All this month, we’ll be introducing 50 picks for some of the best family-friendly restaurants in Beijing. These reviews originally appeared in the January/February 2013 issue of beijingkids (see end of post).
Seasonal Tastes Bubbalicious Brunch,Westin Beijing Chaoyang 知味餐厅，金茂北京威斯汀大饭店
Type of cuisine: Buffet, brunch
Smoking? No smoking is permitted in the restaurant; smokers can puff away in the bar downstairs.
English menu? No menu; all self-serve buffet with English and Chinese placecards
General kid-friendliness of menu: Kids can eat as much or as little as they want, and enjoy as much variety as they please. The offerings cover all the kid food staples, and the abundance of candy is a major plus.
Best dishes for adults: Adults will likely rejoice in the sushi offerings, the variety of Indian curries, and many baskets with all kinds of dumplings.
Kids’ menu? No, but there are plenty of kid-friendly options.
Best dishes for kids: Kids are going to go wild for the carnival food station, which features popcorn, hotdogs, and cotton candy. They can also fill their plates with numerous types of fried potato (French fries, potato wedges, hash browns), lots of pasta, cold breakfast cereal and, of course, the cakes and candies that have a whole room to themselves.
Kids’ play area? Yes. There is a huge kids’ area just near the elevators. It is monitored by staff, features tons of toys and games, as well as balloon animals, face painting, and two X-Boxes. The room is clean, has padded floors in the areas for younger kids, and has its own selection of sweets.
Play areas nearby: Solana is a 15-20 minute walk away; Chaoyang Park is a little bit further.
Kid-friendly staff? Yes, English-speaking and very attentive
Bathroom: Clean, sit-down, but it’s really cold in the winter. There is a separate restroom for changing diapers.
Seating: It’s mostly chairs with some booths (all indoor). Some of the tables are situated on the walkway into the buffet, and the others are inside in a dining room area. Highchairs are available.
Price: Cost for adults is RMB 458 for free-flow soft drinks, RMB 488 for wine and soft drinks, and RMB 528 for free flow Champagne, wine and soft drinks. Kids between the ages of 4 and 12 eat for RMB 229, and kids under 4 eat for free. There is a 15 percent service charge.
Credit card accepted? Yes, both Chinese and foreign
Parking? Yes, Westin Beijing Chaoyang offers parking for RMB 6 per hour.
Must-order item: Don’t miss out on the abundant seafood offerings, including sushi, oysters, and lobster.
In a nutshell: Bubbalicious is a highly popular family brunch that makes it easy and fun for kids. The spread includes Western breakfast, dim sum, Indian food, a pasta station, sushi, seafood, a carving station, a teppanyaki station, and a carnival food station. The excellent play area, large selection of food, and attentive service means a day of playtime and indulgence.
Additional notes: There is live music. If your kid is sensitive to sound, ask for a table that’s not close to the band when making a reservation. Also, the band will sing “Happy Birthday” to the birthday girl or boy.
Also try: Vic’s Champagne Sunday Brunch at Sofitel Wanda, FIZZTastic Sunday Brunch at Vasco’s, Hilton Beijing Wangfujing
Photo by Ellis Friedman
