Size of my face

With my very well kept blackberry for size reference 

Ju Bao Yuan

Ju Bao Yuan is known for its traditional bronze pots and its fresh and high quality beef and mutton. It is also very local and traditional where the atmosphere is incredibly loud and busy. Ju Bao Yuan is located in 牛街 (Niu Jie) which is the Muslim neighborhood of Beijing. This neighborhood is known for its high quality beef and mutton and the meat is also halal which a lot of people associate with higher hygiene standards during the slaughter of the animal. The meal was delicious but the restaurant is a little out of the way for me and a bit too loud and boisterous for my liking. I doubt I would come back for the hot pot but the shao bing (roasted buns) were incredible though and I would definitely make the trek to buy these glorious buns. They were crispy on the outside and pillowy soft and chewy inside. They were sprinkled generously with sesame and flavored with aromatic cumin and various other spices.

Sesame sauce with a dot of plum sauce and hot sauce. Charming :)

Bubbling bronze pot with coal inside

Ju Bao Yuan

5 Niu Jie

Xuan Wu District

Beijing

China

Tairyo

All you can eat and drink teppanyaki = always a good time. The food quality is obviously not top notch but is it very very decent for the price.

We were hungry... and we love meat.

How sweet 

Tairyo

S2-32

3/F

Sanlitun Village

19 Sanlitun Road

Beijing

China

Cooking for the boys

I went over to my friends home today to prepare a feast for them. Deal was they paid for groceries, the maid did the dishes, and I cooked them a delectable meal. Could not have thought of a better arrangement myself. I made them stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped asparagus, and chicken scallopine from a recipe I found at Pioneer Woman. Everything was super delicious, especially the chicken scallopine. The flavors were really unique and worked together surprisingly well. It was really refreshing and whimsical and I will definitely make it again soon!

Crispy crunchy deliciousness

Creamy tangy scrumptious 

Stuffed mushrooms with a mushroom, onion, bacon, breadcrumb, and parmesan filling

A meal fit for kings if I may say so myself :)

Mosto again

Lobster risotto
Yum yum yum. Big juicy pieces of lobster on well cooked risotto. Only complaint was the risotto could be a bit more creamy because it was a bit too dense, also it would have preferred it to taste SUPER lobstery ala lobster bisque but I think it was flavored with saffron? 

Pop up ramen stalls!

There were a event in Ito Yokado where numerous famous japanese ramen stalls from Japan set up little pop up shops in a special area for a limited time (ended last year in December). Customers had to buy a prepaid card in order to purchase these steaming bowls of goodies which is a slight hassle but they refund you the amount that you don't use.

Decisions, decisions...

Busy at work 

Ramen with cha siu and egg
Unfortunately we did not do our homework and didn't come prepared with the knowledge of which stall was the best. Therefore we just ran into a random stall that looked decent. The ramen was not bad, but definitely not amazing either. 

Capital M

I could of sworn I have posted about Capital M before... but cannot seem to locate the post for some reason. How irritating! Anyhow, Capital M is part of the well known M Restaurant group which also owns M on the Bund in Shanghai. Food at Capital M is only average but I think it is worth going for the ambience and location where you have a view of Tiananmen Square and the decor is quite beautiful and unique.

Pretty teacups :) 

Pretty teacups and a good bread basket. Terrible framing... 

Seared scallops with a pea and mint puree 
Scallops were seared right, the pea puree was ok. Presentation is pretty but taste is only so so. 

Roasted lamb with vegetables, feta pie, and mint yogurt
The lamb was a bit dry and the flavor was mediocre. The vegetables were also not impressive. The feta pie was quite good but not good enough to make up for the rest of the dish. 

Capital M

3/F

2 Qian Men Da Jie 

Beijing

China

串

Chuanr (skewers) is one of my all time favorite street foods in Beijing. I usually try not to think about the hygiene standards of these delectable skewers of meat and veggies on a dingy little stall on the side of a dirty bar street. All I know is that they are super duper delicious and I wish they had something like this in Hong Kong.

SELECTION
You can get cartilage, chicken hearts, lamb kidneys, testicles, corn, peppers, chicken, etc etc. Mmmm 

CHICKEN HEARTS
My favorite along with lamb. I know it doesn't look that great, but trust me its delicious. 

Perfect on a freezing night after a few drinks

Final product
Apologies for the terrible quality. But you can see how it has been perfectly grilled and sprinkled with spices. Oh how I miss thee

Chuanr is everywhere on the street. But my favorite stall is in the grimy bar street next to Nali Patio in Sanlitun. It is near Door Bar and next to Shooters (unless its closed...?)

Paulaner Brauhaus

Paulaner is a Bavarian brewery chain that serves traditional german food such as pork knuckle, a large variety of sausages, and of course, a great selection of home brewed beer. The food was only so so, and I don't think I would particularly want to return unless I was craving German food, the prices were also a bit high for the quality of the food.

Huge pork knuckle
Servings were ridiculously huge but the skin was a bit chewy and not crisp enough. It was flavored decently though and was meaty. The sides were average. 

Paulaner Brauhaus

Kempinski Hotel Beijing

50 Liang Ma Qiao Lu

Beijing

China

Pate pate pate

Hai Di Lao

Hai Di Lao is one of Beijing's most popular Szechuan hot pot places. The ingredients are always fresh and there is a huge variety of items. Another plus is that you can order half portions so you can savor a larger array of dishes. They are also famous for their "noodle dance" where special noodle boys come to your table to hand pull noodles through a super entertaining dance (sometimes the noodles brush the floor though... eeps!). My favorite part though is the amazing sauce station. You can create your own bowl of dipping sauce to dunk all your food in and keep going back for more. The sauce station has everything from sesame paste to deep fried garlic. I failed to take pictures of all the dishes but I do have two pictures of my sauce creations and the soup :)

Half ma la (numb and spicy) half tomato soup base 

Sesame paste with deep fried garlic, scallions, and fresh garlic

Satay with scallions, garlic, sesame oil, and scallions

Hai Di Lao (various locations)

A2 Bai Jia Zhuang Lu

Sanlitun

Beijing

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