I know, I know, Covid restrictions are the worst… or are they?

Don’t hate me, but as an introvert I’ve actually been enjoying the time at home! Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather be out and about, enjoying the summer vibes. But since we don’t have much of a chance of doing that at the moment, why not make the most of the situation?

Aside from enjoying time with our little girl, my husband and I have been spending more time together than we have in a long time – in the best way possible.

The last time we spend all day, every day together might have been when we went on our last vacation back in the U.S., over three years ago …  Now, we find ourselves huddled around the kitchen table together, working, scheduling workout sessions and going for strolls together, watching movies again, and, when our daughter is down for a nap or goes to bed early, planning at-home date nights with deliveries from our favorite restaurants.

It would be a complete lie if I said the lockdown restrictions haven’t put a strain on marriages. But, at the same time, they have also also reminded me of why I love my husband and why I married my best friend.

Check out a few of the restaurant delivery deals that have added an extra special touch to our date nights. Click here for more options around town.

From Trio Wine Bar:

Founded by friends who truly love wine, Trio now delivers both wines and food. They’ve got a great mix of small bites and spicy Sichuan dishes that’ll get your mouth watering in seconds. My absolute favorites are their hummus (RMB 48), which has a distinct Beijing umami flavor to it, and their pumpkin kale couscous (RMB 48), which has got nice bites of sweet surprises from the raisins.

To order from Trio, scan the QR codes in the menus below. Best of all, all my personal favorites are currently 20% off!

From Jing-A:

So many restaurants are doing rotisserie chicken now. And why not? They’re easy to prepare, they travel well, and they almost always taste delicious. But that’s just it: They’re so easy! A short 2(ish) hours in the oven and I can make my own delicious chicken for half the price. But we’re not here to talk about their chicken. Jing-A has a delicious London pub pie set (RMB 380) that’s perfect for a casual date night at home.

The set comes with two English-style pies (chicken & leek and beef & ale) along with sides of coleslaw, broccolini, and fries. It also comes with four cans Jing-A beers (or soft drinks if you don’t want beer). If four isn’t enough, they give you the option to add four additional cans for RMB 80.

From Q Mex:

Q Mex not only delivers the food on their menu, but they’ve also got margaritas and mojitos (RMB 25) on the delivery menu as well – including their signature slushy margaritas (RMB 25) that travel surprisingly well!

A portion of chicken wings and drum sticks (RMB 68), salad (RMB 58), trio of tacos (RMB 72), classic Q Mex burger (RMB 78), and chips and guac (RMB 58), and its the perfect combo for a double date night feast with friends.

For more food delivery options in Beijing, check out the list below:

Images: Mina Yan, Trio Wine Bar, Pexels

Date nights are hard enough for couples with kids. Add a pandemic and they’re nearly impossible. After six months of being stuck at home with the kids, my parents couldn’t wait for school to reopen so they can go on a real date, just the two of them, so I was thrilled to introduce them to the hottest new restaurant in Shunyi.

Beijing isn’t known for its waterfront dining experiences, so imagine my parents’ surprise when they entered the former Fella’s across from the Western Academy of Beijing (WAB) and discovered an open-air dining area overlooking a lake. With its white walls, woven lounge chairs, and tropical plants, this new Hulu by TRB felt like the perfect spot for a staycation date, day or night.

Giggle filled date nights are the best

When indoor dining struggled during the lockdown, Hulu first took over the Fella’s kitchen to fill the demand for takeout in the Shunyi area. But business was so good they decided to keep the space, opening a whole new branch of their popular Sanlitun restaurant. This was good news for those seeking the same casual fine dining charm with the added advantage of an al fresco waterfront view.

Just like the welcome drinks at a faraway resort, my parents were greeted with champagne flutes and fruity liquid sunsets – perfect for date night selfies. The appetizers, tiny avocado stuffed tomatoes (RMB 42) and Iberico ham croquettes (RMB 42), are sparse but flavorful preparation for the bigger courses.

When at Hulu, you must try the sliders: beef (RMB 23), pork (RMB 26), truffle (RMB 30), and spicy (RMB 35)! These miniature burgers are tender explosions of flavor, each one unique and presented with tiny toothpick flags. One bite and you’ll want to order more, if not for the other dishes waiting in the wings.

For instance, the sweet potato fries (RMB 58) paired beautifully with the sliders, served in an ice cream cone shaped container and seasoned with an array of spices. They’re best served hot and crispy. Even my dad had to admit they tasted better than his homemade ones.

Before they could finish enjoying and snapping #foodpics of the fries, two giant plates of food arrived. An array of beef, tomato, roasted walnuts, quail eggs, carrots, and so much more flowered out from the center of the Chef’s Salad (RMB 108), where slices of avocado were intricately arranged in a spiral. The honey mustard dressing comes in mini skillets, but you almost don’t want to pour it for fear of dimming the vibrant colors of the salad.

