小楊生煎 (Xiao Yang San Jian)

Ask anyone about Xiao Yang San Jian, and faces will instantly erupt into expressions of longing and excitement. The fried buns here are TO DIE FOR. I have had a lot of San Jian Baos (fried buns) in my life and these are the best I have ever had. These buns are a mixture between a normal bun and a xiao long bao (thin skin pork dumplings) because the skin is not as thick as a normal bun but definitely not as thin as a dumpling. They are fried until the bottom becomes are delectable crunchy skin and then sprinkled with scallions and sesame. The inside is filled with juicy succulent meat, the amount of juice is one of the main thing that sets this bun apart. Make sure you don't bite into it right away because it will all drip out and burn you! Here is a short article on CNNGo for Xiao Yang San Jian. This is a must try if you are in Shanghai!

Busy churning out these tasty delicious buns! 

Love of my life 

Xiao Yang San Jian
No. 54-60

Wu Jiang Road

Jing'an District

Shanghai

China 

Train to Shanghai!

The best friend and I decided to try out the new trains from Beijing to Shanghai and bought these as our lunch. Was surprisingly not bad!

Pork belly with preserved vegetables and Kung Pao chicken

Dumprings

Hatsune

Hatsune is one of the most popular japanese places in Beijing. It is a hip and trendy place for young people to devour creative and delicious rolls. I would not go to Hatsune for traditional sushi (Yotsuba is best for that in Beijing) but Hatsune is famous for its never ending list of innovative and cutely named rolls. I have been many times but will probably never be able to try every single one. Some of my favorites include the Moto-roll-a, The Maximus Prime roll, and South Beach roll. Another dish my friends and I love is the Steak Rossini, tender pieces of steak with a slab of foie and a crispy piece of garlic. Mmm.

Hatsune 

3/F

Sanlitun Village South 

19 Sanlitun Road

Beijing

China

Mosto

Mosto is one of my favorite restaurants in Beijing. The food is consistently good and the atmosphere is hip and comfortable.

Wine is always a good idea 

I feel like Mosto is the perfect spot for a first date. It's classy and swanky but not overly stuffy. The lighting is just right and there is also an open kitchen to distract you just in case you run out of things to talk about. 

Beef cheek with thick cut bacon, potatoes, and greens
The beef has been cooked until it is bursting with flavor and it simply melts in your mouth. The thick cut bacon was smokey and was an amazing texture contrast to the tender beef. The sauce was thick and rich and although I am not a huge fan of potatoes they were a great accompaniment to meats. I think maybe a mash would be even better. Perhaps a truffle mash...? That would be my dream come true. 

Red wine truffled risotto with a parmesan crisp
This is one of my favorite dishes at Mosto. I always try to get someone else to order it though so I can nibble on theirs while I try other greats dishes hehe. The risotto is always cooked perfectly, the grains of rice are firm and have a nice bite to it and it is also incredibly creamy and rich. The truffle aroma is incredible and the parmesan crisp is just the cherry on top. I think the best choice is to order then and then have someone else order a meat dish because even though the risotto is amazing I like to have some meat during my meal as well.

Cheese plate 
Just like how wine is always a good idea, a cheese plate is also always a good idea. Sometimes I get too full but cheese platters are always one of my favorite things. This cheese plate had a great selection of soft and hard cheeses and the fruit preserves and nuts did the perfect job bringing out the flavors of the cheese. The toasties were also just right, not too thick and crispy. Perfect end to a perfect meal. 

Mosto

3/F

Nali Patio

Sanlitun

Beijing 

China 

Na Jia Xiao Guan (那家小館）

Na Jia Xiao Guan serves delicious Manchurian cuisine in a unique and beautiful atmosphere. The prices are very reasonable and the food never fails to impress. The Beijing duck is also done very well here which is a huge plus because a lot of famous duck restaurants in Beijing roast their ducks very well but unfortunately their other dishes are not up to par. Unfortunately I do not remember the names of each dish but everything was scrumptious. Na Jia Xiao Guan is a must try when you visit Beijing!

Na Jia Xiao Guan

1 Yikesong

Fragrant Hills 

Beijing
China

LAN Club

LAN club is designed by the famous Philippe Stark and is both a restaurant and a nightclub. Its opulent and mesmerizing design made it a popular destination for tourists and visitors to Beijing. Unfortunately the food is very mediocre but it is definitely worth it to come for a drink to experience the decor.

4/F, Twin Tower

B12 Jian Guo Men Wai Dai Jie

Beijing 

China 

Beijing Street Food :)

One of the things I will miss most about Beijing is its amazing street food. The egg pancake and skewers are some of the best things when you are inebriated, and delicious even when sober. Although the hygiene of these street stalls are extremely questionable, I am lucky enough to never have gotten an upset stomach from chomping down on these goodies. These pictures are much a mere glimpse into what the Beijing streets have to offer.