New Blog and Cobia Fish

It's a pleasure to introduce the personal blog of Corinna Shen, co-owner of Seven Seas Restaurant. In her blog, "Wok with Corinna," Corinna talks about Seven Seas news and introduces the latest dishes that she and her husband, Edward are working on. As founder of the Washingtonian Gourmet Association, a new social-foodie group, she will also discuss topics covered in meetings and provide a forum for people to ask questions and share ideas.

Here is one of her recent posts about cobia fish:


"The first time I ever tried "Cobia" fish (海鱺魚) was in 1994 at the International Boston Seafood Show. A native Taiwan seafood company was distributing sashimi Cobia pieces.
Edward (my husband) and I both were surprised at the taste and quality of the fish. I still remember the sweet taste of Cobia fish then.

Not until March this year Seven Seas started to carry live Cobia fish from Virginia Cobia Farms. I was surprised again because the Cobia in Seven Seas tank was 40 pounds smaller than the frozen Cobia fish in Boston. The version of the steamed live Cobia was amazingly delicious with its firm texture and excellent flavor. I was convinced that I want to promote the awareness of this Cobia fish."

Read the rest of her post on her blog.

Weekly Specials at Seven Seas

Steamed flounder with ginger and scallions washed down with some premium sake sounds like a great meal, mmm...

Food Blogger Marie Nguyen Likes Our Food!

We recently hosted Marie Nguyen, food blogger of LunchingInTheDMV for a leisurely afternoon meal. Marie and her boyfriend visited us before this luncheon, and even back then she had some very kinds words to say about us.

On this second visit, here's what she had to say:

As much food as their was, I didn't feel gross afterwards. The food is high quality, not heavy and all tasted unique. I learned a lot about Chinese culture, what authentic means via a "heart ruler" (how a dish measures up to your childhood memories of your mom's cooking), was introduced to the rarely seen Taiwanese fish Cobia, and just little things about how a restaurant is run. Thanks again to the Seven Seas family!

Thanks Marie! We had a nice time lunching with you. Come back soon!

The Washingtonian Gourmet Association at Seven Seas Restaurant

King oysters, woodears, shiitakes, enoki and beech. If you're a fan of gourmet mushrooms, you'd be familiar with those names.

Last Monday marked the first ever gathering of the Washingtonian Gourmet Association (WGA) at Seven Seas Restaurant. Approximately 20 people gathered to hear Seven Seas' owner Edward Shen discuss the nutritional value of locally farmed mushrooms. He also demonstrated how to use them in every day cooking. Guests were then treated to a seven-course sampling of mushroom dishes cooked in a variety of styles.

Spare a Thought to the Natural Disaster Victims in Japan

As the Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off, let us be enamored by the beauty of these transient flower trees that were a gift from the mayor of Tokyo as a symbol of friendship in 1912.

Let us also remember that gesture of friendship and send prayers, donations or words of support for a speedy recovery and well-being of everyone affected.


Donations can be made to:

American Red Cross or text the letters REDCROSS to 90999 to make the $10 donation.

International Medical Corps or text MED to 80888 to donate $10 to relief efforts.

Save the Children or text “JAPAN” or “TSUNAMI” to 20222 to donate $10.

Doctors without Borders To donate, call 1-888-392-0392.

Mercy Corps or text “MERCY” to 25383 to donate $10.

Salvation Army or text JAPAN or QUAKE to 80888 to make a $10 donation.

Dish of the Month - Triple Delight Noodle Soup

Another one of our popular items from the noodle soup menu. Flank steak, locally sourced chicken and jumbo prawns with vegetables and yellow noodles in a flavorful dark broth. It's already delicious as it is, but you can add some chilli paste for an extra kick. Yum!

Thanksgiving in February

Seven Seas is participating in a charity program called Thanksgiving in February to help aid hunger relief in Montgomery County. We are donating 10 percent of our Tuesday, February 22 sales to this cause. Come and help raise those funds by dining with us! Click on the banner below to find out more information on this program.

http://www.thanksgivinginfebruary.org/

Thanksgiving in February

Proceeds will benefit the following local charities:

Bethesda Cares

Bethesda HELP

Community Vision

Damascus HELP

Gaithersburg HELP

Germantown HELP

Interfaith Works

Manna Food Center

Olney HELP

Rockville HELP

Shepherd's Table

WUMCO HELP

Did you know?

• In Montgomery County, nearly 25% of residents are at-risk for hunger because of the high cost of housing, health care, utilities and other necessities.

• 29% of homeless people in Montgomery County are children.

• Almost 1/4 of all homeless people have jobs, but don't have enough money for a place to live.

We look forward to seeing you on Tuesday!

Seven Seas' Corinna Shen on the Kojo Nnamdi Show WAMU 88.5 FM

Seven Seas' co-owner Corinna Shen was on the Kojo Nnamdi show this afternoon! Together with Kojo and DC food critic Todd Kliman, Corinna discussed Chinese food, culture and the ongoing Year of the Rabbit celebrations. Listen to Corinna on the Kojo show online!

Happy Year of the Rabbit!

Chinese New Year 2011 Menus

We've got some special group menu offerings for the Chinese new year celebrations this weekend. Check it out!



If you prefer not to share, we've also got a set menu for an individual meal. For $18.95, you get:

Always Searching for New Ideas

Taiwan held its' first ever Gourmet Taiwan International Conference in December 2010. The conference brought 200 participants together to exchange food innovation and business ideas. Our husband-and-wife Seven Seas management team attended the event. They're looking forward to using ideas they learned from for the upcoming Chinese New Year party at the governor's mansion in February.

