New Highlight: Whampoa Club Beijing

Paris is romantic even on a grey rainy day. Venice is romantic especially on a grey foggy day. But Beijing's grey smog days are just depressing. For curing your depression in Beijing have a dinner at the new Whampoa Club and it will delight all your senses.


In Shanghai, the Whampoa Club at Thee on the Bund is already an established and successful venue. Now, the internationally acclaimed chef Jereme Leung has opened the stunning Beijing branch in a siheyuan (courtyard house) on Financial Street. He formulates his own creative New Beijing cuisine by taking inspiration form Beijing's imperial cuisine, imperial high official home cuisine, citizen cuisine, minority cuisine and temple cuisine. With modern and stylish presentation, Whampoa Club Beijing is guaranteed to delight and inspire lovers - and even non-lovers - of Chinese food.

The set lunch menu starts at 288 yuan, the set dinner menu at 488 yuan per person. The appetizers are fabulous. Especially the delicious soy-braised pomfret fillet terrine and the cabbage and spinach rolls with shrimps and scallops, flavoured with yellow mustard and wasabi jelly (left pic). My favorite main course were the Beijing pancakes with goose liver and pork fillings (right pic).

The restaurant is in the basement of the courtyard house. You can either book a table in the main dining room or in one of the more intimate separés that seats two to six people but still leave you the view of the main restaurant. The service is efficient and friendly.

Whampoa Club wouldn't be a club without a cosy stylish bar. For your private party you might rent a dining room that hosts up to 12 guests or the outside courtyard itself for a bigger event.

The interior of the courtyard house is decorated in a clean modern Chinese style. The spectacular bird cage lamps setting (above pic) is downstairs before entering the restaurant. The restrooms are more appealing than the dark unisex 'powder rooms' by Philippe Starck at the overall more kitsch-opulently decorated Lan Club.

Conclusion: Whampoa Club Beijing delights all your senses. It is an inspiring experience and a great enrichment for the restaurant scene in Beijing.

Price category: $$$

Whampoa Club Beijing
Financial Street 23 A
Xi Cheng District, Beijing, China
phone (+86 10) 8808 8828

link: Whampoa Club

Beijing Courtyard House: Mei Lanfang's Siheyuan

To me, the best in Beijing is Old Beijing that you can find in narrow hutong alleys. Most of the time you only get a tiny glimpse of how Chinese live in these old one storey grey brick stone houses. But there is one to visit!




I posted a while ago that I have visited Beijing Opera star Mei Lanfang's former residence, that is a museum, open to public since 1986. I want to give you more details today.


The courtyard is located in Huguosi Lu, a quiet lane in the Western District of Beijing.
A courtyard house has an atrium garden in the middle of the house as you can see from the two layouts, that I scanned from the beautiful book Chinese Houses.


My book shows pictures from the interior, but when you visit, you only can sneak a glance through the windows.

However you can learn more about Mei Lanfang (1894-1961). His biography is illustrated with pictures and you can see two traditional Chinese Opera costumes. There is also a TV that plays scenes from Chinese Opera featuring Mei Lanfang on stage. As the Opera Star also liked to paint and collect Chinese painting, his collection is on display as well.

It is a peaceful atmosphere and definitely worth a visit when you are interested in the traditional style of living in Beijing. For me, the hutong alleys and grey brick stone courtyards are the most authentic and charming part of old Beijing. It worth to stroll around or rent a bike to discover the real China in a city that is changing daily and transforming more and more to one of these modern international exchangeable cities.


This is a view from one room into the courtyard towards the entrance. It has been raining the day before and the whole night. The air was washed out and clean and so were the trees and everything else. The first sunshine tried to break through and the wind blowed some white blossoms from the tree on the ground.


In one of the corner courtyards I got this view through a typical Chinese round gate and took that picture of one of the 'Nine Million Bicycles in Beijing'.


Open Tue - Sun, April - November 9am - 4pm (10 RMB), 9 Huguosi Lu, Xicheng District, tel. 6618 0351


More info at Mei Lanfang Website

Picture source: all mine, except the layouts of the courtyard that are from Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage Of A Nation

Beijing: a day unfolds

I was looking forward to today's trip to an art village. However because of the heavy rain yesterday and a wrong weather forecast for today, this trip was cancelled. So I had extra free time and started to enjoyed it on the sofa reading a book about Chinese Houses. (yeah, my life in Beijing is not too bad) I read a chapter about Beijing Courtyards ... and came across pictures of the former residence of the famous Peking Opera actor Mei Langfang. This courtyard is a museum since 1986. So, this became my next destination! With my camera and a bottle of water I went on a ride. I strolled through hutongs (small alleys) and found this beautiful courtyard house.


And more. Not too far away, I checked out the new stylish Kapok Hotel that is located between Wanfujing Shopping area and the Forbidden City. Both in about 5 minutes walking distance from the hotel. And they offer bicycle rent for 60 RMB / 24h. Great idea, as this is the right area to discover the charming part of Beijing - the way you expect Beijing to be.


