EAT: New Lost Plate Tour, Lunch at Nyonya Kitchen, Mercante Eight Years Menu, Durian Festival
EAT: Your bite-sized guide to the best eats to be had in Beijing this week.
Eat your way around China on Lost Plate's new Beijing tour
Try some of China's best cuisines without ever leaving Beijing on Lost Plate's new evening food tour, "The Flavors of China." The tour whisks you around Beijing in a van to try dishes from regions like Yunnan, Xinjiang, and Sichuan, as well as our very own Beijing. We won't spoil the surprise by naming the restaurants but suffice to say we ate some of the best dapanji we've had in Beijing at a restaurant we would never have thought of going to. Definitely not the kind of places that you will find in a regular guide book, Lost Plate's tours are not just a great option for visitors; even as someone who's lived in Beijing for a while (and, let's be honest, spends a lot of time eating) we always discover something new on their tours. The tour is priced at USD 85 (approx. RMB 600) per person. Find out more and book via their website.
Mercante celebrates eight years in the hutongs with new menu
Mercante is celebrating eight years of serving delicious Italian cuisine in the hutongs with a new winter menu featuring some classic dishes from over the last few years. Sample one of their signature homemade pasta dishes like green and yellow tagliolini with ragu alla bolognese (RMB 88) or pappardelle with duck ragu (RMB 88) [Ed's note: a personal favorite], or finish your meal on a sweet note with a classic tiramisu (RMB 38). Also look out for weekly specials such as the Italian burrata with black truffle pasta, warm polenta, and black truffle Pecorino cheese or bomba di riso (a baked rice cake) with regu alla bolognese, baked pork shoulder, and green pea cream, which are limited to just a few portions a day.
Weekend dinner parties with The Bake Shop
Head over to The Orchid Lodge on Baochao Hutong every weekend night this winter to enjoy a sharing-style dinner menu created by The Bake Shop. Start with dips and appetizers served with their signature sourdough bread before moving on to main courses like Italian meatballs and sourdough crust pizzas. There are two seatings per day at 6pm and 8.30pm and the menu is priced at RMB 188 on Friday and Saturday (including a cocktail by their bar Baojian) and RMB 158 on Sunday (no drinks included).
New lunch menu at Nyonya Kitchen
Warm up on a cold winter day with some Malaysian spice with Nyonya Kitchen's new lunch set. Choose from a selection of five main courses – including Hainan chicken rice, Cantonese fried noodles, Nyonya barbecue pork rice, nasi lemak (pictured above) with red curry chicken, or laksa – for RMB 68 including a drink and dessert. Find Nyonya Kitchen on the fifth floor of China World Mall north zone.
All-you-can-eat Musang King durian festival at Mulu WFC
Durian lovers will want to clear out their Sunday schedule (while non-durian lovers may want to clear out of WF Central altogether) for Southeast restaurant Mulu's one-time all-you-can-eat Musang King durian festival on Dec 15, 2-6pm. For RMB 428 diners will have unlimited access to Musang King durian, which is considered the "black-market gold" of durians and the most sought after, desired, and expensive of all the durian varieties, selling for more than twice the price of average durian. See it as the malodorous gateway into the world of durian you've always been curious about but never dared to enter.
Hungry for more? Check out Beijing's first-ever Michelin starred restaurants.
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Images: Robynne Tindall, Mercante, The Bake Shop/The Orchid, wp.com, Lelong
