Beyond Yakitori and Shunpachi Team up for Spring Matsuri
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I want to say that I’m still the same adventurous eater that I used to be, but after years of living in Beijing, I definitely have my favorite places that I never stray too far from. I like Jing Yaa Tang for dim sum and duck, I like Hulu for cocktails and salads, and I like Homeplate for BBQ. Unless I have a good reason, it takes a surprising amount of effort to try a new restaurant.
So when my favorite yakitori joint decided to collaborate with a restaurant I’ve never been to before, it was the perfect excuse for a bit of culinary adventure all the way to Wangjing. Beyond Yakitori and Shunpachi at the Hyatt Regency Beijing Wangjing hotel are coming together for a two-night-only dining event called Spring Matsuri, also known as Spring Festival.
The Spring Matsuri menu will only be available on May 26 and 27 for RMB 398 per person.Spring is the time for renewal, revival, and rejuvenation. It is the season for new colors, new scents, new experiences and new friendships. Every year in Japan the Spring Matsuri brings people together to enjoy the warm air, the fresh ingredients of vegetables, fruit, meat, and fish, to unseal the vats of new sake to toast the arrival of summer.The two restaurants are bringing the izakaya experience to Shinpachi with a set menu that combines Beyond Yakitori’s signature dishes on the grill with Shinpachi’s touch of freshness.
On the nights, guests will be treated to a free-flow of classic appetizers. Beyond Yakitori regulars will find their miso cheese on the menu (yum!), classic sakura shrimp, and a really, REALLY good crispy chicken skin with aioli dip.
And of course, my absolute favorite thing as Beyond Yakitori is making an appearance at Shunpachi for the Spring Matsuri - their signature scotch egg. I could literally eat this every day and still never get enough.
For a few cold dishes that you’ll only find at Shunpachi, a kimchi beef tartar (pictured at top) made with soy dressing, and instead of bringing everything together with an egg, they’ve decided to go all out and get decadent wccith uni.
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From the grill is a wagyu short rib with maitake mushroom tempura and teppan grilled yellowtail tuna with wasabi miso cream.
The Spring Matsuri menu is a set menu that brings together the styles of both restaurants, and it’s a whole lot of food. I guess this is Shunpachi’s style, because halfway through their set menu and you’ll already be stuffed! For the yakitori set, choose either set A or B - the only difference is whether you’re in the mood for chicken neck or chicken heart. My personal recommendation - go for the heart!
To wrap up your meal, they’ve prepared a wagyu fried rice topped with a slice of creamy seared foie gras.
And finally, after you’ve loosened a few notches on your belt, is their grilled mocha rice-cake (another Beyond Yakitori classic) and black sesame ice cream made by Shunpachi and a white strawberry.
Over on the other(ish) side of town, Hulu by TRB still has their collaboration dishes with Pebbles which is just absolutely perfect for this time of the year! Nachos and some tequila cocktails on any of the Hulu terraces is exactly how this summer should be spent.
They’ll be serving up highlights from Pebbles for the rest of May, so it’s pretty convenient to stroll on over whenever you’re in the mood for some comfort food.READ: EAT: Louisiana Dining at One East, Fujian Menu at Jing Yaa Tang, Murder Mystery Dinner
Images: Mina Yan
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