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Eater
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Arcadia Restaurant Blue Magpie Introduces Taiwanese Upscale Dining to SGV
One of Southern California's most ambitious new restaurants just made a quiet debut in the San Gabriel Valley. Blue Magpie, a modern Taiwanese fine dining restaurant named after the island's national bird, opened June 11 in Arcadia, taking over the former Rod's Grill space blocks away from the Santa Anita Park racetrack. The 3,500-square-foot space's transformation is striking, featuring chandeliers and a sleek, modern design with nods to the Formosan blue magpie bird throughout. Two private dining rooms are situated beyond a sleek dining area with chandeliers, custom wallpaper, and bird-patterned tile. Leading the kitchen is Taipei-born executive chef Leo Lo, who has opened several restaurants across Taiwan. The project is a collaboration with Kevin Tang, a local entrepreneur who grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and spent two years developing the room and concept. 'We had to redesign and rebuild the entire structure,' says Tang. 'I wanted to create something that felt true to Taiwanese culture but presented in a more layered and elegant way.' Tang, who has watched the number of Taiwanese restaurants in the area, like Old Country Cafe and the Kembo Truck, dwindle over the years, says he wanted to open Blue Magpie to fill a void. The San Gabriel Valley still thrives with regional Chinese restaurants, but few are focused on broadening Taiwanese cuisine through a fine dining lens. Blue Magpie serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, with a weekend brunch menu that draws from Taiwanese street food but leans upscale. Meals begin with a complimentary plate of gobo root chips, crisp slices of burdock root fried until golden and lightly salted. Hakka-style pork belly and eggs. Chef Lo's menu reworks traditional Taiwanese food with contemporary influences. His three-cup duck, a twist on the classic chicken version that typically uses equal parts soy, rice wine, and sesame oil, is glazed in a rich sauce and served with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil. The dongpo rou gets served tableside: soy-braised pork belly comes with marinated eggs, Shaoxing wine, and a blanket of over-easy eggs that melt into the rice beneath. Càipǔdàn, a preserved radish omelet, gets an aromatic lift from truffle butter. A version of mala popcorn chicken arrives hot and crunchy, with Sichuan peppercorn, you tiao (Chinese fried cruller), and dried chiles. Other plates push Taiwanese flavors in new directions. Torched tableside, the Napa casserole layers sakura shrimp, dried scallops, and kurobuta pork under bubbling cheese. The 24-hour brewed chicken ambrosia soup comes loaded with prosciutto, bamboo shoots, and deep savory flavor. The fermented rice short ribs reinterpret a traditional red grain pork dish with a punch of lemon, peppers, and Shaoxing wine. Blue Magpie's hollandaise tofu is made with translucent slices of tofu topped with century egg hollandaise and pork floss, while a dragon whisker salad comes with chayote shoots, sesame oil, kombu vinaigrette, and bonito flakes. The brunch menu draws inspiration from Taiwanese street snacks; Lo applies modern takes on nostalgic flavors here, too. Options include a crispy chicken sandwich, a tea egg and milk toast sandwich, and a deep-fried lobster and prosciutto stack. While cocktails are currently served only at dinner, they reflect similar themes found throughout the menu. Many drinks are infused with Taiwanese teas, steeped or prepared sous vide for hours to bring out layered flavors. The Moonlight Bloom, made with osmanthus gaoliang, longan juice, and housemade osmanthus honey, is floral, bold, and slightly smoky. Other options include a winter melon highball and the Lady Camellia, made with jasmine gin, elderflower, and grapefruit. Homemade syrups, such as elderflower and longan honey, are used in several fruit-forward teas and sodas. The milk tea uses condensed milk slow-cooked for eight hours, then topped with zested orange peel, a dulce de leche milk foam, and seasonal Taiwanese fruit tea. Taiwanese flavors abound at mall giant Din Tai Fung, Vivian Ku's Joy and Pine & Crane restaurants, as well as Jon Yao's celebrated high-end tasting menu at Kato, but the cuisine still has plenty of room to grow in Southern California. 'We want to show that Taiwanese cuisine is more than street food or comfort fare,' Lo says. 'It is vibrant, diverse, and deeply expressive.' Blue Magpie is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch and from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. for dinner, located at 41 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, CA 91006, offering dine-in service only; takeout and delivery are expected soon. Clay pot crab with glutinous rice. Mala popcorn chicken. Seared filet mignon. Blue Magpie dining room. Eater LA All your essential food and restaurant intel delivered to you Email (required) Sign Up By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Associated Press
