24 for '24: Hi-Town Bistro Brings Eclectic Fusion Flavors

24 for ‘24 is a series showcasing 24 of Beijing’s best places to drink, eat, and relax in 2024, to help folks get out of the house and into all these great F&B spots around the city.

Opening up in 2022, Hi-Town Bistro offers an eclectic menu of fusion dishes in east Chaoyang. The Chinese name of the bistro includes the phrase “无国界 wúguójiè” which translates to “without borders” and this is certainly true when it comes to their food. Their dishes craft together flavors and inspiration from a range of countries covering everywhere from Spain to China, to Italy, to the US and beyond. 

The restaurant space itself is situated on the second floor and boasts a large dining area, a few private rooms and a beautiful terrace. It’s clear that the restaurant has been carefully designed, with a muted cream and brown color scheme and numerous artistic architectural touches including a stunning backlit bar. The flagstone floor, rattan chairs, numerous plants dotted about and fronds decoratively hung from the ceiling give the feeling of almost being outdoors. 

If you actually want to enjoy the outdoors, they have a spacious terrace with comfy cushioned chairs and couches, surrounded by a border of lush greenery to create a secluded garden vibe. With summer in full swing, it’s the perfect place to enjoy some of their scrumptious food with a beer or cocktail in hand while soaking up some rays. 

The most intriguing dishes at Hi-Town Bistro have to be their signature smoke boxes. Meat is smoked inside a custom made pine box giving it a rich flavor that not only tastes great but adds a fun performance element to the meal as the lid is lifted and tendrils of smoke pour out. One to try is the Smoked Beef Box and Yuzu Kosho Sauce (RMB 218), which features sliced Australian M5 rib eye seasoned with sea salt, vanilla and mustard, served with yuzu kosho sauce – a Japanese sauce made from chili peppers, yuzu citrus peel and salt – for dipping. 

There is also the Smoked Lamb Kidneys (RMB 118), which you may recognize from our recent Hot & Spicy Fest. Juicy lamb kidneys are paired with cumin, vanilla, rosemary and a secret sauce that adds a spicy kick without overpowering the taste of the meat. 

Moving away from the smoked boxes, another creative dish is the Mapo Tofu Lasagna (RMB 88). Here they switch out the classic ragu sauce for mapo tofu – the traditional Sichuan dish made from tofu, ground meat and spicy doubanjiang sauce. The sauce is layered between handmade lasagne sheets and then covered in white sauce and cheese. The addition of the tofu brings a richness to the dish and the silken tofu contrasts perfectly with the al dante lasagna sheets. 

They also have more traditional dishes on the menu, like the Grilled Large Yellow Croaker (RMB 138). A famous local dish, the yellow croaker is sliced along the back and splayed out then grilled until the fish is crispy on the outside but perfectly flaky and tender inside. It’s simply seasoned with salt and a squeeze of lemon to allow the delicate flavor of the croaker to shine through. 

One of the most popular dishes on the menu is the decadent Beef Marrow Fried Rice (RMB 138). For this dish, they take the humble beef fried rice and then turn things up a notch with the addition of roasted bone marrow. The bone marrow is topped with an array of herbs, spices and bell peppers, it's then served tableside so that you can scoop out the soft marrow and mix it into the fried rice. The bone marrow adds a layer of fatty meatiness to the dish, perfectly complementing the rice. 

For shrimp fans, they have two delectable shrimp dishes that are definitely a must try. The first is the Fried Red Shrimp with Garlic Tomato (RMB 138) which sees whole, fresh red shrimp covered in tomato sauce and sprinkled with rosemary and garlic. The other is the Shrimp Ajillo (RMB 108) which smothers fresh shrimp in a garlicky olive oil sauce and pairs it with potatoes and a few slices of bread to mop up the delicious sauce with. 

Along with food, they have a range of craft beers on tap like Mahou Session IPA (RMB 43), Mahou Cinco Larger (RMB 43) and KVB White (RMB 43) as well as Roc Bulldog Cocktails (RMB 70), classic cocktails, wine, coffee and other soft drinks. 

Hi-Town Bistro 海塘无国界餐吧
2F, Bldg 5, Xiliyi Compound, Dongba Chaoxin Jiayuan, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东坝朝新家园西里一区5号楼2层
Hours: 11am-11pm
Phone: 010 8537 7388, 131 6125 3530

READ: 24 for '24 Restaurant Series

Images: courtesy of Hi-Town Bistro