American Food?

Beijing's cuisine isn't bad if you stick to the well-travelled path. The Kro's Nest in Sanlitun is serving monstrous pizzas with topping options that could satisfy even the pickiest of New Yorkers.  We went here for a staff lunch last week and had a half-veggie and half-chicken and mushroom 20" pie.  There were 5 of us and we still couldn't finish the pie, but I should add that we ordered two good size salads for starters.

^ 20" Pie at the Kro's Nest.

If you are craving American food I have just the place for you. On a side note, once I say this my colleagues mockingly say, "after all, what is American food?" All you can do is smile and say that we have taken the best food from all other countries, added an American flair and marketing strategy to it, and sold it back to them with great returns.  So Steak and Eggs is an American style diner with the classics: omelettes, corned beef hash, waffles (extra maple syrup no doubt), B.L.T.s and even an awesome Chicken Cordon Bleu, which has an awesome white sauce that reminds me of the stuff my dad used to make with breakfast when I was a kid.  Top it all off with real A&W root beer, or better yet, a root beer float and you're all set, craving satisfied.

^Root beer float at Steak and Eggs.

Best spots for beer would include El Nido and Passby Bar, which both claim to have over a hundred varieties of imported beer, but actually back that statement up when you order something from a European micro brewery that no one has ever heard of.    Maomao Chong was voted best Hutong bar by the Beijinger last year or the year before, but I couldn't quite figure out why.  It seemed very run of the mill, but sometimes when you're in China, a little blandness and the security of knowing that they're using real Captain Morgan is all that you're looking for.

Recently, a few of the Middlebury students got together for dinner at another must-go place called Dali Courtyard.  When our friend led us through the tiny dingy alleyway before the restaurant we were all thinking, "wow, this guy really knows his stuff." So when we finally walked through the "whole in the wall" and into a courtyard with plenty of Western faces, we realized it must be a top pick by travel guides.  If you want to impress a group of friends or family visits Beijing, take them here though!  The menus is set, meaning you sit down, they count how many people you have, and delicious food comes, without having to go through the normal 30-minute ringamarole of ordering at a Chinese restaurant.

I wish I could give everyone a review, but the best I can do is toss a few more names out there!  Bar Blu is featuring great live music with my buddies Mike and Tony, always entertaining the crowd.  The Tree is serving up some noteworthy pizzas. Element Fresh in Sanlitun is always a safe bet for any crowd, Chinese or foreign.  The Bookworm is a great café scene.  Vineyard Café is a lovely brunch stop, with a fun Hutong to walk down after eating.

^The Dice Game at Bar Blu.