Burger Brief: New Beer and Revamped Food Menu at Steamrhino

Burger Brief takes a look at some of the attendees of the Beijinger's 2017 Burger Cup. In this edition we visited Steamrhino, a contender for the honor of Beijing's Best Burger.

Relative Beijing newbie Steamrhino Brewery, situated on Xindong Lu, in the same courtyard as where the Tayuan DRC duty-free shop, has recently revamped their beer and food menu in anticipation for summer. Upon its opening last October, Steamrhino caught our attention with its unique brews and steampunk aesthetic. Now, they've added a range of sliders, new brews, as well as pasta and salads.

To top it off, their all-new outdoor patio makes for the perfect spot to enjoy a cold pint, a freshly made salad from their new salad bar, and a plate of burgers to share.

Steamrhino’s new beer menu includes a combination of unique flavors such as a ginseng honey pilsner (6.8 percent ABV), a pumpkin and cardamom-based brew pumpkin saison (5 percent ABV), an Indian Earl Grey tea IPA (6.5 percent ABV), and a strong Guardian IPA (7.7 percent ABV) to name a few. We particularly enjoyed their specialty brew, Mr. Gulou (4.8 percent ABV) with its smoked malt, chocolate, caramel, and slight hint of tobacco flavors. It doesn't hurt that it’s wonderfully velvety and smells exactly like chocolate (RMB 45 for 500ml).

A suitable companion to the beers are Steamrhino's burgers, including their bacon cheeseburger sliders (RMB 88 for three), which is one of the more basic options on their menu but which holds its own thanks to a thick and juicy cut of pork on each. Their beef patty is also marbled to perfection, and will melt in your mouth.

The beef rib sliders (RMB 168 for three) come stacked with tender shredded meat, as well as a large chunk of rib bone, not perhaps suitable for humans, but certainly fit for your dog’s chewing pleasure. If we were to have one complaint it would be that their buns, which are baked inhouse to ensure the right flavor and texture, could do with an additional toasting prior to serving to give them a little extra crunch.

For something a little less out of the ordinary, try Steamrhino’s new seafood and beef sliders (RMB 98 for three), made up of a large shrimp and glazed beef patty sandwiched between black bamboo charcoal buns. Or if you prefer white meat, they also serve a deep-fried chicken burger with fresh pickles, tomatoes, and lettuce.

For an excuse to head over and try out any of these new offerings, between 11am-2.30pm diners can order the burgers as part of a lunch set every day, with a side of your own salad creation from the salad bar.

And don’t fret if you're looking to skip the burgers altogether because management has begun to branch out into other dishes, including their tasty new vegetarian pasta option: spaghetti avocado pesto, a plate of savory and creamy goodness.

With these improvements, it looks like Steamrhino is starting to settle into its groove for a satisfying burger and beer spot.

You can vote for Steamrhino's burgers in the current opening round of the Beijinger Burger Cup.

The Beijinger 2017 Burger Cup is sponsored by Bon App, Job-in, and Left Hand App.

Read more articles by this author here.

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Photos: Carmel Moersalim, courtesy of Steamrhino