The Beijinger Blog - Dining

Patty Power: Fatburger finally opens

Jerry — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:34:08 +0800

Fatburger has opened up a new front in Beijing's burger wars with their first Mainland China branch in The Grand Summit complex just north of the Kempinski Hotel. We dropped in for lunch today (hat tip to Beijing Boyce for his timely twitter post) and found the place hopping on this, its first official day of business after a slight delay due to some issues with sourcing their beef. Business was so brisk, in fact, it was hard not to feel a bit sorry for the forlorn O'Brien's counter (owned by the same management) in the corner.

Rigorously Authentic: Patara Thai Restaurant

thebeijinger — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0800

Settled in wood and wicker booths overlooking a warren of hutongs, diners straddle the border between Beijing and Bangkok at this refined Thai restaurant. With decorations, key ingredients (like galanga and lemongrass) and a chef imported from Thailand, Patara is rigorously authentic.

Pan-Asian a La Carte: Lunar 8 Opens in the Fairmont

thebeijinger — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +0800

It’s been an age coming, but the CBD’s luxury Fairmont hotel is up and running. Lunar 8 is one of its food outlets – a large, pan-Asian a la carte restaurant in the vein of IFW and Made in China.

Folksy Barbecued Meat: Lao Beijing Kaorou Opens at Houhai

thebeijinger — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0800

This folksy restaurant near Houhai joins a tiny number of places in the capital serving barbecued meat the old Beijing way.

Fragrant, Tender Bites: Dalyan Turkish Restaurant Opens

thebeijinger — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:30:00 +0800

Curious carnivores seeking to sample Turkish food would do well to seek out this cozy tavern a short stroll south of Hooters.

Food Fight! Three Prizes Still Up for Grabs

thebeijinger — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 17:12:00 +0800

Beijing’s been pretty quiet over Spring Festival, which perhaps explains why so few met out last Food Fight challenge. Before the break we said the first five users to post reviews of Sanlitun venues THAT HAVE NOT BEEN REVIEWED BEFORE would each win themselves a copy of Eileen Wen Mooney’s Beijing Eats, the essential guide to dining in the capital. Two users have scored themselves books – which means there are still three prizes up for grabs.

Take 5: Beijing's Best Suckling Pigs

thebeijinger — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:30:00 +0800

Spanferkel in Germany, lechon in Spain and ruzhu over here … nothing says Winterval like a hearty hog roast. Here are five spots to feast on roast suckling pig.

There's a Lot of Chocolate Santas in Here... Benjamin Devos of Comptoirs de France

thebeijinger — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:00:00 +0800

This time of year, Comptoirs de France bakeries around town become veritable Santa’s grottoes. We called in on jolly owner Benjamin Devos for a cup of seasonal cheer in his Ritan store.

the Beijinger: Sure are a lot of chocolate Santas in here …
Benjamin Devos: They’re really traditional, huh? The biggest Santa is 70cm high, around 3kg of chocolate. Parents like to buy it for their children so they can destroy it then eat the pieces.

Beijing Goes Beaujolais Tonight!

thebeijinger — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0800

It's the third Thursday of November, which means Le Beaujolais Nouveau est arrive! Originally made to celebrate the harvest in the Beaujolais region north of Lyon, this lightweight red wine is now a genuine globetrotter. A brief fermentation period means very little tannin and a dominance of fresh fruit flavors - think of it as a fading taste of European sunshine to be enjoyed now before the Beijing winter closes in. Here’s where to imbibe:

Capital Bites: Free Muffins All Month!

thebeijinger — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +0800

Do you know the muffin man that lives down Guanghua Lu? It’s Frank Siegel, and he’s just opened a new branch of Sequoia Café in the Kerry Centre next door to Papa John’s Pizza. They’re giving away free muffins from now until the end of November, so pop down for a bite and one of Beijing’s better cups of Joe.