We are lucky to live in Beijing, which boasts a burgeoning food scene set to rival that of other international cities. It can be daunting to introduce new foods to picky eaters, but your children will be all the richer for it. In this year’s food issue we spotlight 16 international restaurants, including several regional Chinese cuisines. We rate each restaurant’s family-friendliness using a checklist. In addition, to ease kids into different cuisines, we include recommendations for representative yet child-friendly dishes. So go ahead – dinner is served.
Home Plate BBQ
An all-out American meat fest
As one would expect from a “melting pot” nation, the variety found in the US can be attributed to the diverse backgrounds of the country’s settlers. Often characterized by variants of European classics (think pizza from Italy and the original German hamburgers), post-colonial American food is usually high in enjoyment – and fat.
But it is not all as expected. The global proliferation of fast food restaurants distract from the other culinary styles found in the US. The fresh seafood dishes of the country’s northeastern coast and the Cajun spices of Louisiana Creole cuisine show that there is more to American food than many discerning Europeans give it credit for.
The defining characteristic of American food? “Abundance,” jokes the Texas-born
co-founder of Home Plate BBQ, Adam Murray. The chain’s new Sanlitun branch serves up hearty portions of southern-style classics but there is more subtlety to the cooking methods than you might think.
“There are four types of barbecue in the south,” Murray explains, “The Carolina,
Memphis, Texas, and Kansas City styles are all different.” Each uses different meats, cuts, and sauces, the variety of which can be found on Home Plate’s menu.
American cuisine is probably the most family-friendly food going and we all know that burgers, fries, and barbecued meat are always a big hit with the kids. Non-American restaurants often feature these dishes on their children’s menus just to keep the little ones happy. Oscar Holland
Also try: Union and Bar and Grille, Blue Frog, Big Smoke Bistro (see Directories for listing information)
Recommended Dishes for Kids
– Cheeseburger: Australian beef (a combination brisket and chuck cuts) served in a bun with lettuce, pickles, tomato, onion, and processed American cheese. RMB 35 for kids’ size, RMB 15 for fries.
– Pulled pork sandwich: This typical sandwich is made from pork shoulder
barbecued for 12-15 hours until the meat easily falls away from the joint. Served in a bun with BBQ sauce and coleslaw. RMB 40.
– Corndog: A classic hot dog impaled on a stick, dipped in corn batter, and fried. Simple as that. RMB 20.
*All prices were correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change as the Sanlitun branch launches its new menu.
Family-Friendly Checklist:
– Non-smoking? ✓
– Clean bathrooms? ✓
– Booster seats or high chairs? ✗
– Healthy food selections? (There will be four or five salads introduced to the new menu but this is classic American fare and should probably not be consumed on a daily basis.) ✗
– On-table distractions? ✗
– Kids’ play area? ✗
– Child-sized portions? ✗
– Childproof table settings? ✗
– Staff accustomed to dealing with children? ✓
– Stroller-accessible? (Largely, though there are a few small stairs to contend with at the entrance.) ✓
– Quiet atmosphere? ✓
– English menu? ✓
– Low prices? ✓
– Nearby parking? (Many options in Sanlitun) ✓
– Booth seating? (Yes, but just a couple of booths) ✓
– Diaper changing table? ✗
– English-speaking staff? ✓
– Live entertainment or floor show? (There’s a stage area that will host music and comedy in the future.) ✓
Home Plate BBQ 本垒美式烤肉
Daily 11am-10pm. Courtyard 4 (walk 100m past entrance of The Bookworm), Sanlitun North Road, Chaoyang District (400 096 7670) www.homeplatebbq.com
朝阳区三里屯北京机电院10号1层中国银行正对面
Da Dong Roast Duck
No fowl play at this Beijing restaurant
Beijing cuisine borrows heavily from other culinary traditions, including Chinese imperial cuisine, Manchu and Mongol cuisine, and regional influences from Shandong Province. The city’s hot, dry summers and long, freezing winters limit cooking to ingredients that keep relatively well, such as leeks, garlic, and spring onions. Menus at local restaurants can range from a single page at small eateries to Da Dong Roast Duck’s 130-page tome. Featuring dishes like zhajiang noodles and imperial-style sea cucumber, this menu could serve as the basis for an entire lesson on Beijing cuisine. On each table, there are also tips for making the most out of Beijing duck; for instance, you may not realize how great the crispy skin tastes dipped in a little bit of sugar. Clemence Jiang
Also try: Quanjude, Bianyifang, Jingzun Peking Duck Restaurant
Recommended Dishes for Kids
– Da Dong roast duck (瘦肉烤鸭): Beijing’s signature dish is well-represented at Da Dong. Bite into the golden, crispy duck skin, then roll up the tender meat in a soft pancake with the restaurant’s special eight condiments (sweet sauce, spring onions, cucumber, radish, two kinds of pickled vegetables, crushed garlic, and sugar). RMB 238 per duck.
– Zhajiang noodles (炸酱面): This classic Beijing dish is made of thick wheat noodles topped with minced pork, salty fermented soybean paste and vegetables like shredded cucumber and bean sprouts. The snack-sized zhajiang noodles at Dadong are visually pleasing, and generous on meat and toppings. RMB 18.
– Kung pao shrimp (宫保虾球): This all-time children’s favorite is similar to kung pao chicken, but with less spice and a lighter texture. RMB 118.
Family-Friendly Checklist:
– Non-smoking? ✓
– Clean bathrooms? ✓
– Booster seats or high chairs? ✓
– Healthy food selections? ✓
– On-table distractions? ✗
– Kids’ play area? ✗
– Child-sized portions? ✓
– Childproof table settings? ✗
– Staff accustomed to dealing with children? ✓
– Stroller-accessible? ✓
– Quiet atmosphere? ✓
– English menu? ✓
– Low prices? ✗
– Nearby parking? ✓
– Booth seating? ✗
– Diaper changing table? ✓
– English-speaking staff? ✓
– Live entertainment or floor show? ✗
Da Dong Roast Duck 北京大董烤鸭店
Daily 11am-10pm. Bldg 3, Tuanjiehu Beikou (southeast corner of Changhong Qiao), Chaoyang District (6582 2892) 朝阳区东三环路长虹桥东南角团结湖北口3号楼
photo by SUI and courtesy of Da Dong
This article originally appeared on p50-51 of the beijingkids January 2014 issue.
Check out the PDF version online at Issuu.com
