobster: for a most inventive tasting menu of fusion foods at the Shangri-la Hotel. While again, we don’t love hotel dining as a rule, we did love the fresh and inventive take the chef displayed with many of the dishes on the tasting menu. You will forget you are in a hotel and will get lost in the dreamy surroundings of the restaurant and the even dreamier dishes. Try the tomato salad, the crispy suckling pig and the parmesan-crusted sea bass.

You will find no shortage of fantastic things to do and see in Beijing, we hope our list of highlights can help guide the way to some fantastic experiences on your journey. But in spite of all the recos above, don’t forget to just take time to wander…some of the best adventures, scenic back alleys and interactions with locals can be had by just stumbling upon them. So don’t forget to make time for happenstance. Ni hao Beijing!

Enjoy a cocktail at sunset overlooking the former residence of the Chinese Emperor

The Yin Bar at the Emperor’s Hotel might just be the best rooftop bar in the city of Beijing. The hotel itself is one of the Design Hotels of the World, a list we often respect when we are hotel hunting in a new or familiar city. It usually stands for cool, hip, well-located, boutique hotels in exciting cities.

The Emperor Hotel is no exception. Its cheery and chic lime green and tangerine palette and kitschy system of rooms named after former Chinese emperors bring a modern twist to old Beijing. Take the elevator to the top of the hotel and then climb an ascending series of wooden platforms and you are overlooking a magical view of the tiled rooftops of Chinese emperor’s former residence.

Have a seat at one of the umbrella covered tables and order your favourite cocktail. If you get there in time, there is a happy hour special of 2-for-1 drinks for 80RMB ($11.57 USD / S$17). I choose the happy hour special and got an Argentinian red Cabernet, while Paul chose the Emporer’s Martini 58RMB ($8.50 USD / S$12), a blend of vodka, sake, peach, cranberry and lime. All I can say is Paul made the better choice.

Yin Bar is best at sunset and so our recommendation would be to try it for happy hour drinks before dinner (at Blu Lobster or Made in China perhaps?)

Yin Bar at the Emperor Hotel
No.33 Qihelou Street
Dongcheng District
Beijing, China
Telephone: +86 10 6526 5566

An elaborate tasting menu makes for a decadent fusion dining experience

We were delighted to be in Beijing…an unexpected detour on an extended business trip brought us to the former 2008 Olympic city. Immediately Paul, I and a colleague (Andy) set out to find the most distinctive of culinary experiences, and so it was that Blu Lobster emerged on our radars. The Spanish chef, Jordi Villegas Serra, had come from a distinctive background including a 2-starred Michelin restaurant in Barcelona and a 3-starred Michelin restaurant in Paris. Rumour has it Chef Serra is now after his own Michelin star. We heard that tasting menu was not to be missed, and so notebook and camera in hand, we set off to the Shangri La Hotel to try for ourselves.

The tasting menu has several levels – from 3 courses at 388RMB / $57 USD / S$80.50  to 8 courses for 888RMB / $130 USD / S$184  . I choose the 4 course menu for 488RMB / $71.50 USD / S$101 , while the fellas chose the more ambitious 5 course menu for 588RMB / $86 USD / S$122.  We agreed to each choose different options so that collectively we would all have the opportunity to try 14 dishes from the restaurant – so in this way, basically we were able to sample at least half of the menu.

For the first course we enjoyed…

• Tomato salad: tomato, mango and wild leaves salad with hazelnut dressing

• Pea Soup: fresh garden pea coup with beluga caviar

• Seared foie gras: served with roasted peaches, pomelo chutney and Thai basil

The tomato salad was really standout. Despite its humble description, it was presented cleverly in a chopped “tartare” style and the simplicity of the flavours combined with the freshest ingredients, made for a thoroughly enjoyable starter. We all agreed the pea soup was a nice idea, although not particularly special in its execution or flavour profile…somehow it was a “bit milky” as noted by Andy, which we all agreed did not work in its favour. And the foie gras was the classic presentation of heavy fat of the foie gras with a citrus / fruit element to cut through…it did its job and it was generally agreed this was a very solid dish.

For the second course the guys enjoyed…

• Baby cuttlefish: served with crispy bacon
• Scallops: pan seared hand diver scallops with crispy pork belly and cauliflower

It was a draw between these two…each was equally succulent in its pairing of seafood and flavourful pork fat. I mean who has ever met a dish with bacon or pork fat and been unhappy

For the third course, we tried…

• Foie gras terrine: with pistachio crust and quince paste

• King Crab salad: with avocado, mushrooms and lemon dressing

• Suckling pig: crispy suckling pig, prepared confit for 24 hours

While the foie gras was again solid and the crab salad well executed, the real star of this course was the suckling pig. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the pork was expertly prepared. So far the suckling pig was the highlight of the meal.

