Sausage and Balls: The Moroccan Merguez Sandwich at Cu Ju

The kitchen at hutong sports bar Cu Ju has been up and running for a while now, so now you can get either authentic Moroccan food or Ningxia noodles while keeping up with developments in the world of professional balls.

The mainstay is the Merguez sandwich (RMB 40), a sausage made from a mixture of lamb and beef. The lamb adds a nice touch of wild gamey flavor, while the beef restrains it with the gusto of a middle-school friend trying to keep you from fighting the local bully. The baguette was well-sourced, walking that delicate line of soft and firm.

On special occasions and most weekends, you'll also be able to get other Moroccan dishes, such as tagines.

Before Cu Ju, the location housed a Ningxia noodle restaurant, and the bar has continued in its tradition. We enjoyed a bowl of beef noodles (宁夏牛肉酱拌面 Ningxia niuroujiang banmian, RMB 20) and are looking forward to trying their lamb noodles.

With the NFL playoffs starting up soon, now's as good a time as any to drop by the bar for a visit for a "super" bowl of noodles or a tasty sausage sandwich.

Cu Ju 蹴鞠 Wed-Mon 6pm till late. 28 Xiguan Hutong (opposite No. 5 Middle School), Dongsi Beidajie, Dongsi Shisitiao, Dongcheng District (6407 9782) 东城区东四北大街东四十四条细管胡同28号(北京五中斜对面)

Full disclosure: Cu Ju's owner, Badr Benjelloun, also serves as True Run Media's CTO.