Following the salad was the main event, the Mixed Meat Platter (RMB 238) with rows and rows of beef tenderloin, chicken leg, pork neck, and sausages.  Roasted corn and tomato gave it a rustic appeal, especially laid out on a wooden chopping board with two mini-skillets of sweet and savory sauces.

There’s also no forgetting the Boston Lobster Salad (RMB 158). Split down the middle and paired with a mango and orange salsa, the dish looked like a painting. Hulu’s lobster was tender and stood perfectly on its own, the fruit bringing out the savory umami flavor, making it taste almost like sashimi.

But of course, a date night meal wouldn’t be complete without desserts. My parents tried the Raspberry Smoothie Bowl (RMB 68) and Warm Chocolate (RMB 58). The chocolate fondant cake paired gorgeously with its vanilla ice cream. The Raspberry Smoothie Bowl stood at nearly 15 centimeters tall, deliciously tart and sweet with a creamy undertone of yogurt, leaving it more resembling ice cream; the perfect cherry on top for an ideal staycation date.

The whole Xu family at Hulu by TRB

My parents were married in Shanghai 17 years ago, and have moved many times between China and the US, but when they talk about their life together, they mainly reminisce about the old days in Shanghai where they met: including long romantic leisurely walks in the French Concession every night after dinner. They especially miss those memories now that we can’t travel far.

According to my mom, the secret to long and happy relations is good food and honest conversations. My dad agrees, but for different reasons: he jokes that the easiest way to get mom in a good mood is to give her something good to eat.

And that he did.

Hulu by TRB
2nd Floor, No. 8, Laiguangying East Road (next to WAB) 来广营东路8号2楼(京西学校)
Ph: 6512 5701

KEEP READING: Giddy Up Cowboy!: 18 Years of Marriage, Four Kids, and One Bullride Later, This Texan Couple Know What It Takes to Make It Work!

Photos: Uni You

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 October issue

When we heard that there was a Texan restaurant that serves large portions and combines down to earth comfort food and good old fashioned fun with the Beijing city view, we just had to put it to the test. Tagging along for their date night, we joined Texan couple Tom and Clare Starobynski for a night of good food, drinks, relationship advice, and bull riding! Yeehaw!

At first glance, you get a mixed vibe walking into Rodeo Connection. On one hand, its location on the 26th floor of Junhao Central Park Plaza means you can enjoy the posh Beijing skyline above all the hustle and bustle. But on the other hand, the centerpiece of the restaurant, which you notice the moment you walk in is the giant mechanical bull standing smack dab in the middle. It’s clearly a restaurant created by people who love to drink and party, for people who love to drink and party.

Seated by the window overlooking the city all the way to Sanlitun, the Starobynskis dished on their 18-year marriage while digging into some BBQ favorites. Starting off the night was Rodeo’s snack selection (RMB 198), whose name doesn’t do it justice. They say everything’s bigger in Texas, well, this is one starter that doesn’t disappoint. The “plate” is essentially a long wooden plank filled with onion rings, spicy chicken wings, fish fillet, shrimp, nachos, potato wedges, a bit of salad, and, according to Tom, the best calamari he’s ever had in China.

Next, the Starobynski’s date night took a fiery turn with a Rodeo Connection classic, the flaming Roasted Pork Ribs (RMB 388), a whole roasted rack of fall-off-the-bone tender pork ribs, topped with mozzarella cheese, and set ablaze at your table with a lashing of Rum151. While the ribs are finger-lickin’ good and ever so cool to photograph, don’t get too close, because nothing will ruin a date night faster than singed eyebrows.

The Starobynskis finish off their date night with a nightcap drink, sort of. The latest addition to the Rodeo Connection menu is known as the Food Safari (RMB 298) and the wild name should have been an indication of what was to come. What arrived at the table was one gigantic glass of rum and Coke garnished with an entire roast chicken, a full-size pulled pork burger, a mini slider, a hot dog, a kebab, onion rings, fried shrimp, and buffalo wings. Is it a drink or is it a meal for two? We’re still not 100% sure. But we are sure that this is definitely one for the food pic album and a very fun addition to the evening.

After 18 years of marriage and four children together, the Starobynskis have a lot of relationship knowledge up their sleeves, and their “how we met” story is like the plot of a Hallmark movie. The two caught each other’s eye at a Christmas party back when they were just 14 years old and decades of friendship, love, marriage, and children later, their relationship is as strong as ever. Their secrets? “Always, always have each others’ backs, never put your partner down to others,” Tom tells us. No matter where you are, whether living in your hometown or venturing across the world and settling in Beijing, your partner is your best companion and you need to tackle life together, as a team.

