EAT: Six Years of Mercante, Hatsune's March Signature Dish, New Dishes at Li Burgerwich, Howard's Gourmet Opens in WFJ

Once you've been in Beijing for more than a few years it'd be hard not to reminisce about all the bars and restaurants that have disappeared since you arrived. And yet it is also important to remember those survivors who have stuck it out. Case in point, Mercante, which is currently celebrating six years in the biz. To mark this occasion, they have brought back some of their most popular signature dishes, including handmade pappardelle with duck ragu, ricotta and spinach tortelli, organic beef fillet grilled on top of sea salt served with mixed greens, and panna cotta with raspberry and balsamic vinegar topping (a personal favorite). This is one restaurant that we're particularly glad didn't get absorbed by the great brickening of 2017.  

We always like to highlight Hatsune's monthly off-menu signature dishes and with good reason: they really show off the creativity that has made Hatsune a favorite for nearly two decades. This month's dish is Okinawa-style perch butteryaki, inspired by Hatsune founder Alan Wong's travels to Okinawa. The perch, which is sourced from New Zealand, is oven-roasted and served on a hot plate, before being drenched in a garlic butter sauce. Available from now until the end of March, priced at RMB 195. 

If you're looking for a (relatively) new Western restaurant to add to your rotation, try Li Burgerwich in Xingfucun, where they have just updated the menu with a bunch of new, upgraded dishes such as spicy Mexican-style bean bowls (pictured in lead blog image), tacos, and even some healthy salads. When my colleague Tracy visited last year in the run up to the Burger Cup she highly recommended the indulgent pulled pork and bacon burger, so we hope that that has also made the cut. 

Over at the other end of the spectrum (and the other end of town) is Howard's Gourmet, a modern, high-end Chinese restaurant that has just opened in WF Central. Howard's Gourmet, which has two branches in Guangzhou and Hong Kong, is the brainchild of Howard Cai, whose background is in chemistry rather than cuisine, so diners can expect a very analytical, innovative approach to food. The titular Howard is also one of China's foremost whiskey experts and his menus come paired with whiskey rather than wine, certainly not something we've tried before. We haven't had a chance to try the food for ourselves yet but we have heard good things from other foodie friends. 

If you like to caffeinate in the evening – you crazy night owl – then Starbucks has got you covered every Tuesday and Thursday until the end of March, when they are offering buy-one-get-one-free coffees (grande or venti size) from 6-8pm. Starbucks membership card holders can take advantage of the happy hour deal one hour earlier, from 5pm. It seems like this deal should be available throughout Beijing but it's probably best to call ahead to make sure.

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Photos: Li Burgerwich, courtesy of the restaurants