Chow/HO-down- Beijing banquet at Chili House, Inner Richmond (SF)- 8/17 (W) 11:30am

[sck]

Chili House -- Beijing Dim Sum and Beijing Duck? [San Francisco]

Jonathan Kauffman wrote an article about their chef. The chef has had a very interesting life! Kauffman also describes a 16 course ($400 for 10 people) dinner there. Has anyone else eaten at Chili House since the new chef arrived?

Chow/HO-down at Beijing Banquet at Chili House, Inner Richmond (SF)- 8/17 (W) 11:30am

Anyone interested in a mid-week Beijing lunch banquet prepared by Chef Tong Gang Wang at Chili House? This is the 14 course ‘imperial’ style banquet profiled by Jonathan Kauffman back in March. We need a minimum of 8 for a quorum. $45 a head + tax/ drinks/ tips. They need a three day advance notification to order the ingredients. So if you are interested, please let me know by tomorrow, Sunday 7pm.

Please reply to this thread or reply to the Yahoo Chowdown posts.

Jon Kauffman’s profile of the banquet, mentioned above:

Their website description of the banquet.

A couple of pics from SFChronicle in Kauffman’s article:

[rwcfoodie (Karen Mezzetta)]

I’ve emailed you, but will post here as well: I’m interested but it will depend on the day/date… Thanks!

[sck]

Yes to clarify the proposed date is this coming wednesday (8/17) at 11:30am. The title is too long so the date/time may be cut off…

[peterpan]

I’m interested

[sck]

We got 6. 2 more and I can go ahead and make the reservation.

Note for everyone that because we reserve by the head, the restaurant will still charge for no-shows. So if we get a big enough group for a table, we’ll need everyone to pay for their share of the meal in advance to avoid no-shows. Please let me know if you aren’t comfortable with that arrangement. Thanks!

[rwcfoodie (Karen Mezzetta)]

I just sent you a PM, but to follow up, are you including me in the headcount? Sorry I missed the date on the original post, didn’t read carefully enough!

[peterpan]

I’ll bring a friend so we should have 8 now!

[sck]

not yet. i will. let me go back and do a count now. we definitely have enough people.

[sck]

OK we got 8. Here’s the attendee list. If you are not on the list but wants to be on, just reply by 7pm today.

T. N. +1
P. W.
T. M.
P. P. +1
K. M.
Sck

[rwcfoodie (Karen Mezzetta)]

So I guess I’m in? K.M. Is Charlie Akers included?

[sck]

So I guess I’m in? K.M. Is Charlie Akers included?

No before. Yes now. 9 including Charlie. I couldn’t count.

T. N. +1
P. W.
T. M.
P. P. +1
K. M.
C. A.
Sck

Table booked under my last name wed 1130am. I will contact you via email offline. 19 courses apparently. Jennifer from Chili House went through the list of courses but I lost count how many of which after a while. But I remember she said 6 cold appetizers before the pumpkin soup in the coconut shell.

If anyone else is interested, they said we can still add people tomorrow if needed. We can’t add people on the same day because they won’t have enough coconuts for everyone if we add people that day.

[rwcfoodie (Karen Mezzetta)]

Super! Thanks again…

[Souperman (Gary Soup)]

Curious as to why you choose to do this at lunch time. I’d be interested but it seems like more than I like to take on at lunch time. An event this significant seems worth devoting a dinnertime to.

[sck]

I can’t really organize dinners unless people enjoy dining with screaming kids and me screaming with them…!

There are a few folks who have expressed interest in doing this in the evening and I haven’t had a chance to reply. You all should absolutely do an evening round if there is enough interest.

[sck]

Reading up on Imperial cuisine before eating there. Some background on Wikipedia here and an NPR article here. If we think 19 courses at Chili House are elaborate, try the $54,000 268 courses meal in the NPR article over a year!

Jennifer from Chili House indicated that the chef used to work at the State Guesthouse/ 国宾馆 (The article mentioned the chef worked at Beijing Hotel, a different place, though a fine hotel) where visiting foreign dignitaries and and provincial government officials stay. I see about 3, 4 dishes on the Chili House Banquet menu in the State Guesthouse menu.

[Estnet]

so sorry I couldn’t make this time, but looking forward to seeing reports

[tm.tm (Therese)]

I’m looking forward to trying the banquet style meal, though it seems like my research has lead to the Chili House ad following me around the internet. It’s not listed as a dish on their website, but reviews have all had dong po, which I hope makes a guest appearance.

[cynsa37 (cs)]

Please post photos here tomorrow.
While you are chowing on this feast, I will be in a meeting at the deYoung museum.
sigh.

[sck]

Last minute spot opening up. Anyone interested please let me know. Thanks!

[Oliverb]

Wish I had been more diligent with my internetting this week, as I would have definitely joined… if anyone is interested in a round 2, please count me in!