Capital Bites: Shake 'Em Buns, iTea, Soho Updates and Big Macs to Pyongyang

Hong Kong-based burger restaurant Shake 'Em Buns is set to open within the next two weeks at China Central Place, next to Shin Kong Place. Take a look at this menu from one of their Hong Kong restaurants to give you a taste of what you might expect (but do be warned that the Beijing menu may not be exactly the same).

Popular drinks chain iTea has opened a branch in Raffles City, and they're celebrating with discounts until mid-August. If you're around Dongzhimen and suffering from heat exhaustion, stop in and cool down with one of their shaved ices or teas.

A colleague passing through China World Mall was surprised to note that the mall has a food court with full English signage and menus, with stalls divided according to the specific type of food they serve. So, rather than "Old Wang's Sichuan Home Kitchen," for example, you've got "Noodles," "Dumplings" and the like. Presumably designed for the maximum convenience of business travelers in need of a quick eat and completely clueless about Chinese food. But aren't those guys supposed to dine in five-star hotels on expense accounts? Maybe the credit crunch hit the execs harder than the media lets on.

Is St. Anny Restaurant (also known as "SAR") Beijing's only Dutch restaurant? Is it even really a "Dutch" restaurant? I find it hard to believe that its Dutch-owned, but they're certainly putting themselves out there with the Dutch theme, from the orange logo to dishes like "Dutch fried rice." Hmm. The menu is broadly European, and it all looks like the kind of stuff you'd expect to eat in an Ikea canteen - meatballs, hot dogs, fish fingers and french fries. Then, harking back to the Dutch colonial legacy, there's Indonesian babi panggang. They've got branches in Sanlitun Soho and a newly opened branch in Soho New Town. They offer delivery, with dishes averaging around RMB 25-35.

Also in Sanlitun Soho, a new restaurant called Aegean Sea Cafe is getting ready to open, replacing Sana Zoan Coffee. Aegean Sea Cafe looks to promise Greek food; however, from the look of the decor, it may not be the most authentic.

Finally, we've heard plenty about food scandals in recent months, and obviously the mounting concern is reaching the higher echelons of society. Reports have surfaced about local officials across China enjoying all-organic produce supplied by strictly supervised farms. Unsurprisingly, the public is not impressed. Check out the full story here. But first get yourself up to speed with this roundup of the recent scandals. Meanwhile, North Korea's top brass has been looking after itself too, with the help of imports from China. This report has news on how Workers' Party officials depend on Beijing for the supply of luxuries ranging from designer clothes to, er, Big Macs. Whatever would the Great Leader say? "Extra mayo, hold the fries," perhaps.