Jianbing Burritos: New Chaowai Shop Gives Novel Twist to China's Breakfast Staple

Bored by the prospect of yet another run-of-the-mill jianbing breakfast? If your greasy, carb-y Chinese morning staple needs a fresh twist then stop by Rice Roll.

The small grab-it-and-go Chaowai Soho restaurant's name is apt enough, seeing as it serves rice stuffed wraps. But there's more to its food than that, considering the wraps also feature chicken, beef, tuna, shrimp or veggy options, along with a tough chewy bread that sticks to your insides after giving your molars a considerable workout. The combination of a hulking rice wad in the very Chinese bread will remind the diner of both jianbing and burritos, a pairing strange enough to tempt any curious foodie.

The next question is obvious: how does that combination taste? Unfortunately, it's not quite as delicious as the best gourmet burrito you've ever had, or the sizzling wares of the most dedicated jianbing purveyor in your neighborhood. But at least Rice Roll's offerings are better than the schlockiest jianbing vendor on your block (because we all know every Beijing street features both extremes of jianbing stand quality). Western patrons will also like how Rice-Roll's wraps forgo the grease that addles so many typical jianbings.

The Chaowai restaurant's staff admirably dole out the ingredients and roll them up in the jianbing-esque wrap in full view of the waiting customers. Unfortunately, we can't vouch for the freshness of those veggies. They're by no means stale, but certainly taste like they were straight off the vine, leaving one to compare them to average subway fare.

Rice Roll's biggest strength, however, is the price of its wraps. What they've dubbed chicken tortilla wrap costs a mere RMB 20 and, at nearly a foot long, is big enough to quickly quell your hunger. The beef, tuna and shrimp varieties cost RMB 25, while veggie and pork versions cost RMB 20. Drinks like soybean milk and snow pear juice are also available (costing RMB 8 and RMB 5, respectively).

Less of a practical draw, and more of a novelty, is the calorie counts listed on the menu board next to each of the wraps. The healthy eating theme is carried throughout the shop's decor, which features medals hung on the wall belonging to the owner, who earned them running various marathons. The outside window, meanwhile, features adorably laudable photos of said owner back in his pudgier days, alongside shots of his current slimmer self sprinting and descriptions of the health value of Rice Roll's fare. While this is unlikely to tempt true health nuts (who are willing to pay top dollar for certified organic eats) it at least succeeds, for average patrons, as yet another charming quirk.



Rice Roll
Daily 8am-9pm. 116, Chaowai Soho, Bldg A, Chaoyangmen Waidajie, Chaoyang District (18610273877)
朝外大街乙6号朝外Soho A座116

Photos: Kyle Mullin