And more. Walking down to the gate of the Forbidden City, I came by 'The Courtyard' restaurant. They have moved the 'Courtyard Gallery' from the basement to out of town Shunyi area. Now, you can have a very intimate dinner in the basement, still with views over the moat of the Forbidden City, and even with a bed next to the table... what kind of dinner will that be? Well, they won the 2007 Restaurant award in the category 'Best for a date'.


And then, my 'photographer eye' caught fishermen. And I observed them for a while. I tried lots of different shots and different settings with my camera. And I enjoyed this peaceful moment in Beijing. It is really picturesque in this area. This is my favorite picture of today: A fishermen fishing in the moat of the Forbidden City, the red wall on the left is part of the Forbidden City.


So that was my other day. Not bad for a short notice cancelled day. Maybe even better. I will know next Monday, as this is the day the art village trip is postponed to.

All pictures coppy right by me.

Charming Courtyards in Beijing

A courtyard house is the most charming way to live in Beijing. But not the most convenient one. There are only few courtyards available that have bathrooms and electricity. They are difficult to access because hutongs are long small one way alleys. And, it is a fairly new and not a very transparent market. You have to ask around. Renovated hutongs are gone fast. To find one and convince a landlord to renovate it (with your money) or to buy one is even more difficult. A courtyard purchase is several times more complex than buying a house anywhere else as you find yourself confronted with six or more owners and their support team of 20 or more extended relatives (see Tom's Hutongs for rent here). And then at the end, you never know how long your new investment is save from the Beijing's bull-dozers (see post from Daily Telegraph's China Correspondant Richard Spencer). Because Beijing's preservation plan seems not always to protect where it was supposed to.

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For the moment, I suggest, the easiest was to enjoy the charming courtyards is to have dinner at one of the many restaurants located in courtyard houses.

HERE IS A LIST OF COZY COURTYARD RESTAURANTS FOR ROMANTIC RENDEZ-VOUS:

The Source
Superbly restored old Hutong House with delicious, spicy set menu (120 or 190 RMB).
14 Banchang Alley, Kuan Jie, Dongcheng, phone 6400 3736

Red Capital Club
Red Capital Restaurant opened in 1999, followed by Mr. Brahm's boutique hotel. Both are crammed with Mao-mentos - Cultural Revolution paintings and figurines, antique phones, radios and actual chairs from Zongnanhai. The courtyard restaurant can't be missed in the alley as Mrs. Mao's car is parked outside.
66, Dongsi Jiu Tiao, Dongsi Dajie.

Mei Fu or Mei's Mansion
Peking opera master Mei Langang's favorite dishes are served in this three-level courtyard house. Dinner is an experience in this low-lit, chic and contemporary, restored 200-year-old Hutong with its fountains and pebbles and simply furnished dining salons. Set menu, around 300 RMB per person. Little English is spoken.
24 Daxianfeng Hutong, Houhai, Xicheng, phone 6612 6845

Yi He Ya Ju
Very popular, very casual restaurant with two 'beer garden' like gardens. Ideal for lunch combined with a walk in Ritan park or shopping in this area. It serves a mix of Sichuan, Shandong, Cantonese, Beijing and Shanghai cuisine.
Northeast corner of Ritan Park, Cahoyang, 8561 7643
(some expats call it the 'hole in the wall restaurant', because of its entrance)

Dali Courtyard
Hidden off an Alley. Warm and rustic, with coal furnaces, and old jazz tunes.
67 Xiaojingchang Hutong, Gulou Dong Dajie, Dongcheng, phone 8404 1430

Huajia Yiyuan
Courtyard with painted girder and roofs. Beijing style food.
235 Dongzhimennei Dajie, phone 6405 1908

The Gourmet Room
A small courtyard with delicate cantonese food and good wine.
Mo - Thur 6 pm - 9.30 pm, Fri - Sun 11 am - 2 pm, 6 pm - 9.30 pm.
3 Qianhai Xijie, Shichahai, Xicheng District 3, phone 6613 9641

Yan Yi Shan Zhai Ge Ge Fu
Staff dressed in ancient Chinese costumes. The cuisine is the so-called 'official cuisine' and there are nutritional soups. (??)
11 am - 2 pm, 4.30 pm - 10.30 pm.
9 Daqudeng Hutong, Meishuguan Houjie, Dongcheng, phone 6407 8006

Tan Hua Xuan
Tanjia Cuisine featuring the best of all Chinese cuisines.
112 Gulou Xidajie, Xicheng, phone 6403 3171

Baijia Dazhaimen
Official cuisine served in a Qing Dynasty king's former residence.
15 Suzhou Jie, Haidan, phone 6265 4186

Family Yue's Banquet House
Nutrious soups in the backyard of a king's former residence (same king as above?...).
29 Suzhou Jie, Haidan, phone 8262 5960

Village of the beautiful stove
Local Jiangxi food prepared in porcelain pots and nutritious soups
11 Suzhou Jie, Haidan, phone 6253 8883

