Alleyway Gourmet: Beijing Pie Takes Roubing to the Next Level

Robynne Tindall, Contributing Editor | Nov 21, 2015 5:00 pm | Add a comment | 2125 reads

We are admittedly stretching the definition of Alleyway Gourmet with Beijing Pie, since its location one block east of the Forbidden City is hardly a sleepy byway (although these days you’re just as likely to run into a flag-toting tour group in the hutongs as you are near the Forbidden City).

With a location so close to Beijing’s defining tourist attraction (sorry Great Wall), it makes sense that Beijing Pie is shooting for both the local and foreign crowd. Although the restaurant was full of mostly local patrons when we visited one weekday lunch, the affable owner speaks excellent English and the menu has been translated, not to mention that the sign outside gave more than one of our party flashbacks to Chinese study flashcards. Beijing Pie specializes in roubing – the eponymous “Beijing pie.” More of a pancake than a pie, roubing usually comes filled with pork or beef, but here they have also fancied it up with a Peking duck version. Roubing is never going to be the healthiest of snacks, but Beijing Pie’s version is remarkably grease-free and comes with a generous filling.

Pies aside, the restaurant also offers Chinese comfort food classics, mostly leaning towards a northern Chinese style. Portions are big and the food is homestyle – the kungpao chicken thigh (RMB 36), for example, is a simple, spicy stir-fry, rather than the sickly sweet deep-fried version you find in many restaurants. Our waiter was also happy to offer recommendations, suggesting a seasonal dish of stir-fried loofah sprouts (RMB 22).

Prices are a little higher than your average hole in the wall joint, but then this isn’t your average hole in the wall joint – you’re paying for a bright, clean restaurant with English-speaking servers. Don’t worry though; you can still roll out of here extremely full for about RMB 50 per person.

More stories by this author here.

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