Beijing Curry Run Enters Third Year, Still Doesn't Involve Running

When we first reported on the Beijing Curry Run back in 2022, we were initially taken aback by the thought of eating rich creamy curry before going out for a jog – the thought of all that delicious curry coming back up again is a horrific thought.

Thankfully, this “run” doesn’t involve any running whatsoever. Instead, the initiative, the brainchild of expats Tom van Dillen and Gareth Fuller, is a chance for people to try curries at all – or at least a majority of – curry-making establishments in Beijing. The goal is simple: to not only try as many as possible, but for participants to vote while eating on which curries are the best in Beijing.

We recently caught up with van Dillen and Gareth to find out how the Run is going in its third year, what some of their favorite curry spots are after trying so many, and how people can take part in the action.

So for the uninitiated, what is Curry Run and how does it operate and what sort of criteria do you look at when visiting a restaurant?
The idea hatched from our joint love of Indian, Sri Lankan and Pakistani curry. We wanted to bring other enthusiasts to the table and discover Beijing’s many restaurant offerings. There isn’t much criteria for the places we visit, except for the set dishes we judge using a simple scoring system. The whole point is to have an informal feast of our favorite food. The results served are light-hearted and make fun conversation as we eat. Another reason we did it is that we got a bit tired of everyone having “healthy”, “wise” and “considered” New Year’s resolutions. We thought: why not just make a New Year’s resolution that we wouldn’t just like to achieve – but actually love the process of getting there.

How has the “run” been going since you started way back in 2022?
It’s had its ups and downs. Covid really messed things up. After a long break, we’re back to scouting out new venues. Our WeChat group grows organically with the help of the chefs, owners and members. It’s super chilled and hopefully feels authentic. We sometimes want more bums on seats but the truth is it’s actually difficult to coordinate big dinners, not just for us but also for the kitchens that make the grub. We’ve had attendance up to about 20 people – anything beyond that makes it harder to actually communicate with each other.
 
So in the course of the club’s existence, what sort of results have you found? What’s the best rated curry joint in the capital?
The results from our simple scoring system vary a lot. To be honest we’ve discovered some “never going there again – EVER” joints but it’s mostly restaurants that feel similar or excel at a certain dish. There are, of course, outliers that are exceptional. These include the Dastaan crew, who seem to be trailblazing right now; and the Taj in Lido is still going strong.

One other point to make here is that we feel that our tastes are developing as we go through the Curry Run. This resulted in an idea of eventually “doing the maths” on all of the scores, and revisiting the Top Five restaurants again – in what we thought of calling the “Spicy Sprint”. We’ve shelved that idea for now as, surprisingly, there are quite a few new restaurants we need to check out!
 
Between the both of you, what are two of your personal favorite curry restaurants and why?
Gareth loves Dastaan’s first venture in Sanlitun Soho. The food and vibe feel just like places he’s visited whilst traveling India. Tom is still a big fan of Taj because of its history in Beijing. Plus, the great curries, yummy naan and friendly management feel like Taj has become an institution in the ever-changing urban landscape.

Have there been any surprise hits on your curry eating journey thus far?
Not technically a hit but rather a miss, why can’t we get a good Dosa easily in Beijing!? We’ve not found this at many restaurants or been offered it as our chef’s recommendation. Beyond that, the setting does help – we’ve been to a few establishments in the hutongs, and although their curries might not always have been noteworthy, the ambiance and location definitely help the experience along. We’ve also encountered what can only be described as the “full scope” of what a naan bread could possibly be… and that ranges from excellent all the way to “best to ignore”.
 
Finally, how can people take part in future Curry Run gatherings?
Simple. Get into our Curry Run WeChat group (add van Dillen via WeChat ID Tom_v_D to be added) and grab a limited space at the table – and join the curry lovers!

READ: A Few Spots to Grab Food and Drink Around Xingfucun, Pt. 1

Images courtesy of Tom van Dillen