Last Orders: Will Yorke, Owner, Vineyard Cafe and The Vineleaf

“Last Orders” is a regular magazine column in which we ask noteworthy Beijingers to imagine their final meal before leaving the city for good. This month’s host: Will Yorke, Owner, Vineyard Cafe and The Vineleaf

The venue
A mianbao taxi from 1997. The driver is happy and there would be a hole in the floor and the rear might open up and lose diners at any moment.

The starters
Meat-filled pancakes (roubing 肉饼) from Ping’an Roubing Dian on Ping’an Dajie, just west of Dongsishitiao. These would be served with ma doufu (麻豆腐) and guanchang (灌肠) (potato starch sliced, fried and served with a bowl of smashed garlic in water). Not because I really like guanchang, but just because the characters for the dish are the same as “enema.” Some restaurants translate it into English as “fried enema,” which is surely a unique dish.

The main courses
Like Dr. Who’s Tardis, the mianbao taxi is surprisingly spacious inside. Our main course is served in a West Second Ring Road traffic jam. We have chosen the Cantonese cha canting (tea restaurant) Ri Chang from Dongdan. (It’s incredibly important the food is from the Dongdan branch.) We would be served beef in black bean sauce in a sizzling pot, marinated ribs, cabbage in garlic and chicken wings “Bi Feng Tang” style. We would have to order in a gongbao jiding – a tricky decision as the quality is erratic. I would choose Emei Jiujia’s (峨嵋酒家), not because it’s the best, but because they claim every single table orders it, and when it comes to the table the waitress recites the history of the dish. In this case, she sits in the front passenger seat.

The desserts
We could drive down to Wu Men (午门) at the front of the Forbidden City and enjoy some cheese and wine from Cheese and Wine, complemented by some pastries from Dao Xiang Cun (稻香村) – especially the tang huoshao (糖火烧).

Something from your own restaurants?
For the starter, smoked salmon and rocket salad. For the main course, Mediterranean pizza and roast leg of lamb. Finally, for dessert, chocolate brownies.

The music
A Beijing jazz supergroup: Dan Bustman on guitar, Alex Morris on drums and Jia Jia on piano. They would have to go on the roof.

The entertainment
Chinese New Year fireworks.

Click here to see the February issue of the Beijinger in full.

Photo: Judy Zhou