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Foreign Fancies
It's that time of the month. Your stomach aches and you just can't face your food. Because one more plate of oily Chinese cuisine and you're going to throw up - it's not that you don't like it, it's just your tender foreign tummy can't take it any more.
1001 Nights The all-new, singing AND dancing version of the wildly popular Arabian joint by the City Hotel opened in mid-June at the other end of Gongti Beilu, directly opposite the Zhaolong Hotel. It's bigger (seats 150 inside with space for over 100 outside), better (set further back from the road and shaded by trees, making summer nights very agreeable there), bustier (belly dancing and other entertainments nightly), but doesn't cost any more than the old place. You can still cover your table with goodies like Hummus, Falafel and Shish Tawouk and have plenty to spare for beer money (Yanjing draft is 12 yuan). If you don't already know what these things are, get down there and try them. Right now.
Opposite Zhaolong Hotel, east end of Gongti Beilu. Call 010-65324050 for reservations. Kebab Australia Since the tragic demise of the Smiling Pie Australian Family Restaurant last month, this is possibly Beijing's strangest concept eatery. Battling it out with McDonald's at the south-west corner of Tian'anmen Square, Kebab Australia must have confused millions about the culinary identity of the Lucky Country. Luckily, there's some pictures of Greece on the walls inside to help you get your skewers straight while tucking into a bonzer chicken kebab or downing a good old Aussie Flot (sic). Golden Elephant Spicy Restaurant Not much more than six months old, but already a solid fixture on the laowai circuit. The Elephant's menu combines Thai and Indian cuisines at equally low prices, despite the upper-middle class decor. If it reminds you a little of the Asian Star on the East Third Ring Road, don't be surprised - boss Nancy Pang was one of the brains behind that enterprise. The kitchen has two tandoor ovens that turn out top-class naan breads, which you'll need to mop up the rich sauces whichever style of curry you plump for. Don't go straight to the main courses - Thai and Indian excel at starters and soups, so give them due attention. This place also has possibly the cheapest decent draft beer (Tiger) in Sanlitun. Sanlitun Dongerjie, just a few yards east of the main bar street. Call 010-64171650/1651 for reservations. Peter Pan Unusual name, but this is Beijing's most approachable Italian restaurant. It's been a smash hit since opening last autumn and has already doubled its original size. An affiliated "Bodega" shop was also under construction next door at The other is the straightforward cooking at very reasonable prices. Pizzas are thin-crust and splendidly cheesy; pastas are impeccably al dente. Check out the spaghetti in black squid ink. Portions are on the small side, but any holes can comfortably be filled with the excellent Tiramisu for dessert. Add: Maizidian Lu (behind the Great Wall Sheraton). Tel: 010- 65951414. |
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You grasp hungrily at your wallet, but wait! It's too thin, you're low on readies and that vision of foreign five-star hotel catering is scrubbed painfully from your imagination. You need something cheap, and you need it now...
The restaurant is open 24 hours and will also be glad to serve you some lamb's testicles or lamb's brain scrambled egg to get you going in the morning.
the time of writing. The open kitchen lets you check out what boss Claudio and his staff are up to, although Claudio actually spends much of his time circulating among the diners. The welcome proffered by Claudio, partner Lu Hongwei and their staff is one of Peter Pan's biggest attractions.