Alone in Beijing (Part 2)

I would like to begin by sharing the internet directions to the Black Sesame Restaurant:

Take a taxi to Nan Luogu Xiang and Gulou Dong Dajie. (The north end of Nan Luogo Xiang.) Walk south on Nan Luogu Xiang for several hundred meters until you reach between #51 and #53. Turn right at the Hutong Alley which is Heizhima Hutong. On either corner you'll see Wiggly Jiggly's and a t-shirt shop called Navel. We are the 1st courtyard (through a large wooden door) on the right (#3). Once in the courtyard, make a left, then a right turn and follow the path to the red door on the right.



Even after a good night' s rest, getting to the Black Sesame would be a bit stressful, and getting there in an electric pedicab driven by a singing Chinese man nearly put me over the top!

Once in the Black Sesame, all troubles are forgotten. Grace Joan, a young Australian hostess welcomed guests as they came through the door.



I was seated at a table set for 12 and an additional 8 guests were in the adjacent room. The evening's menu was as follows:




The Chef and his assistant prepared 10 courses while we drank chilled white wine and got to know one another.




To my left was a couple from England, across from me a Venezuelan man and his former Chinese student, further down the table an American fine artist, a couple from Scotland, living and working in Beijing, their young adult daughter and her British boyfriend. Half way through the meal, a couple from New York joined us... they hadn't been able to find a taxi!! As the courses were served, the decibel level continued to rise and by course #10, I felt like l'd made some new friends.




Should you ever go to Beijing, I highly recommend an evening at the Black Sesame Restaurant.

Zai Jian
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Black Sesame Restaurant August 10, 2012