Did you know there’s a Cajun and Creole restaurant in Beijing that serves up gumbo, cornbread, and jambalaya? Well, there is! Nola is an abbreviation of New Orleans which is home to the type of Louisiana cuisine the restaurant serves.
Tucked amid the trees at the intersection of Jian Hua Lu and Qiu Shui Nan Jie at the north corner of the Silk Market, Nola sports an unassuming exterior. Inside, its wall floors and leather seats are as cozy as the hot chocolate on its menu. But on fine weather days, families will definitely want to head upstairs to their partially-shaded terrace dining area to let the kids breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the sunshine!
Nola does not have a kids menu, but you won’t need it with the wide range of starters and side dishes the restaurant offers. Plus, cajun food is all for sharing! Their Creole flavors have been praised for being good and authentic – top recommendations include the jambalaya (RMB89 onwards) and beignets (pronounced bay-nets, RMB45). While I know little of Cajun cuisine, I do know yummy food and Nola’s is certainly delicious! Their weekend brunch menu is particularly worthy of praise – my kid gobbled up the Steak & Eggs (RMB128), while my husband and I devoured the Chicken and Waffles (RMB108)! The Banana Buttermilk pancakes (RMB70) were also tasty and fluffy. Their cornbread skillet (RMB55) is perfectly done and absolutely delicious with a pat of butter too – but remember to order it in advance as it takes 25 minutes to bake fresh!
Nola has been around in Beijing for over a decade now, and the place is beginning to show wear and tear, though some may call it rustic. The weakest point about the restaurant might be that their service runs a little slow and you may need to wave more than a little to get the wait staff’s attention, but on a lazy Sunday afternoon, you won’t need to rush around anyway. So sit back, sip your Arnold Palmer, and enjoy your brunch!
Find it:
11A Xiushui Nanjie Chaoyang District
朝阳区秀水南街11号
Tel: 8563 6215
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Images: Vivienne Tseng-Rush