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Love, Robots, and the Future: 12th International Love and Sex with Robots Conference Heads to China
Los Angeles, CA July 03, 2025 --( )-- The 12th International Love and Sex with Robots Conference is set to take place from June 24–26, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the event's evolution since its inaugural gathering in London. Hosted in Shaoxing, China, this highly anticipated edition will bring together leading researchers, scientists, and industry innovators to explore the future of intimacy, companionship, and emotional connection through robotics and artificial intelligence. The conference will spotlight pioneering research and critical discourse on topics such as ethical considerations in human-robot relationships, emotional AI, robotic intimacy, virtual and augmented reality experiences, and the sociocultural impact of humanoid robotics. Featured speakers include Professor Ken Mogi, a renowned Japanese neuroscientist, author, and broadcaster known for his work on consciousness and the science of happiness, and Professor Zhigeng Pan, Dean of the School of Artificial Intelligence at Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), whose research in virtual reality and the metaverse has gained international recognition. Additional experts from institutions such as MIT, Stanford, and Tsinghua University will join these thought leaders, along with technology pioneers from companies including Tesla, Google, and Alibaba. The conference is also expected to host policymakers from China, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, emphasizing the global relevance and interdisciplinary collaboration necessary for the development of emotionally intelligent robotics. Media professionals are invited to attend the conference either virtually at no cost or in person in China with access to a special two-for-one ticket offer. This is a unique opportunity to engage directly with the world's foremost experts in AI, robotics, and human-technology interaction. Official conference website: For additional details or press inquiries, please contact: Emma Yann Zhang, General Chair Email: [email protected] Phone: +86 187 0514 5004 Contact Information: Love and Sex with Robots Conference Emma Yann Zhang +8618705140421 Contact via Email Read the full story here: Love, Robots, and the Future: 12th International Love and Sex with Robots Conference Heads to China Press Release Distributed by
Skift
30-06-2025
- Business
- Skift
Hotel101 Becomes First Filipino Company to List on Nasdaq
Macau's 147 hotels had 6 million guests check in during the first five months of the year. That was down 2.1% despite continued increases in visitation as the day-tripper market continues to increase. With fewer rooms as casino resorts combine more rooms into suites, average guest room occupancy in the first five months was 89.2%, up 5 percentage points year-on-year. The number of guest rooms at the end of May was down 3.7% to 45,000. Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced the opening of Mumian Shaoxing Hotel in Shaoxing City, China, the latest addition to The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand. Hyatt announced the hotel within the renovated former Shaoxing 871 Chip Factory, located at the foot of Fushan Mountain, alongside Shenzhen Yuen Kai Hotel Management Co., Ltd. The hotel spans the second and third floors of the building and includes 90 guest rooms ranging from 484 to 2,206 square feet. There are three food and beverage outlets, including the street-fronted Xiaonanyang Restaurant. The former Russian Consulate in Hakodate, Hokkaido, in Japan, will reopen as a luxury hotel in July. It has been vacant for nearly 30 years but will be reborn as Hotel Biaclyn Hakodate, a six-suite wellness retreat featuring a blend of Western architecture and Japanese design. Sovereign Corp purchased the property in 2021, starting renovations two years later. The hotel will open on July 12 with two suites in the consulate wing and four in a newly added wellness wing, all equipped with private saunas. The main dining restaurant launched in May. Robinsons Land Corporation, through its hospitality arm Robinsons Hotels and Resorts, is expanding its presence in Luzon, Philippines, with the launch of Grand Summit Pangasinan, which will open in 2027. The four-star hotel will have 100 rooms, including four junior suites and three executive suites ranging from 38 to 116 square meters in size. Amenities will include an all-day restaurant, lobby lounge, pool bar and outdoor dining area, ballroom, meeting rooms, gym, spa, and an outdoor swimming pool. The