Gui Gong Fu's
two yards are the best part of the restaurants as the rooms are a bit dark. The courtyard is said to belong to Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) empress Cixi's brother. The restaurant is famous for its dishes made of tea ingredients, as well as for Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines. 10.30 am - 2 pm, 5 pm - 10.30 pm.
11 Dafangjia Hutong, Chaoyangmennei Nanxiao Jie, Dongcheng, phone 6512 7677

Bodhi-Sake
Plenty of space for outdoor and indoor dining. It's a three level courtyard house adapted from a nunnery where a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) princess spent her life as a nun. Vegetarian food.
10 am - 10 pm. 200 meters north of North gate of Taoranting Park,
10-16 Heiyaochang Jie, Xuanwu District, phone 63557348

Courtyard No 28
Small restaurant with a big tree and three rooms decorated in ancient Chinese Style. Spicy Guilin and Sichuan food. 11 am - 11 pm.
1 Xilou Hutong, South of Lama Temple, Dongcheng, phone 8401 6788

Crabapple House
Inside simple and a bit dark, outside under wisteria vine two wooden benches. Menu in Chinese and quiet expensive. Maybe better for tea time in the garden.
32 Xuanwumen Xidajie, Xuanwu District, phone 8315 4678

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Remark: There is this chic restaurant called The Courtyard, that is overlooking the moat and the Eastern wall of the Forbidden City. Despite its name it is not a typical courtyard house and offers elegant indoor dining. The contemporary art gallery has moved from the basement out of town to Shunyi. Instead you could dine very intimate with a cozy bed next to the table... Reservation some days in advance:
95 Donghuamen Dajie, Dongcheng, phone 6526 8883

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Oh, well, I have to say, I did not know that there are sooo many courtyard restaurants. I have tried only three or four so far. And I will use this list to check them out one by one, as it is courtyard season right now!

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One more thought after reading Richard Spencer's post and the comments... I have never before thought about what has happend to the former residents of a courtyard restaurant or bar. Were they forced out? Were they compensated accordingly? Not only modern developpment projects are a threat to hutong residents even restaurants and bars might be.

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Sources:
- China Daily's Beijing Weekend Guide (May 18-20), list of romantic courtyard restaurants,
- Luxe City Guide Beijing for the review and addresses of the Source, Mei Fu, Dali Courtyard, The Courtyard,
- That's Beijing's tbjhome (May 2007) for the courtyard renovation and purchase articles 'Hutong Heaven' and 'This Courting Life' by Tom Luckock. For further info about renting, buying and renovating courtyards contact the writer at tomshutongs@hotmail.com or visit his website about his two renovated courtyard houses. One is for rent, and one is a Bed & Breakfast that will open during 2007.
- photo via Red Capital Club

My older post:Beijing Courtyard House sells for Record Price (April 2007)

Beijing: Courtyard House sells for Record Price

A courtyard home in Beijing near the picturesque Houhai lake has sold for a record 14.2 million dollars (110 million yuan) earlier this month.

A courtyard dwelling, or Siheyuan in Chinese, is an enclosed atrium house, a type of residence most famously found in Beijing. Courtyard houses are also called hutongs or hutong houses while ‘hutong’ in Chinese means only lane or alley.

As Chinese people consider the hutong houses as not modern and their inhabitants as poor, many are being destroyed to make way for modern apartment buildings. However lots of foreigners would love to live in a renovated courtyard home. A renovation includes the installation of water and electricity supply. Otherwise you would need to use the public toilets in your hutong (lane). But often the houses are not easy to access through the small lanes. And it is not easy to find a suitable and affordable one.

A few courtyards are being converted into luxury residences. The Houhai one was sold for 36,324 yuan per square metre, almost double the average price of residential properties nearby, the Beijing News said. A local property developer had been trying to sell the courtyard home since late 2005 after fixing it up but few people expressed interest until early this year, it said.

Last year I was invited to one of these luxury courtyard homes. It was renovated and decorated in a modern yet cosy style. The tenant had inherited some Biedermeier furniture and added modern and Asian elements. We had a BBQ in the garden at night and the whole house was illuminated. Some months later I recognized it right away when I found these pictures in a magazine.




All three pictures are from Better Homes and Gardens magazine in China (issue no. 8 - January 2007). The residence contains even two hutong houses with two atrium. The bigger one was the main house. All single elements were connected with a corridor of glass (last picture). If you want to walk from the kitchen to the bedroom you could either walk inside around the atrium through the corridor or you could walk outside across the atrium. The second smaller atrium belonged to the guest house. The renovation was time consuming and expensive although the former resident denied the latter. Today he does not live here anymore. So I guess this beautiful hutong house is empty at the moment. What a pity. But even more pity is the uncertain future of this beautiful house. It was saved from demolition once. But the neighbouring homes are already gone.

The record selling price of the Houhai courtyard house was featured in That's Beijing (7 Days in Beijing - Today's Alarming Statistic of April 20); and in Yahoo News.

See also my other post about Beijing Courtyards