For our fourth course, we sampled…

• Sea bass: pan seared with black olive, basil, parmesan and potato gnocchi

• Tortellini: mozzarella and artichoke tortellini with aged balsamic vinegar and Spanish iberico ham

• Wagyu beef: grade 8, prepared with strawberries and red chutney

The sea bass was excellent…cooked to perfection with all the Mediterranean flavours combining in a simple, yet sophisticated way.  And the waygu was also of note…a very unique combination of sweet fruit and buttery meat made the dish sing.

For our fifth and final dessert course, we tried…

• Raspberries: raspberries rhubarb millefeuille with lemon sorbet

• Strawberries “dulce lorena”: lavender, strawberries and coconut milk

• Chocolate: chocolate and walnut brownie with caramel and cocoa

The desserts might be where we were a little less wowed. Perhaps to be fair they were simply good, while the majority of the meal was great. So in comparison they did indeed suffer. However, the final bite was redeemed by a complimentary presentation of cookies and chocolates from the chef. The macaroons and chocolates with Sichuan pepper saved the day and ended the meal on a very sweet note.

We liked Blu Lobster…a lot. I wish it wasn’t it a sprawling big hotel in a not so convenient part of Beijing. In general, something about formal hotel dining experiences leaves me a little cold….I prefer a more boutique-y, individual setting with a distinctive charm (as opposed to international hotel gloss).  However, Blu Lobster and Chef Serra delighted our palates which means, we will be back again.

Blu Lobster
Shangri La Hotel
29 Zizhuyuan Road
Beijing, China
Telephone: +86 10 6841 2111

The flagship restaurant in the stunning Grand Hyatt, Beijing, Made in China is not the dive restaurant one often imagines when thinking of discovering cuisine in China. It’s not dingy or grimy. There’s no rats scurrying across your feet while you dine. Waiters don’t bark at you in unintelligible regional Chinese dialects. Made in China is in all the guidebooks, all the tourists know it, and most importantly the taxis all know it. You won’t have to undertake a small personal oddyssey to find it… but if you can set your Columbus complex aside, there’s a great meal to be had here.

Everyone should visit the restaurant once just to see the set up. Multiple open cooking stations surround the dining room displaying the creation of all the dishes, from Peking Duck to “pot stickers”.

Speaking of Peking Duck, this is the signature dish of the restaurant. The restaurant features a beautiful, open brick oven smack in the middle of the dining room. You get to see your duck roasting to a deep, rich color, and if that wasn’t enough, the chefs come and carve table-side so you see every skillful carve the bird as it’s plated fresh in front of you.

Here’s a quick visual guide for Peking Duck. Think of it like Chinese burritos. Take your wrapping, place some sauce on, place some duck inside, some spring onion, a piece or two of cucumber,  fold up and enjoy! It’s that simple. You can play around with how much sauce and veggies make the perfect wrap.

There’s more on offer here though than just Peking Duck. We asked our server to help us order some veggies to go with our meal and enjoyed the “tong hao” (veggies with minced garlic & rice vinegar) & spinach leaves tossed with sesame sauce and rice vinegar.

Another favorite of ours was the fried string bean w/ minced pork & preserved vegetables.

And since we were seated right next to the section of kitchen responsible for the pot stickers, we had to break down and order this foreigner favorite

Surprisingly the desserts were good (not a common trait in Asian restaurants for my personal palate). I enjoyed my pandan waffle and chocolate ice cream.

And Joanna settled for the lychee creme brulee.

I say settled for because service took a nose dive at the end of the evening. It took us asking 3 times with 3 separate servers to finally get the dessert menu. And then after we had ordered the desserts they waited another 15 minutes to come back and inform us that one of the desserts we ordered was unavailable. This would have been fine if it was merely down to being hard hit by a massive rush… but this wasn’t the case. We were actually the last table from the first seating. Most customers had left and the staff was hurriedly making preparations for the next seating, at the expense of current diners. The bad service at the end was somewhat surprising given the location and caliber of the restaurant.