Chinese New Year is on February 3, 2011

2011 is the Year of the Rabbit. Rabbits are people born in 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999 and of course, 2011.

Rabbits are admired, trusted, and are often financially lucky. They are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. Rabbit people seldom lose their temper. They are clever at doing business. Being conscientious, never back out of a contract.

What are you doing for Chinese New Year? We have party menus that will be posted soon!

Thank You for Your Support!

Dear Friends,

Wishing you every happiness and prosperity in the New Year. Thank you for being our customer. As a token of our appreciation, here's a $5 coupon to use at Seven Seas the next time you visit us.

All the best to you and your family!

 
Seven Seas Restaurant Staff

 

Happy 2011!

We would like to wish everyone the best of luck for the new year! May it be filled with fortune, happiness and health for you and your loved ones.

Plan Budget-Friendly, Healthy Meals

With the rich foods you'll be having at all the upcoming holiday parties, you might find yourself wanting lighter healthier meals. We've compiled a list of websites that will help you stay on track with healthy meal planning:

Healthy Chinese recipes from Eating Well.

EatingWell’s healthy Chinese recipes are makeovers of traditional favorites, such as Sweet & Sour Chicken with Brown Rice and Scallop & Shrimp Dumplings. Skip the white rice—instant brown rice is quick and more nutritious—and you’ll have a crowd-pleasing meal ready in no time.

(Us: A great resource for all kinds of Chinese/Asian inspired dishes. Scroll all the way down for more recipes.)

Daily Meal Planner from Meals Matter.

Our daily meal planner makes it easier to prepare healthy, economical meals at home by helping you organize recipes and meals for each day. You can contribute your favorite recipes to Meals Matter and then plan your meals for the week by adding them to your daily meal planner. If you don’t have a recipe to add you can also write in what you plan to eat for any given meal.

Cheap and Healthy: 15 Nutritious Foods for About $2 from WebMD.

How do you eat a nutritious diet while keeping your grocery budget low? The good news is that cheap food isn't necessarily unhealthy food.

You can cut food costs by eating more meals at home, and by making sure they feature some of the healthiest foods from your supermarket -- foods like whole grains, vegetables, and beans.

Enjoy the festivities and happy eating!

Dish of the Month - Tofu and Crabmeat in a Paper Pot

We debuted this dish two years ago, and it's been one of our more popular Paper Pot dishes. Silken tofu, carrot shreds and crabmeat simmered in a light broth with just a hint of white pepper is simply delicious! While the paper "pot" looks as if it's only there as decoration, it is actually absorbing some of the fat from the soup (which is already low in fat content) as you eat. Win!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving! We are open today!

A Few Good Tips For Sticking to Your Healthy Diet

More useful, expert tips can be found on Helpguide.org

# Fill up on colorful fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are low in calories and nutrient dense, which means they are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber.

Try to eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day and with every meal—the brighter the better. Colorful, deeply colored fruits and vegetables contain higher concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants—and different colors provide different benefits, so eat a variety. Aim for a minimum of five portions each day.

Some great choices include:

• Greens. Branch out beyond bright and dark green lettuce. Kale, mustard greens, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are just a few of the options—all packed with calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E, and K.

• Sweet vegetables. Naturally sweet vegetables—such as corn, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, yams, onions, and squash—add healthy sweetness to your meals and reduce your cravings for other sweets.

• Fruit. Fruit is a tasty, satisfying way to fill up on fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Berries are cancer-fighting, apples provide fiber, oranges and mangos offer vitamin C, and so on.

Dish of the Month - Chicken and Broccoli

Other places make this dish with a sweet and starchy brown sauce, so we saute white chicken meat and broccoli in a light, white sauce. At lunch, ask for steamed white or brown rice if you don't want the extra calories from fried rice. Cooked with fresh, locally grown ingredients!

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

Ten Tips on Healthy Eating

This list is compiled by the President's Council on Fitness and Sports:

1. Start your day with breakfast.
Breakfast fills your "empty tank" to get you going after a long night without food. And it can help you do better in school. Easy to prepare breakfasts include cold cereal with fruit and low-fat milk, whole-wheat toast with peanut butter, yogurt with fruit, whole-grain waffles or even last night's pizza!

2. Get Moving!
It's easy to fit physical activities into your daily routine. Walk, bike or jog to see friends. Take a 10-minute activity break every hour while you read, do homework or watch TV. Climb stairs instead of taking an escalator or elevator. Try to do these things for a total of 30 minutes every day.

3. Snack smart.
Snacks are a great way to refuel. Choose snacks from different food groups - a glass of low-fat milk and a few graham crackers, an apple or celery sticks with peanut butter and raisins, or some dry cereal. If you eat smart at other meals, cookies, chips and candy are OK for occasional snacking.

4. Work up a sweat.
Vigorous work-outs - when you're breathing hard and sweating - help your heart pump better, give you more energy and help you look and feel best. Start with a warm-up that stretches your muscles. Include 20 minutes of aerobic activity, such as running, jogging, or dancing. Follow-up with activities that help make you stronger such as push-ups or lifting weights. Then cool-down with more stretching and deep breathing.

5. Balance your food choices - don't eat too much of any one thing.
You don't have to give up foods like hamburgers, french fries and ice cream to eat healthy. You just have to be smart about how often and how much of them you eat. Your body needs nutrients like protein, carbohydrates, fat and many different vitamins and minerals such as vitamins C and A, iron and calcium from a variety of foods. Balancing food choices from the Food Guide Pyramid and checking out the Nutrition Facts Panel on food labels will help you get all these nutrients.