Sup 'til You're Sauced: Beijing's Booze-Infused Dishes

Classical cuisines abound in wine-soaked fare: boeuf bourguignon and coq au vin in the West, the “drunken” variety of shrimp, crab or chicken here in China. But beyond the classics? Beijing is filled with boozy bites. Here’s our guide to the tastiest ways to eat your drinks.

Chimay Red poached egg
Chef Frederic Muller has been experimenting with using various Belgian brews in his cooking. If you thought a poached egg was perfect as it was, think again – as a poaching liquid, Chimay Red certainly tops plain water. Elsewhere on the menu, a Hoegaarden sauce accompanies the grilled sea bass, Chimay Red appears again in the dressing for salads, and “beer ham” comes in a sliced baguette sandwich. For dessert, Kriek lambic flavors a Bavarian cream cake.
Beer Mania. Daily 2pm-late. Units 103-104, 1/F, Taiyue Suites, Nansanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6500 0559)
欧月啤酒吧, 朝阳区南三里屯路泰乐坊1层

beer duck stew 啤酒鸭 pijiu ya
Down in Jiangxi, they probably simmer their ducks in Nanchang beer. Here in Beijing, Nanchang Restaurant has surrendered to the North, using Yanjing as their brew of choice.
Nanchang Restaurant. Daily 11.30am-1.30pm, 5.30-8.30pm. 35 Xihuangchenggen Nanjie, Xicheng District(6607 9991)
南昌饭店, 西城区西黄城根南街35号

omelette norvégienne (Baked Alaska)
Legend has it that the Chinese first created this confection in the 1800s, using pastry rather than meringue to shield the ice cream from the oven’s heat. (Pretty implausible, if you ask us.) Scarlett’s version of the dessert is actually a Bombe Alaska, meaning that the toasted meringue is drizzled with Grand Marnier and then set alight. Even after the alcohol burns off, you can certainly taste the brandy liqueur atop the layers of sponge cake and ice cream.
Scarlett. Daily 6pm-3am. 1/F, Hotel G, 7A Gongti Xilu, Chaoyang District (6552 2880)
朝阳区工体西路甲7号

Jack Daniels BBQ sauce
Many Americans may have memories of this T.G.I. Friday’s classic. One user on Yahoo Answers writes, “This stuff is so good, it’s like crack to me. And I never even tried crack.” Indeed, the sweet glaze is surprisingly tasty, combining Tabasco, garlic, diced sauteed onions and a definite kick of JD.
T.G.I. Friday’s. Daily 11am-11.30pm.Bldg C, Beijing International Plaza, 19 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang
District (8526 3388)
星期五餐厅, 朝阳区建国门外大街19号北京国际大厦C座

baijiu and Coca-Cola wings 酒香烤翅 jiuxiang kaochi
In rare instances, baijiu is not absolutely foul. This is one of them. Chicken wings are coated in a sauce of honey, Coke, garlic, pepper and a shot of the pungent sorghum spirit and then barbecued.
Fengliuchi. Daily 11am-1am. 31 Xinyuan Jie (next to Tsinghua Affliated Middle School), Chaoyang District(6461 7290)
风流翅, 朝阳区新源街31号清华大学附属中学朝阳学校旁

Chocolate cherry cupcakes
The chocolate cake batter is infused with cherry brandy, and each cupcake crowned with cherry whipped frosting and a chocolate-covered Maraschino cherry. If you prefer your liquor non-fruity, try the rum buttercream frosting of their Drunken Chocolate Rum cakes.
Fat Bunny Bakery. Delivery only. See Fatbunnybakery.com

cocktail popsicles
Starting in mid-June, Stephanie Rocard debuted the icepop versions of several house specials, like The Lady Boy (Kaffir lime and lemongrass spiked with ginger-infused vodka) and The Thirsty Caterpillar (fresh cucumber and mint with lemon and apple juice and a healthy measure of Bombay gin). They don’t skimp on the spirits, which, even after a day of freezing, makes for a slushy blend and a solid rush to the head.
Mao Mao Chong. Daily 7pm-late. 12 Banchang Hutong, Dongcheng District (6405 5718)
东城区板厂胡同12号

Pane Tigrato and limoncello soufflé
Made of rye, spelt and flours, the dough of the Pane Tigrato (“tiger bread”) is topped with a batter made of lager, yeast and rye flour before baking. The heat of the oven cracks this top layer, creating the appearance of big-cat stripes in the sturdy crust. On the sweeter side, Opera Bombana’s soufflé showcases limoncello with raspberry jelly and Tasmanian honey ice cream to balance an intense punch of the Italian digestiv.
Opera Bombana. Daily noon-10.30pm. LG2-21, B2/F, Parkview Green, 9 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District (5690 7177)
朝阳区东大桥路9号芳草地底下2层LG2-21

Wuliangye tiramisu
Distilled from five grains, this premium brand of baijiu has status appeal and a hefty price tag to match. This tiramisu with Wuliangye-soaked ladyfingers is a signature dish at the Kerry Hotel and makes the abrasive liquor surprisingly palatable.
Kerry’s Kitchen. Daily 6am-1am. 1/F, Kerry Hotel, 1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District (8565 2088)
朝阳区光华路1号嘉利酒店1层

See also Great Leap Brewpub and Park Square for what's new in restaurants. And don't miss Jamaica Me Crazy’s Last Orders with Rosa Lin Zamoa.

Photos: Cat Nelson, www.fatbunnybakery.com