Despite the service at the end I’d still have to strongly recommend anyone new to Beijing or China (and even seasoned Asian foodies) to give Made in China a try. It may not be the undiscovered duck ‘hole in the wall’ you can brag to your friends about… but it might also spare you the upset stomach that can come from “discovering” the less than stellar hole in the wall

Made in China at the Grand Hyatt Beijing
1 East Chang An Avenue
Beijing, 100738
Tel: +86 10 8518 1234 ext. 3608 (if dialing from within China dial 010-8518-1234 ext. 3608)

Ristorante Sadler is located in the Legation Quarter near the southeast entrance to Tiananmen Square. This group of building formerly housed the US Embassy from 1903-1949. Now the buildings have been repurporsed into lovely shops and restaurants, including Maison Bouloud by D. Bouloud.

I’m beginning to form a theory about the outsides of restaurants. The fancier the entrance, the worse the food. It just seems to me that every time I’m unimpressed with the front, I love the food . Ristorante Sadler was no exception. The entrance we took through some covered outdoor tables seemed underwhelming at first glance. The menu positioned out front was simple and to the point.

Once inside, the restaurant had a quiet refinement….from the crisply laundered table cloths to the cuff-links on the floor manager.

We placed our orders, exited by our choices on the set menu. After ordering we were quickly presented with a bonus Amuse of Panela Cheese Foam.

Next out was a bread plate of epic proportions. The breads were a meal on to themselves complimented with a lovely, grassy olive oil or fresh pesto.

Joanna started with the Spaghetti with Fresh Tomatoes, Clams & Bottarga.

I couldn’t resist the Homemade Gnocchi with Pesto and Cheese.

For her main, Joanna enjoyed the healthier choice of Steamed Seabream Fillet.

I went with the Beef Tagliata (the manager informed me that this means cut) with Grilled Vegetables.

For desserts Joanna selected the Cheese Cake “Amalfi” Style with honey, pears & ricotta cheese.

I had the…well, it had a fancy name, but I can’t really justify retyping it… it was a fruit cocktail (though a nice one)

The meal was simple and elegant. It wasn’t about complex flavors dancing around some modern ideal… it was classic food done to near perfection. The service was incredible. Personal attention from the management and servers to assist us in food and wine selections. All the while making us feel welcome and that they wanted us to enjoy our time spent eating there. If I’m ever back in Beijing I’ll make a point to stop by again.

Ristorante Sadler
Ch’ienmen 23, 23 Qianmen Dong Da Jie,
Tian’anmen
second building on the right
6559-1399

The relaxing ritual of tea ceremony after a day of sightseeing

When you go to a place like Beijing where there are tourist attractions so historically important that they make their way onto the Unesco World Heritage site list, you figure you ought to go see them. The problem is…so does everyone else. Unfortunately this can make what is supposed to be a refined cultural undertaking a bit frustrating – jostling tourists, endless lines, and after all that work, you feel a bit beaten and battered…and maybe not even in the best state of mind to fully appreciate the significance of the attraction that brought you there. This is what happened to us on a recent visit to the Forbidden Palace in Beijing. After hand-to-hand combat with a sea of international tourists, we longed for an escape. And so after making a surreptitious exit out of the East gate of the Forbidden Palace, we stumbled upon the Terrace Tea House, a quiet retreat from the chaos.

At the Terrace Tea House we were expertly led through the traditional Chinese tea ceremony by our host. After surveying the tea selection, elegantly presented on the back of a fan in both Mandarin and English, we chose a Jasmine tea for two after a little coaching from our host (120 RMB / $17.58 USD / $S 25.66).

As the Jasmine tea unfurled its delicate floral goodness in the gaiwan (a lidded cup for brewing), we were surprised and delighted by the color-changing frog. As water poured from vessel to vessel, the temperature sensitive frog was splashed with hot water and migrated in color from green to golden. As we sat sipping tea out of our miniature tasting cups we laughed a bit about umbrella wielding tourists (not because it was raining, but rather the Asian practice of shielding one’s skin from the sun) and our trip overall. And a few minutes later the ritual’s relaxing effect enabled us to head out again – refreshed and calmed.

If you do find yourself at the Terrace Tea House, be sure to stop by its neighbour, Celadon Story. Celadon Story has a wonderful selection of elegant celadon ceramic pieces for the home. The graceful lines and the soothing icy, jade green colour of celadon will likely tempt you in to taking a piece or two home.

Terrace Tea House
69 Donghuamen Daije
Beijing, China
Telephone:  +86 10 6525 9595

Celadon Story
49 Donghuamen Street
Beijing, China
Telephone: +86 10 6512 5071