Mall Walking: Food Court Discoveries

Keeping up with dining developments in Beijing's many shopping malls is almost a Sisyphean task, but we remain committed to it. Here are a handful of food court finds we're excited about.

Deliziefollie
B1/F, B1-03, EC Mall, 1 Danleng Jie, Haidian District (6471 2793)
海淀区丹棱街1号欧美汇购物中心地下1层03号

Premium handmade gelato brand Deliziefollie has opened its first Chinese mainland branch at the EC Mall in Zhongguancun. At RMB 38 for two small scoops or RMB 48 for a cone, it's not cheap, but it is competitive with other high-end ice cream brands like Haagen-Dazs and Cold Stone Creamery.

Based solely on yesterday's visit, this is the best ice cream I've had in Beijing. The mint-chip flavor, my personal benchmark, was fabulous. The specialty pistachio flavor costs a little extra, but it makes up for it with its delicate nuttiness. We also loved the "Cubano," a mix of chocolate and rum that had a complex flavor to it. I'm looking forward to going back for a full scoop of the black currant and amaretto flavors.

Augustin by Amandine
B1-07, The Gate City Mall, Zhongguancun Dajie, Haidian District
海淀区中关村大街新中关购物中心B1－07

The closing of Amandine bakery in Sanlitun Soho a few months ago put frowns on more than a few faces, but westsiders can smile at the Augustin by Amandine counter in The Gate Mall in Zhongguancun. They're serving a nice selection of affordable breads, pastries and sandwiches. Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to try them this weekend, but knowing Amandine, they should be excellent.

Staff said there are plans to open locations back on the east side of town, but they couldn't yet provide any specifics.

Angry Burger
5/F, Wangjing Novo, 41 Wangjing Xilu, Chaoyang District (59778622)
朝阳区望京西路41号望京NOVO潮流百货5楼达人食堂内

Our order here last night was a bit of a mixed bag, but we're still planning to head back to satisfy our copycat fast-food cravings the next time we're in the area. Having grown up regularly consuming Carl's Jr.'s Western bacon cheeseburgers, I found Angry Burger's version (RMB 25) to be a passable approximation of the original. I would, however, recommend asking them to hold the raw onions, as they'll easily overpower the rest of the burger.

We also liked the mushroom swiss burger (RMB 28). The use of shiitake mushrooms came as a surprise, but it worked for us once we got used to the idea.

The quality of Angry Burger's patties was just so-so, though slathered sauces masked some of the meat's shortcomings. I can't unequivocally recommend this place to you, but if you're looking for a cheap burger around Wangjing, it might do the trick.

The "mixed" part of the bag largely came from the sides, as we were disappointed with the ones we ordered. They arrived in the form of four sad-looking onion rings, soggy fries, Caesar salad with too much garlic and watered-down lemonade.