Rock-Hard Buns: Kimo Kids Café is a Veritable Playpen Heaven (With Big-Person Burgers to Boot)

In the wake of our 2018 Beijing Burger Festival and the ongoing Burger Cup, our Rock-Hard Buns series will whet your appetite by taking a look at those vendors who slung their wares at the veritable meat fest that just past. Remember to vote for your favorite here!

Kimo Kids Café, located in the newest mall on the Shuangjing block, Space 3, wants to become your refuge away from the high-pitched screams of your young ones; not by ditching them but instead by keeping them entertained and grinning from ear to ear while you can accomplish the more important tasks in life, like eating burgers.

The lavish café is decked out with the hottest toys a little human could dream of, including a make-up area, dress-up area, a mini supermarket filled with squishy vegetables, a massive kids kitchen, and interactive games. Everything is suitably cute, and the play areas are perfectly suited to the shorter demeanor of one to seven-year-olds. To throw your children in the mix, parents can choose between two-hour play sessions for RMB 128 on weekdays or RMB 158 on weekends. Something tells us that if two hours aren't enough, you can expect tear-soaked tantrums to return sooner than you had hoped.

Parents, meanwhile, can relax and dine in a stunning, slick, and modern environment. Kimo’s trendy menu features an array of Western staples to suit the sophisticated mums and dads and spans a variety of healthy foods, without sacrificing some naughtier options as well.

Those of you that happened to try Kimo’s burgers at this past weekend's Burger Festival, would likely agree that the kitchen has got something good going out of the blocks, though they do come at a price. The humongous, 200g beef burger (RMB 95), for example, had us giddy just by looking at it. Upon squeezing the bun so as to flatten it and have any chance of devouring it, its gooey over-easy egg instantly oozed from within and coated the patty. From then on, each bite consisted of a soft, thick beef patty, caramelized onions, runny egg, melted cheddar cheese, and mustard. With a 90 to 10 beef-to-fat ratio, the patty is also quite lean and will quickly fill you up without leaving you sluggish. 

The pulled pork burger (RMB 80) had a slight kick to it but was manageable even for a self-confessed non-spicy eater like myself. The winner here was the gratifying and delectable slow-cooked pulled pork, which is marinated in 18 Cajun spices. To give it some bite, it’s topped with a massive helping of sweet cabbage coleslaw and cheddar cheese. We're also happy to report that the soft, slightly sweet bun was sturdy enough to make it through the entire event, making it another winner in my books.

At the recommendation of Steve, co-owner of the restaurant, we paired our burgers with a Drake’s Brewing 1500 Dry Hopped Pale Ale; a crisp summer drink with notes of orange blossom and grapefruit. Below he tells us how they have created their two signature burgers.

In your opinion, what are the most important elements in making a great burger?
To me it’s balance. We have designed our burgers to a 90-10 ratio between the beef and fat content. When you eat it, you won’t feel heavy afterward. It’s more of a gourmet burger that you would get at the steakhouse. We put a runny egg on top. It compensates for the beef not having so much fat on it. We use grilled onions, and the burger has a natural sweetness that comes from the vegetables and the sauce. We just use plain yellow mustard. We do not add anything to the beef, just sea salt and pepper. 

Do you think you have the best burger in Beijing?
As of now, I think we do. Our burgers are not for dates. It’s a pretty messy burger because of the over-runny egg.  

What drink from your menu goes best with the burger?
The beer that I’ll be bringing is Drake’s 1500 Dry Hopped Pale Ale.

Aside from your own restaurant's burger, what is the best burger you've ever had?
I really like the Slow Boat burger. It's a real, decently sized burger and comes with nice garlic fries.

Kimo Kids Café
Mon-Fri 10.30am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-9pm. 2/F, Space 3 Mall, Chaoyang District (6776 5022)
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Have you tried Kimo's burgers or do you have another Beijing favorite you'd like to vote for? Read up on who is in the running to be crowned Beijing's Best Burger and then place your vote by scanning the QR code above!

Photos courtesy of Kimo Kids Café