Refreshing Zhaijiangmian at Vegetarian Noodle Shop Good Earth

The mercury is (finally) starting to drop, but Beijing's white-collar workers aren't quite ready to give up on summer dishes quite yet, keeping an eye open for fresh and tasty dining in the mall and office tower food halls. Thankfully, one such eatery in China World Mall, Chaoyang not only keeps patrons cool and comfortable but also offers leafy green dishes as an oasis for your palate, leaving the concrete jungle outside far behind.  

But be warned: this oasis isn't easy to find. In fact, we got lost several times in the hustling basement among the lunch rush. But eventually, a big sign and poster in green shone like a beacon, and led us to the spacious eatery.

It was worth the search, especially for conscientious patrons. This large café-style spot has a heavily green theme. Its navy blue wall is decorated with emerald bowls, the napkins are made of environmentally recycled paper, and other green flourishes abound. Ditto for the menu, which is entirely vegetarian. It features an array of Chinese style noodles (RMB 29-69), among which we ordered the zhajaingmian (RMB 29), which literally means "deep-fried paste noodle". The cold noodles were al dente in the big bowl, and the sweet bean paste was mixed with diced mushroom, along with tofu to richen the flavor. The paste was umami-laden, flecked with shredded cucumber, and its xinlimei radish added refreshing lightness to this summer-friendly dish. The best part of it was that you can ask for more noodles for free.

The small cold dishes are RMB 9 each. The tofu with bean sprouts was pleasing, its tofu cubes deep-fried and marinated, its bean sprouts crunchy and covered with savory soy sauce. They're also pungent and quite acidic, urging you to reach out for more noodles.   

And oh how tempting those noodles are, each springy, stringy bite tantalizing my palate and lining my stomach. What's more, this prime mall dining spot isn't clogged with an endless queue of customers, unlike the myriad of other middling to strong restaurants in such complexes.

Good Earth
Daily 11am-9.30pm. 3B202, B2, North Zone, China World Mall, 1 Jianguomen Waidajie, Chaoyang District (6594 6691)
见见世面蔬食面馆：朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸商城北区B2层3B202

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Photos: Tracy Wang