seven-story hotel will break ground on July 7, located so it will be seamlessly integrated into RLC's Robinsons Pangasinan Mall complex. Absolute Hotel Services announced the successful signing ceremony for the U Khao Chi Chan Pattaya, a hospitality development in Chonburi Province, in Thailand. The hotel will be located in the Khao Chi Chan area and will feature 161 rooms, extensive event spaces, and a range of upscale amenities. The development will open in phases, with lakeside accommodations and event facilities launching in late 2025, followed by the mountainside hotel in 2029. The U Hotels & Resorts-branded hotel will be part of a larger mixed-use complex branded as One Chi Chan. Absolute will manage the hotel. DoubleDragon Corporation said its Hotel101 Global Holdings Corporation has been approved to become the first Filipino corporation to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the United States. Hotel101 will begin trading under the symbol HBNB on July 1, following the completion of its business combination with JVSPAC Acquisition Corp. The Bhumjaithai group dominates the Senate in Thailand. The Senate is calling for the ruling party to completely withdraw the draft legislation for the Entertainment Casino Complexes Bill. There is little chance that bill sees the light of day in the upcoming session given the PM has moved it from the first spot to the last but the Senate committee that has been studying the bill has decided it could be in breach of the constitution, saying labeling it entertainment complexes and not putting casino front and center, breaches multiple sections of the 2017 Constitution. They also poured cold water on the ruling party's claims of economic benefits from the casino resorts. Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has approved the Van Don integrated resort and casino project in Quang Ninh province. This approves the potential $2 billion development for the 70-year license, proposed to be developed in three stages over nine years. We have no idea why anyone would think this complex, to be situated on more than 244 hectares in Van Yen commune within the Van Don Economic Zone, will be successful when the others in the country have not been, but we said the same thing about most of the other developments that have yet to bear fruit. The plans call for 182 hectares to be designated for core functions, including a casino, hotels, luxury villas, tourism services, parks, and water features. The Ministry of Finance resubmitted a proposal seeking to allow locals to gamble there under the existing pilot program. Developers project $326 million in annual revenue, with Vietnam making over $9.6 billion during the 70-year operation. Australia's Star Entertainment may need to find more money soon. Just after getting some breathing room with the approval of the Bally's/Mathieson family investment, Hong Kong's Far East Consortium International and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises said they will not move forward with the purchase of Star's 50% stake in its Queen's Wharf project in Brisbane and Star has to pay them back the $10 million they fronted them within 30 days of the termination. Sri Lanka will see the opening of the City of Dreams Sri Lanka integrated casino resort development on August 2nd. The US$1.2 billion integrated resort is a joint venture between John Keells Holdings and Melco Resorts & Entertainment. The long-delayed LET X development by Suntrust Resorts Holdings in Manila's Entertainment City is going to be delayed a lot longer. LET Group is the majority owner of Suntrust and has been selling everything it can, borrowing from anyone who will lend it, to try to build the US$1.25 billion integrated casino resort. It is now said to be delayed yet another nine months, but we wouldn't book your trips there in 2026. They waited until now to decide it won't open in 4Q25. Originally, this was supposed to be developed and opened in mid-2024.
Time Out
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Asian Spice Afternoon Tea at ANA InterContinental Tokyo
Karin Chinese Restaurant at ANA InterContinental Tokyo is spicing things up this season with its Asian Spice Afternoon Tea, available through the end of August. The summer-inspired feast blends bold spices for a unique dim sum afternoon tea served in a beautifully crafted bamboo steamer. The tea set features ten savoury bites and eight desserts infused with aromatic flavours like cumin, star anise and cinnamon. Highlights include wok-fried wagyu beef with cumin and chilli, scallops in citrus-infused sweet chilli sauce, and creative desserts such as melon cream with star anise compote and bergamot mousse. Guests can also enjoy a free-flow selection of six Chinese teas and three original mocktails. The tea set is available during lunch and dinner, with an optional drink plan featuring sparkling wine, beer and Shaoxing wine.
