Sampling Maison Boulud in Beijing

MANILA, Philippines -- After a week of presenting our very own Filipino cuisine to a curious and receptive Chinese audience at the Marco Polo Parkside in Beijing, and escaping for late lunches and dinners with regional Chinese cuisines, our brigade decided to make a pilgrimage to Daniel Boulud’s  restaurant located near the Forbidden City area on Ch'ianmen 23 St. This is a colonial structure and was the site of the former U.S. Embassy.

It has for its neighbors a gallery and other highly rated restaurants surrounding a grand courtyard. My son Gino and sous chefs Toto Erfe and Mark Bernardino seemed very excited since it was a good chance to sample a style of cuisine based on classical French lines I had been telling them about, having frequented Chef Boulud’s New York outlets when I had some opportunities in Manhattan. This culinary pilgrimage was also a good respite from the noodles, dumplings and wood spice combinations familiar to the Beijing kitchens.

The place which was tastefully done in monochromatic black greys and whites had the signature New York stamp of attention to detail when it came to service and peripherals. Water glasses were never left empty, bread was always served warm with a choice of crusty, soft, grained and healthy, and high butter that was never allowed to go beyond one third of the dosages left on your side.

Our manager, Nicolas Socquet came over to greet us and obliged in taking us around the second floor area after lunch. He personally chose and recommended an easy drinking and good value lunch wine from the South of France, a Chateau Gigognan Cotes Du Rhone 2005 that was a Syrah with a light juicy and spring style. The wine list is rather impressive, and of course, French was the dominant wine selection being the country of Boulud’s ancestry. Top non vintage and vintage champagnes are listed with a grand selection of premier to minor Bordeaux growths, an admirable selection of Burgundies and Rhones with famous Italian and Spanish wine makers.

The down under Australian wines are rather reasonably priced against what may be geographically or politically unfavorable in terms of imports that make Argentina and Chilean wines cost more here in Beijing.

Anyway, the three of us opted for the prix fixe menu at about Php 1,200 per head while Gino chose some classic Boulud items. Lunch started with an amuse bouche of cucumber in garlic yoghurt or Tzatziki. A memorable Italian style chick pea soup with Broiled Tomato that had its chick peas melting in one’s mouth with just the right amount of herbs, was one good starter as was a pork pate that evoked provincial French cooking. The pate was more of a country terrine served with pickles and stone-ground mustard. A generous serving of warm fresh breads such as rustic baguette and rye bread just kept on coming generously.

Chandhok replaces Trulli at Team Lotus for German Grand Prix - F1 ...

Karun Chandhok will return to grand prix racing this weekend in Germany when he replaces Jarno Trulli at Team Lotus, it was announced on Thursday.

Chandhok, the second Indian driver to race in Formula 1 after Narain Karthikeyan, had been Lotus's reserve this season, getting behind the wheel of the car in practice for the Australian, Turkish, European and British Grands Prix.

The 27-year-old from Chennai had made his grand prix debut with the HRT team last year, and has not raced in F1 since the 2010 British Grand Prix. He was replaced by Japanese Sakon Yamamoto after that race.

Chandhok said: "Firstly I want to thank Tony Fernandes, Kamarudin Meranun and SM Nasarudin for giving me the chance to race this weekend for Team Lotus.

"Ever since I first joined the team I have been looking forward to this opportunity and I am determined to do my best to repay their faith in me and help the team progress, this season and for many years to come. I am approaching the weekend in a very realistic frame of mind.

"I will be doing my best to push and to make sure I learn as much as possible all weekend, take each session as it comes and work as closely as I can with the engineers and the whole team to do the best job I can.

"Whatever happens, I am very excited about lining up on the grid on Sunday and I know there will be millions of Indian fans, and Team Lotus fans around the world, who will be behind me and the whole team, so I will do the best I can to give them something to cheer for."

Trulli has endured a difficult season so far this year, struggling to get the best out of his car due to his problems with the power steering, which the Italian says doesn't give him enough feedback.

The veteran was hoping an update to be introduced in the Hungarian Grand Prix would help him overcome the issues.

"I'm looking forward to working with Karun this weekend and doing whatever I can to help him get the most out of his opportunity in Germany," said Trulli.

"It's great that the team is true to its word of helping develop young talent, particularly from parts of the word where it is even harder to break through into the top rung of motorsport, so I'll be there to give him guidance and assistance, in and out of the car.

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