“Always date your husband or wife,” says Clare. Even after you’ve been married for years. And one of the most true-to-life pieces of advice that every mature relationship should take note of is to “learn to love the things you don’t like about your partner. As long as your partner has the most important quality to you, that is what matters.” You’ll never find a person who’s perfect in every way, who’ll never annoy you, and never ever say the wrong thing. But Disney princes don’t exist in real life, and even if they did, I’m sure Prince Charming’s bound to leave the toilet seat up every now and then. As long as your partner has the qualities you value most, the rest is easy peasy.

Before heading home, the Starobynskis took on one more of life’s challenges together as a team – their first (and possibly last) mechanical bull ride! Rodeo Connection is all about having a great time, so if you’re amped up on liquid courage, or finally giving in to sheer curiosity, their mechanical bull is ready to give you a ride of a lifetime and one heck of an evening to remember.

Rodeo Connection
26/F Tower A1, Junhao Central Park,Chaoyang District
朝阳区骏豪中央公园广场A1座26楼
Ph: 5361 0666 / 17801772070

KEEP READING: From Santorini to Beijing, 19 Years and Still Madly in Love

Photos: Uni You

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 September issue

Remember when you first met your partner and were so excited to see them for something as simple as dinner and a movie? Well, as married parents, the need for ‘date nights’ are still as important as ever, as they remind you of when you first fell for each other, and the fact that outside of your roles as parents, you’re still lovebirds at heart.

According to relationship experts, the top five reasons why couples need to leave the kids at home and set aside date nights just for each other are communication: giving couples time to really talk to each other away from the distractions of children and careers; novelty: breaking out of your daily patterns and routines where after a while, you start taking each other for granted; ‘that spark’: creating magic moments where you the world just melts away and you only have eyes for each other, which are important reminders of why you fell in love in the first place; to de-stress: as intimate conversation helps cultivate healthy emotional support and thus lower mental stress; and finally, commitment: date nights help couples reconnect with each other and help build deeper bonds as a couple, and nurtures a strong sense of ‘we-ness’.

Sizzling king prawns

To see how the real pros do it, we tagged along on a date night with Lise and Francesco Floris at Made in China. The Flores couple have been married for 19 years and are proud parents to three kids: Simon (20), Samuel (18), and Rebecca (15). The couple met in Santorini, Greece in 1995 where Lise was working in a shop and Francesco was the good-looking tourist who caught her eye.

Made in China has been famous for its delicious Peking duck for over a decade, but they were also the first hotel restaurant to offer an open noodle bar where guests could watch chefs at work while slurping up freshly made noodles. The restaurant caters to locals and expats alike, offering exquisitely prepared Beijing cuisine and a few signature flares that leave guests craving for more. Even more unusual: since they first opened back in 2003, Made in China hasn’t changed its central menu. According to Executive Chef Anish Padgaonkar, even though they do introduce occasional seasonal dishes, their guests have remained so in love with the original Made in China menu that the restaurant kept on bringing back their favorites. Now, after 17 years in operation, Made in China offers a trued-and-tested, curated list of all-time guest favorites.

Made in China’s famous Peking duck

Starting off the couple’s date night is a plate of spinach with sesame sauce rice vinegar (RMB 50). This classic Beijing cold dish is a must-have, arriving within minutes of ordering, and giving you something tasty to nibble on while you wait for your show-stoppers.

For seafood lovers, Made in China’s sizzling king prawns (RMB 465) is a sight to see (and taste). The fragrance of the prawns fill the entire restaurant and turns heads as the waitress gracefully parades them from the kitchen to your table. Talk about giving everyone else food envy! For a healthy seafood option, the simple ingredients of the steamed blue cod (RMB 395) help to amplify the natural sweetness of the codfish, giving you a guilt-free healthy course.

Spinach with sesame sauce rice vinegar

A chef prepares the duck table-side

Of course, a trip to Made in China isn’t complete without a taste of their Peking duck, and unless you’ve got a really big appetite, half a duck (RMB 265) is more than enough for two people to share on a date night. Made fresh in their wood-fired oven, each duck is carved table-side and served with the classic pancakes and Peking duck condiments.

As Lise and Francesco finish off their night at Made in China, we couldn’t help but ask the couple for a bit of marriage advice. Lise admits that for some reason, the couple often ends up arguing while on date nights. “I’ve heard that’s common because we get to ‘dig into’ some discussions and practical, family and life topics.” Lise tells beijingkids “Thankfully we always make up before the end of the date.” And what about a tip for new couples? Their secret to a long happy marriage is to always be able to talk openly and honestly, even about the difficult stuff. “Oh, and physical attraction doesn’t hurt either,” she adds with a laugh.

KEEP READING: Date Night on the Move with Lost Plate’s New Dinner Tour

Photos: Uni You

This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 June issue