Irish Examiner
24-05-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
Seafood Made Simple: My chilli oil recipe is perfect for salads, rice and these steamed mussels
Fermented hot sauces, crispy chilli oils and hot honeys have become staple condiments within the Irish pantry. The emergence of Lao Gan Ma into the European market was the catalyst for this demand of chilli flavoured oils. I came across Lao Gan Ma for the first time in 2019, during lockdown, having a little more time on my hands to browse the shelves in the Asian supermarket. It's the original crispy chilli oil, utterly addictive with crunchy fried chillies and MSG. Tao Huabi opened a noodle shop in the 1990s in Guizhou, China where she served a crisp chilli oil. It became so popular that customers were coming to the restaurant just to buy this sauce and in 1996 the first factory producing Lao Gan Ma was established. The range has expanded with a variety of ingredients added to this base sauce. You'll find Lao Gan Ma with mushrooms, fermented soya beans, peanuts and even a kohlrabi, peanut and tofu version. I take immense pleasure in making store cupboard essentials like this myself. They make for fantastic gifts and there is something so satisfying about having a jar of deliciousness like this on your shelf that you've made yourself. So, I'm sharing a very simple chilli oil recipe, served here with a bowl of Shaoxing wine steamed mussels that you can have a go at making yourself. I'll use this in salad dressings, over rice and noodle dishes and in dipping sauces. It's excellent with eggs and equally brilliant over steamed fish and vegetables. Shaoxing wine is key for this bowl of brothy mussels. A fermented rice wine widely used in Chinese cookery it adds a wonderful aromatic and savoury flavour to dishes. You'll find it along with black rice vinegar and Korean chilli flakes at your local Asian supermarket. Shaoxing steamed mussels with chilli oil recipe by:Aishling Moore I use this chilli oil in salad dressings, over rice and noodle dishes and in dipping sauces. It's excellent with eggs and equally brilliant over steamed fish and vegetables. Servings 4 Preparation Time 10 mins Cooking Time 20 mins Total Time 30 mins Course Main Ingredients For the mussels 1kg mussels 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 6 cloves of garlic, finely sliced 1 thumb of ginger, finely sliced 200ml Shaoxing wine 1 bunch of scallions chopped, to garnish For the chilli oil 500ml vegetable oil 60g gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) 4 cloves garlic, smashed 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger sliced 2 star anise 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 cinnamon stick 2 bay leaves 2 tbsp black rice vinegar Method To make the chilli oil, heat a heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the vegetable oil and bring to 80°C.. Add the ginger and garlic to the oil and cook for eight to 10 minutes until they begin to turn golden brown. Add the star anise, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick and bay leaves and cook for a further four minutes until fragrant. Place the chilli flakes in a large heatproof bowl Pass the oil through a heatproof stainer and add to the bowl of chilli flakes. Discard the ginger, garlic, bay leaf, and spices. Carefully add the vinegar to the chilli oil and allow to stand before storing in a sterile jar. For the mussels. fill a large bowl with water and add the mussels to the water. Using a small paring knife remove any barnacles from the shells and the beard of the mussel. The beard is what the mussel uses to attach itself to the surface of which it grows. Rinse the cleaned mussels in a colander and refrigerate until just before cooking. Heat a heavy-based large pot on medium high heat. Cook the sliced garlic and ginger in the rapeseed oil for one to two minutes. Keep them moving to avoid burning. Add the mussels to the pot and immediately follow by adding the Shaoxing wine. Place a tight-fitting lid on the pot. Give the pot a little shake and leave to cook covered for three minutes. Remove the lid. All the mussels should be cooked and open at this stage. Discard any that haven't opened. Add a couple of tablespoons of chilli oil and the chopped scallions and serve. Fish Tales Mussels should only be cooked when alive, so discard any that have cracked shells or do not close when tapped. They should smell fresh and of the seaside. It's very important when seasoning shellfish dishes to taste before you add any salt. Mussels are naturally high in salt. A temperature probe is key for making chilli oil to ensure accuracy and prevent the spices from burning. Use a pot large enough to fill only halfway when heating large amounts of oil. Make sure to use a flavourless high smoke point oil for this recipe. Korean chilli flakes are great for this oil as they are not aggressively hot in flavour. This oil will keep for weeks in the fridge. Read More Seafood Made Simple: These home baked beans go well with any piece of fish
