Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
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i'm amazed at the amount of choice in dining this city has. Within the last week or so, I've dined on cuisines from the following countries:
China
Uzbekistan
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
USA
Korea
Vietnam
Mexico
Quick: name another city that offers this level of culinary diversity -- without causing you to go bankrupt
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 9:15am I challenge New York, Singapore, and skippy's unnamed "country in the west" to the Beijing price/diversity challenge
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: beerfest45 on May 7, 2008 9:25am admin wrote:
I challenge New York, Singapore, and skippy's unnamed "country in the west" to the Beijing price/diversity challenge
I think the best culinary city, buck for buck, in the world would have to be NY. Yeah it might be pricier than Beijing, but we're talking about quality, not quantity, and I for one have been unable to locate a proper hot pastrami on rye with spicy mustard.
Beijing Rob wrote:
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: zhiqing on May 7, 2008 9:30am - Joined: Mar 15th, 2007
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: zhiqing on May 7, 2008 9:32am beerfest45 wrote:
admin wrote:
I challenge New York, Singapore, and skippy's unnamed "country in the west" to the Beijing price/diversity challengeI think the best culinary city, buck for buck, in the world would have to be NY. Yeah it might be pricier than Beijing, but we're talking about quality, not quantity, and I for one have been unable to locate a proper hot pastrami on rye with spicy mustard.
Where can you find a true Jewish Deli in Beijing? I want my blintz.
Ich bin ein amerikanischer Teufelshund!
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: beerfest45 on May 7, 2008 9:32am zhiqing wrote:
admin wrote:
I challenge New York, Singapore, and skippy's unnamed "country in the west" to the Beijing price/diversity challengeOK Admin I give. Legal Hot Pot is not available in New York City.
you're wrong - I ate it a few months back when I was in NY. It actually wasn't that bad except for the sesame dipping sauce which was wayyy too salty.
And yes - it was in Chinatown.
Beijing Rob wrote:
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 9:35am if i tried to eat at one each of these types of cuisine in New York in a week, I believe i would be (a) close to bankruptcy and (b) probably incredibly tired from all the subway rides.
China
Uzbekistan
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
USA
Korea
Vietnam
Mexico
This is, literally, the range of my actual cuisine choices over the past 10 days -- oh i forgot Ethiopian -- and with the exception of the Ethiopian (which is 25 minutes by cab) each of these choices is either within walking distance or a 15 kuai/15 minute cab ride from my office
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: beerfest45 on May 7, 2008 9:40am admin wrote:
if i tried to eat at one each of these types of cuisine in New York in a week, I believe i would be (a) close to bankruptcy and (b) probably incredibly tired from all the subway rides.China
Uzbekistan
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
USA
Korea
Vietnam
MexicoThis is, literally, the range of my actual cuisine choices over the past 10 days -- oh i forgot Ethiopian -- and with the exception of the Ethiopian (which is 25 minutes by cab) each of these choices is either within walking distance or a 15 kuai/15 minute cab ride from my office
I actually don't think you'd be tired from the subway rides - given that you can find middle eastern, italian, japanese, american, korean, vietnamese, chinese and mexican food everywhere. Uzbekistanian food and iranian food might be difficult- israeli food wouldn't be hard though. Hell I could even map it out for you you lazy ass.
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: beerfest45 on May 7, 2008 9:42am zhiqing wrote:
beerfest45 wrote:
admin wrote:
I challenge New York, Singapore, and skippy's unnamed "country in the west" to the Beijing price/diversity challengeI think the best culinary city, buck for buck, in the world would have to be NY. Yeah it might be pricier than Beijing, but we're talking about quality, not quantity, and I for one have been unable to locate a proper hot pastrami on rye with spicy mustard.
Where can you find a true Jewish Deli in Beijing? I want my blintz.
Supposedly there's one on woman's street called Dina's or something.
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: Skipinbj on May 7, 2008 10:12am admin wrote:
I challenge New York, Singapore, and skippy's unnamed "country in the west" to the Beijing price/diversity challenge
It's Sydney. And the food is a lot more ethnically diverse than in Beijing. A lot of it cheap. I don't find foreign food that cheap in Beijing anyway.
I love China! 一切反动派都是纸北京猫!!!
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: Skipinbj on May 7, 2008 10:16am 
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: Watson on May 7, 2008 10:20am - Joined: Feb 6th, 2007
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: Skipinbj on May 7, 2008 10:23am Yeah, Melbourne's good too. I don't know where Admin is getting this idea about Beijing from. The fact is a multicultural city will produce more milticultural food. A few hundred thousand laowai in Beijing doesn't make it a real multiculutral city.
I love China! 一切反动派都是纸北京猫!!!
