Din Tai Fung
Cuisine: Chinese (Taiwanese)
English menu: Yes
Kids’ menu: No
General kid-friendliness of menu: Many bite-sized dumplings are available and their dishes contain very little oil.
Kid-friendly staff? Polite staff, most of whom speak adequate English.
Bathroom: Clean sit-down toilet.
Best items for kids: Steamed mini pork dumplings (one serving is made up of 20 tiny dumplings designed especially for kids), chopped pork ribs in sweet and sour sauce, soft Japanese tofu, and soybeans in wine sauce (not alcoholic) are all good options.
Kids’ play area: There is a play area located on the second floor. It has a few toys and a TV which plays cartoons on repeat.
Seating: Chairs, booths and highchairs are available. Private rooms are also available.
Price: RMB 250-300
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: Their famous xiao long bao – just watch out for the piping-hot soup inside.
Award: Best Dumplings
In a nutshell: A great place to treat your extended family to a sumptuous feast of Taiwanese dim sum in a modern, sleek setting. Their range of dumplings never fails to impress and the food is reliably good.
Mon-Fri 11.30am-2.30pm, 5-10pm; Sat-Sun 11am-10pm. 24 Xinyuan Xili Zhongjie, Chaoyang District (6462 4502); 朝阳区新源西里中街24号鼎泰丰. See Directory for more locations.
Dongbeiren
Cuisine: Chinese (Dongbei)
English menu: English picture menu.
Kids’ menu: No
General kid-friendliness of menu: Kid-friendly but best to avoid the spicy dishes. The portions are big, so sharing is a good idea.
Kid-friendly staff? The staff here is not the warmest, but they’re efficient and speak some English.
Bathroom: Located on the second floor, they are fairly clean with both sit-down and squat toilets.
Best items for kids: Lamb kebab, multicolored jiaozi and hot candied sweet potato.
Kids’ play area: No play area but kids will be fascinated by the vibrant colors and noises of the restaurant. You can even get one of the wait staff to sing you a traditional Dongbei folk song.
Seating: Wooden chairs, private rooms and highchairs.
Price: RMB 150-200
Accepts credit cards? Chinese cards only
Award: Best Festive Night Out
Must-order item: Their dumpling selection is a must, with each type of filling wrapped in a different colored skin. We recommend the tomato and egg jiaozi. Also, try their dense corn pancakes, a staple dish in any Dongbei meal.
In a nutshell: A fast, satisfying meal in a cheerful, vibrant setting. Be warned that you’ll most likely be surrounded by raucous diners; the plus side is that you don’t need to worry that you’re being too raucous yourselves. AH
Daily 11am-10pm. 1A Xinzhong Jie, Dongzhimenwai, Dongcheng District (6415 2855); 东城区东直门外新中街甲1号东北人
Kro’s Nest
Olav Kristoffer Bauer aka Kro, owner
Where did you grow up?
Atlanta, Georgia (US) and Grimstad, Norway.
What was your favorite food as a kid?
Saying pizza would be too cliché, right? Well, I had a lot of favorites but I guess my all-time favorite was and still is deviled eggs.
Where can you find deviled eggs in Beijing?
At this point, I think only at my house. And even then, I have a hard time sharing and eat it all, so … "No soup for you!"
What do you miss about good old-fashioned home cooking?
In Beijing, I can find most ingredients I need to make any dish I want, but you have to be willing to fork over the extra cash for it and spend time cooking it. So I miss having the time and money to cook the stuff I love.
If you could bring one dish from Norway to Beijing, what would it be?
Smoked and cured reindeer meat! Seriously, it is the best. It is a traditional dish eaten on Christmas Eve in Norway.
What do you recommend as the best family-friendly dish at Kro’s Nest?
A large Pepperoni Explosion pizza, because it’s enough for everyone to share, yummy and affordable. Also, our kids’ mini-foot long pizza rolls – sausage and cheese or ham and cheese combos, mmmm!
Sun-Thu 11am-1am; Fri-Sat 11am-late. 35 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District (8391 3131); 朝阳区宵云路35号
Baihe Vegetarian
Cuisine: Vegetarian
English menu: Yes
Kids’ menu: No
General kid-friendliness of menu: Lots of kid-friendly fare.
Kid-friendly staff? Really friendly staff, most of whom speak adequate English.
Bathroom: Clean sit-down toilet.
Best items for kids: Vegetarian Chinese sausage, veggie mutton shashlik, satay hot pot or the Three Delicacies hot pot.
Kids’ play area: No
Seating: Standard chairs. In warmer months you can sit outside in the small courtyard. Highchairs are available.
Price: RMB 200-250
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: Pumpkin soup and the delicious (and inexpensive) vegetarian Peking Duck
Award: Best Vegetarian Peking Duck
In a nutshell: Serves mouth-watering vegetarian food that even the meat-lovers among us will enjoy. The courtyard setting is relaxing and peaceful, perfect for a healthy evening meal. A private room is also available for larger crowds.
Daily 11am-10pm. 23 Caoyuan Hutong (west off Dongzhimen Beixiaojie), Dongcheng District. (6405 2082); 东城区东直门北小街草园胡同23号百合素食香草园
Traktirr Restaurant
Cuisine: Russian
Non-smoking section? No, but there is a private room.
English menu: Yes
Kids’ menu: No
General kid-friendliness of menu: Most dishes on the main menu are appropriate for kids. Portions are big so they are good for sharing.
Kid-friendly staff? Friendly staff speaks either English or Russian.
Bathroom: Clean sit-down toilet.
Best items for kids: Potato dumplings, fried chicken and honey cake. Also, there is a wide selection of salads and fresh juices.
Kids’ play area: No
Seating: Standard chairs. Highchairs are available.
Price: RMB 150-200
Accepts credit cards? Yes
Must-order item: Borsch and fried potatoes with mushrooms – simple and delicious.
Award: Best Comfort Food
In a nutshell: Not to be confused with Traktirr Pushkin, Traktirr offers comfort food that won’t break the bank. The homey, unpretentious atmosphere makes for a relaxed family night out. Note: If you’re a vegetarian, you may to have settle for potato with a side of potato.
Daily 11am-midnight. 1A Xiyangguan Hutong, Beizhongjie, Dongzhimen Neidajie, Chaoyang District (near Russian embassy) (64031896); 朝阳区东直门内大街北中街西羊管胡同甲1号
A Food Affaire
Simon Gauthier, owner and father
Where did you grow up?
Canada.
What was your favorite food as a kid?
My mom’s apple pie. The pie itself was a special treat but it also signified something special like a holiday or a family gathering.
Where can you find great apple pie in Beijing?
The apple pie we sell at A Food Affaire deli is the closest thing to my mom’s apple pie that you can get in Beijing.
What do you miss about good old-fashioned home cooking?
It’s hard to miss when what we have at the deli and what I cook at home is good home cooking. There was a time when food was made with love – and that’s what I miss, but now food is just made for quick consumption.
If you could bring one dish from Canada to Beijing, what would it be?
My mom or my aunt’s bread. I’ve had bread all over the world but theirs are still the best I’ve ever tasted.
What’s A Food Affaire’s best kid-friendly option? Chicken legs, the various types of spaghetti and pasta, and gingerbread cookies.
1/F, 5 Xingfuyicun Xili (inside April Gourmet), Chaoyang District (135 0107 1114); 朝阳区幸福一村西里5号1层绿叶子食品店内
