Three Places to Eat at Beijing Design Week 2013

Beijing Design Week 2013 has an overwhelming amount of events and exhibitions, a small portion of which address the topic of food. Here's what's happening in Caochangdi and 798 Art District.

TRAITOR ZHOU'S (Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum, Caochangdi)

Max Levy of Traitor Zhou's has a couple of collaborations going for BJDW. In partnership with Naihan Li and her design group RAWR, they hosted "Taste of Guizhou," a series of dinners using traditional ingredients and products sourced from the miao ethnic minority group in Guizhou. Though the dinners are over, Levy has also worked with Vice, Ocean Grounds and Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company to put up a pop-up bodega, Traitor Zhou's Non-Kosher Food Emporium, in the BJDW Pavilion at the Red Brick Contemporary Art Museum. Besides coffee and alcohol, you'll be able to get a sandwich filled with Traitor Zhou's meats and vegetables. Sausages (sopressata, pepperoni, andouille, and a Guizhou mala variety) will also be available.

The idea of the bodega arises from their prevelance in immigrant areas in cities like New York and New Orleans. Often the neighborhood meeting spots with a jumble of different people, the bodega was an idea Levy felt was applicable to Caochangdi, the city's art community with the most balanced mixed of Chinese and foreigners.

They'll be holding a block party tomorrow from 3-9pm with a barbecue of lamb and deer from Guizhou and beer on tap from Lexington Brewing. Saturday September 28 is the last day for the bodega, but stop over from noon-7pm until then. (Details changed since Tuesday's Capital Bites post.)

VIVI DOLCE GELATO (Red Yard, Caochangdi)

Vivi Dolce Gelato (featured in August issue's "Just Desserts") have been serving a selection of creative flavors daily from September 21-28. While we're part way through the week already, it's the last few days that are stacked with half the flavors. You still have a few days left to get a lick. The schedule is as follows:

September 21: Plum Sake, Osmanthus
September 22: Calpis Umeshu
September 24: Puer Gelato
September 25: Bloody Marry

September 26: Cinnamon Apple
September 27: Passion Chocolate, Coconut Sojo
September 28: Memorable Durian, Rose of Sorrow

FOOD LOOP (751 D-Park, 798 Art District)

A collaboration between X.6 Architecture, Little Donkey Farm, Beijing University of Technology and Tsinghua University, Food Loop is a whole series of events looking at the intersection of food and sustainability that began today and runs through Thursday October 3. If you've ever been interested in urban farming, this seems like your chance to get a full introduction. Throughout the week there will be workshops on aquaponics (with a set-up included in the RMB 200 fee), bee-keeping, and vermicomposting as well as pickling and fermenting. The full schedule and details are here.

Photos: Okra Works, Vivi Dolce Gelato

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