Punjabi to Open a Cultural Center and On-the-Go Deli for Veggie and Vegan Burgers

Burger Brief takes a look at some of the attendees of the Beijinger's 2017 Burger Cup. Help push your favorite Beijing burger through the latest round of voting here.

Veteran Indian restaurant Punjabi has been a strong and steady fixture in Beijing’s F&B scene for the past decade, but this year they’re making big changes with a slew of exciting alterations set to be added to its longstanding Lucky Street location.

One of its upcoming additions is an Indian Cultural Center (ICC), which will overtake the third floor of the establishment. The cultural center will work in unison with the Indian and Chinese governments, offering classes such as yoga and classical dance taught by professionals from Indian universities. Upon completing the classes, students will be rewarded with a recognized degree. The ICC is expected to open by the end of July 2017 and is open to everyone, not just those of Indian nationality.

As for the second addition, Punjabi is looking to open a deli specializing in on-the-go dishes on the first floor of its establishment. Expected to open by the end of June, the deli will serve vegetarian and vegan burgers, as well as sandwiches, wraps, and grilled rolls. The plan has a lot of potential given the vast number of office workers in the vicinity of Liangmaqiao as well as the foot traffic heading up to Solana. Let's hope that they also consider delivery so that they can feed the rest of us during work hours. If you can’t wait until they open proper, the kitchen has already included their vegetarian and vegan burgers on the menu as of May 30.

We visited to get a taste of what's on offer and following the success of Punjabi's wares at this year's Burger Cup, selling out of all their veggie and vegan burgers on both days, we knew we were in for a treat. Note: Pictures of the burgers shown below are sample sizes, actual products will be larger.

READ: The Best Vegetarian and Vegan Burgers in Beijing

The first burger we tried was their Maharaja V2 (RMB 72), which happened to be one of the best vegetarian burgers we’ve ever tasted, let alone in Beijing – no hyperbole here. Aesthetically, it might look a little simple but its flavors were intricate, with the patty made up of 11 ingredients, including potato, a mixture of vegetables, and paneer. It comes served on a bed of Punjabi's refreshing mint chutney sauce, as well as melted cheese and sandwiched between two butter-brushed buns, making each bite hefty and flavorful, and definitely better than some meatier options we’ve tried this year.

The second burger was their Vegan Tikki Burger (RMB 54), which also surprised us with its mix of chick peas, spinach, and veggies, thankfully skipping the heavy reliance of beans often found in vegan burgers in Beijing. As a result, the patty retained its shape and was satisfying through and through. Cheese is omitted in the Vegan Tikki Burger, and grain and soy buns are used as a substitute for regular buns. Dab into the side of chili garlic sauce to make the flavors pop even more.

The third vegetarian option is their Samosa Burger (RMB 48), basically a slightly squashed potato samosa in between two buns, as can often found sold as a street-snack in Mumbai and Delhi. The samosa is loaded with curried potatoes and peas, and encased in a crunchy shell that’s been fried to perfection before being added to a bed of sautéed onions and tomatoes as well as Punjabi's own special sauce, all put between two buttered buns. This heavy-hitter was our favorite simply for how ingenious yet simple the concept is.

Aside from ICC and the deli, Punjabi also plan to open a small Indian shop at around the same time, where authentic and imported items such as Indian clothing, jewelry, henna, and grocery items will be sold.

If it's not obvious, Punjabi won our hearts – and stomachs – with their new veggie and vegan burgers, but we are also eager to see their new extensions come to fruition, providing a spot to do yoga, shop for cultural items, and enjoy amazing Indian food all in one place.

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Photos: Carmel Moersalim