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 10:40am Quote:
The fact is a multicultural city will produce more milticultural food.
so will being the political capital of one of the world's largest nations
Again, I want you to really think about it -- can't speak for Australia, food might be quite cheap there, never been, but New York and San Fran? I seriously doubt you could eat affordably at this list of cuisines:
China
Uzbekistan
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
USA
Korea
Vietnam
Mexico
Ethiopia
Remember my point was culinary diversity without causing you to go bankrupt -- certainly a place like New York will have better fine dining choices -- but I know exactly nobody that would eat at fine dining restaurants virtually every evening -- just not that affordable
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: Skipinbj on May 7, 2008 10:54am @Admin: Not all ethnic food is ridiculously priced, in fact a lot of it is at the economical end of the scale. I think this is the same in the US as well as Australia. Also, I don't think foreign food is that economical in Beijing, especially when you compare wages, but even when you don't, it's not out of this world cheap. See how many people agree with you. I'm just waiting for your next response where you include your list:
China
Uzbekistan
Korea......
I love China! 一切反动派都是纸北京猫!!!
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: beerfest45 on May 7, 2008 10:57am admin wrote:
Quote:
The fact is a multicultural city will produce more milticultural food.so will being the political capital of one of the world's largest nations
Again, I want you to really think about it -- can't speak for Australia, food might be quite cheap there, never been, but New York and San Fran? I seriously doubt you could eat affordably at this list of cuisines:
China
Uzbekistan
Iran
Israel
Italy
Japan
USA
Korea
Vietnam
Mexico
EthiopiaRemember my point was culinary diversity without causing you to go bankrupt -- certainly a place like New York will have better fine dining choices -- but I know exactly nobody that would eat at fine dining restaurants virtually every evening -- just not that affordable
Oh admin, I could name over ten people that I know who need to dine exquisitely every evening and live in Manhattan. Its ok, we know you're sheltered and all, but we'll work with baby steps for you, is that ok?
Beijing Rob wrote:
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 11:02am i didn't make up the list, it's real
i wasn't trying hard to eat a lot of ethnically diverse foods either
I surprised myself when I thought back over the past 10 days
Of the places I've lived or spend significant time in, I've not seen the combination of diversity and affordability that Beijing offers. That means in my mind it beats our NY, Boston, San Fran, LA, Washington DC, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei.
just pointing out there's tons out there in Beijing, which is contrary to the conventional wisdom of most laowais here
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: Skipinbj on May 7, 2008 11:04am I didn't say you made up the list, just that I got the picture already, you don't need to add it in every post. Anyway, no-ones saying there is no variety as far as ethnic foods go in Beijing, just refuting your very dubious claim that Beijing is the best place to sample multicutural food in the world.
I love China! 一切反动派都是纸北京猫!!!
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 11:05am beerfest45 wrote:
Oh admin, I could name over ten people that I know who need to dine exquisitely every evening and live in Manhattan. Its ok, we know you're sheltered and all, but we'll work with baby steps for you, is that ok?
well we all know you travel in rarefied circles. And what would you estimate they spend for that privelege? Let's not forget liquor, parking, meals tax and tip ...
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 11:07am Skipinbj wrote:
I didn't say you made up the list, just that I got the picture already, you don't need to add it in every post. Anyway, no-ones saying there is no variety as far as ethnic foods go in Beijing, just refuting your very dubious claim that Beijing is the best place to sample multicutural food in the world.
i stick to my guns: best combination of low price and diverse choice. However, to be fair, I should modify "Beijing" to "Chaoyang District"
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Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Posted by: admin on May 7, 2008 11:08am Skipinbj wrote:
@Admin: Not all ethnic food is ridiculously priced, in fact a lot of it is at the economical end of the scale.
agreed
speaking of great deals, Ras (the ethiopian spot) has 30 kuai specials at lunch on weekdays. A steal!
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beerfest45
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Shanghai?
Beijing Rob wrote:
Skipinbj
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
I think the multi-ethnic food choice in Beijing is still a lot less than any large city in the West. Mainly due to the fact the they are mich more multi-ethnic than China; and it's not all expensive either.
I love China! 一切反动派都是纸北京猫!!!
ebi
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Very funny comment.
Guangzhou has more cuisines and cheaper..shanghai is not known for food. Beijing choices just maintains the embassies...this is not a business district.
Some of you who've been to guangzhou can vouch for this.
zhiqing
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
\
New York City!! Income levels being relative it is much the same there as in Beijing.
Ich bin ein amerikanischer Teufelshund!
我是美国海军陆战队队员
beerfest45
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Umm Shanghai has some pretty good food and restaurants as well, so although it might not be known for food, I've eaten some pretty tasty cuisines there.
Beijing Rob wrote:
ebi
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
They should have some tasty cuisines... I won't forget the jiaozi i ate in a local shanghai cuisine, tasteless...they don't like meat a lot i thought.
Skipinbj
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
Admin's sad now, this is gonna influence TBJ sales this month. He really thought Beijing was the most multicultural city in the World!
I love China! 一切反动派都是纸北京猫!!!
beerfest45
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
What about the baozi - had some great thai food there as well and some decent pizza. Course, does not compare to Lou Malnatis.
Beijing Rob wrote:
ebi
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
haha
what i like about guangzhou or Hong Kong is what you can get from a stone's trow ...at a good price .
MaggieQ
Re: Beijing: culinary diversity, low price
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Quick: name another city that offers this level of culinary diversity -- without causing you to go bankrupt
Try singapore!