EAT: CNY Hongbao Deals, Fondue, Dumplings, and of Course, Baijiu

EAT: Your bite-sized guide to the best eats to be had in Beijing this week.
 

CNY giveaways at Jing-A, Side Street, and Q Mex

Several venues are offering you a chance to win prize-stuffed hongbao when you go out to eat/drink during CNY. At Side Street, buy a burger and get a hongbao that might contain a free beer, a free burger or a bar tab. At Jing-A, spend RMB 150 to get a hongbao that you can claim from Feb 1-11. At Q Mex, spend RMB 500 in a single transaction to get a chance to spin their prize wheel. Look out for our guide to Spring Festival eating and drinking, as well as a list of bar and restaurant opening hours, later this week.
 

Capital Spirits Take Over Arcade

For the past five years, Capital Spirits has sought to help those left behind in Beijing welcome Spring Festival the traditional way: with dumplings and baijiu. Lots of baijiu. This year, Capital Spirits is closing up their hutong doors on Thursday, Jan 31 to head over to Arcade and take over the bar in true Chinese New Year Fashion. And yes, there will be baijiu. Tina and her bartenders will be mixing up three special cocktails for the evening, including Capital Spirits' bestselling Baijiu Sour, whereas Arcade will be making jiaozi to ring in the Year of the Pig in style. The party kicks off at 7pm and tickets are priced at RMB 200, including free-flow Baijiu Sours, Kirin beer, and dumplings.
 

Learn to make dumplings at The Hutong

Just as it wouldn't be Spring Festival without baijiu, you'll also need something to help prop you up from the inside, and what better medicine is there than jiaozi? Learn how to make your own this year with help from the culinary team at The Hutong Kitchen. They'll take you through each step of this annual ritual from rolling the dough and filling to helping you learn to wrap the perfect dumpling. The event costs RMB 200, which includes mulled wine and beer, as well as many dumplings as you can eat. 
 

Cheese fondue at Zarah

Nothing says "winter comfort food" like bubbling pots of cheese, so get down to Zarah on Feb 2 to live out your cheesy dreams. From 7-10pm, dig into cheese fondue alongside a selection of all-you-can-eat starters, salads, and various fondue accompaniments, including cold cuts, cornichons, mini pearl onions, and baby potatoes. This may be Zarah's last fondue of the season, so don't miss out.

Click here for more of the many Beijing dining events happening this week.

More stories by this author here.

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Photos: Flickr