Jesse Warren
OF all the places in China, Beijing is not best known for its cuisine. Historical and cultural legacies come to mind more quickly than any of its dishes. Overshadowed by other regional favorites such as Sichuanese, Cantonese and northeastern cuisines, the capital city is left playing second fiddle in a land of endless culinary variety. However, a trip during the Olympics confirmed that Beijing has plenty to satisfy the palate.
As the capital of China for centuries, Beijing has absorbed the culinary traditions of provinces around the country. This is partly explained by the Emperor's Kitchen, the cooking quarters of the Forbidden City. There, China 's best chefs came to cook for the imperial family, and Beijing thus benefited from the infinite variety of Chinese flavors. However, inspired by neighboring Shandong Province, Beijing's food is strong in dark soy paste, sesame oil, and scallions, and the city has spawned many snacks, as opposed to full dishes, which are sold at small shops and street stalls.
Street food, the delight of many a globetrotting traveler, was predictably absent from Beijing during the Olympics. Locals confirmed that vendors had stopped appearing on the streets in the weeks leading up to the Games. But of course visitors were able to get a taste at one of Beijing's most well-known eating centers. Wangfujing Snack Street is as much a tourist attraction as a place to eat. With a variety of exotic creatures , such as deep fried insects, scorpions and the like, the street is not for people with a weak stomach. Common meat kebabs, desserts, and candied fruits make up the rest of the offerings.
Thanks to its large expatriate population, Beijing has an impressive array of authentic international cuisines. I ate everything from Indian to Mediterranean to Ethiopian. However obscure the food, chances are you can find it in Beijing, often in cozy and charming cafes. Most delightful of all was an evening spent in The Bookworm, a lending library and coffee shop with a restaurant to boot, serving up tasty Chinese and Western dishes. Located in the expat enclave of Sanlitun, it's one of many on a long list of foreign restaurants in the area. The drinking scene there is just as vibrant as the dining. Just thinking of Beijing 's foreign food scene makes me green with envy.
Of course, you can't write an article about Beijing food without mentioning Peking roast duck. Without a doubt the city's most famous dish, few visitors leave Beijing without trying it. Originally prepared for a Yuan Dynasty emperor, the dish is prized for the thin, crispy skin, with authentic versions of the dish serving mostly the skin and little meat, sliced in front of the diners by the cook. It features slices of roasted duck wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onions, dipped in sweet hoisin sauce. At the suggestion of a local friend, our group of eight tried a mid-level restaurant specializing in the dish, but most in the party were left underwhelmed. Your best bet is to try one of the centuries-old institutions specializing in the dish, Quanjude or Bianyifang, both nationally renowned.
Beijing ' s cuisine may not have the flare of other Chinese varieties, but it surely doesn't disappoint either. Prices there are slightly more expensive than Shenzhen, and with a smaller migrant population, regional varieties are less common, but as a large modern city, you can find almost anything you want. With a thriving international food scene, globally famous dishes, and a legacy of royally sanctioned cuisine, you'll never go hungry in Beijing.
Beijing Restaruant in Shenzhen
Bejing Restaurant
(Beijing Restaurant)
Tel: 2669-2184
Add: Shekou Business Street 185, Nanshan District
Gomi vegetarian
Tel: 8619-4116
Add: 11 Changxing Square, Changxing Road, Nanshan District
御good restaurant
Tel: 8350-0668
Add: 1 / F, Dongzuo Hotel, Xiangmihu, Futian District
Guiyou Beijing restaurant
(Guiyou Beijing Restaruant)
Tel: 8224-2318
Add: 2 / F, Taiwan Garden, Dongyuan Road, Futian District
Habitat restaurants have friends
Tel: 26821081
Add: 1 / F, Beike Chuangye Builiding, Nanhai Thoroughfare, Shekou, Nanshan District