Neighboring countries and regions have a tendency to share their cultures, especially when it comes to food. But what about two countries on different continents, with multiple oceans and mountains between them? Will we still be able to spot any doppelgangers? With this question in mind, I asked a few Beijing expats about their hometown foods and the closest Chinese versions.

USOne Beijing resident I spoke to believes that hamburgers are similar to roujiamo (肉夹馍) – a signature dish of Shaanxi province and dubbed the Chinese hamburger – since they are both two layers of bread with meat and a bit of vegetable inside. Roujiamo is covered with two layers of flatbread called baijimo (白吉馍), and usually stuffed with chopped pork and green peppers. Similarly, hamburgers, or any burgers really, are basically meat and lettuce between two buns.

South AfricaBiltong is a famous South African snack and is basically dried meat ranging from beef to ostrich and beyond. They are cut into pieces and seasoned with salt, black pepper, and vinegar. In China, Xinjiang dried meat is quite similar: Salt and special ingredients – which vary from household to household – are cured, resulting in dried meat that’s nutrient-rich and easy to carry. Fun fact: It was invented to help Xinjiang’s minorities stay nourished during the long winter season, and is also believed to be one of the “secret weapons” that gave Genghis Khan’s army its fearsome reputation!

KazakhstanA fellow foodie I interviewed thinks baursak from her country resembles a famous Beijing snack called NaiYouZhaGao (奶油炸糕), NaiYouZhaGao is made from flour and eggs, with optional vanilla powder added. One important thing to remember while eating this delicious treat is to top it off with a bit of powdered sugar! Baursak both tastes and looks quite similar, as it’s a puffy bread that contains similar ingredients. However, the difference is that baursak is reserved for important occasions like weddings, whereas NaiYouZhaGao is consumed on a daily basis without fanfare.

KoreaAs Korea and China are geographic neighbors, they share some similar food traditions, not least of which is dumplings. Although China is famous for its dumplings, aka jiaozi, Korea also has a version called mandu. Mandu is larger in size, with typical fillings including shrimp, kimchi, tofu, and vegetables. As for jiaozi, its classic variations would be chives and eggs or ground pork and cabbage.

BrazilWhen y it comes to Brazilian cuisine it’s hard to overlook the country’s signature barbecue dish, known as churrasco, which is coated with coarse salt and paired with different types of peppers. It’s similar to Xinjiang mutton shashlik (羊肉串), though the chunks are smaller than the Brazilian fare with cumin powder giving the meat its distinctive taste.

United Arab Emirates, DubaiMachboos is famous in Dubai and many other Middle Eastern countries. It’s a rice dish with chicken and a couple of special ingredients such as the spice baharat and boiled limes. If the picture looks familiar, that might be because it’s practically the spitting image of Yangzhou fried rice, which instead uses shrimp, eggs, and peas as its main ingredients.

UKA full British breakfast wouldn’t be complete without some British baked beans, usually made by boiling white beans for a long period of time and then stewing them in sauce, which is made from tomatoes, salt, and vinegar, or sometimes, simple Heinz tomato sauce for convenience. Canned baked beans are common in British supermarkets too. Likewise, in China, a dessert called 红豆沙 hóng dòu shā is also made from beans, albeit red beans. The red beans have been cooked in water with rock sugar, and the dish is sometimes served with small, sticky rice balls and dried tangerine for a richer taste.

Wherever you go and no matter how far you stray from your hometown, food is always one of the best ways to connect. It acts as a bridge between the locals and your culture. So whenever you find yourself with a craving, go out and find a local restaurant to sate it – you just might find a familiar taste.

Are there any Chinese food doppelgangers from your hometown? Let us know in the comments!

KEEP READING: Bite-Size Beijing: Eating Your Way Through the City’s Street Foods 

Images: Rachel Bu

FatFace Dining have opened a second branch of their American-style barbecue joint The Smokeyard with the new Sanlitun venue offering the same great range of grilled and smoked meats. Signature dishes include ribs, served up with fries and apple coleslaw (RMB 78), pork or fish tacos, served with Korean fried rice and salad (RMB 48-52), and the house sliders (RMB 48).

There is no separate kids’ menu, but there are plenty of enticing dishes to please younger palates, especially the range of appetizers. Popcorn chicken (RMB 32) is served up in cool tin buckets, cheesy fries (RMB 38) come topped with crispy bacon bits, and coated mozzarella sticks are always a hit. For the adults, the beer-battered French fries (RMB 20) are awesome and perfectly complement the range of craft brews on offer.

Our ravenous young diner is 5-year-old Jonas Weisse, a student at House of Knowledge. German-born Jonas has been living in Beijing for almost three years. One of his favorite foods is hot dogs, but today Jonas samples pasta bolognaise and vegetarian pizza. The pasta dish was a generous heap of spaghetti, topped with meatballs, and plenty of sauce. The sauce is a bit spicy for Jonas, so bear this in mind if your kids prefer less chili heat. The pizza has a thin and crispy base, and is topped with freshly grilled artichokes, tomatoes, and bell peppers.

To finish, Jonas samples the strawberry ice cream shake. The tall glass is filled with pink shake, topped with whipped cream, and finished with a cherry. This is by far his favorite! The restaurant serves an interesting range of drinks which includes mango lassi, red guava, papaya milk, and strawberry lemon juice (RMB 18-23).

The restaurant décor is trendy and urban, with plenty of exposed brick work and metal furnishings. The split-level dining area gives it a warehouse feel, with some abstract art livening up the walls. The Smokeyard is a welcome addition to this part of Sanlitun, with great dishes at wallet-friendly prices.

Family-friendly facilities:
The restaurant is non-smoking throughout. There are clean, Western-style bathrooms with soap and toilet paper.

The Smokeyard 庭云
1) Daily 10am-2pm, 5pm-10:30pm. Unit 5, 6, Nan Sanlitun Lu, Chaoyang District (6501 7501) 朝阳区三里屯南路6号楼5门; 2) Daily 11am-9.30pm. 2-1, Huaqingjiayuan Building 12, Wudaokou, Haidian District (135 2206 4168) 海淀区五道口华清嘉园12号2-1层

This article originally appeared on page 30-31 of the beijingkids October 2015 issue. Click here to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.

Photos: Ken

Windy City Ballroom is set in the grounds of a quiet courtyard, beside a beautiful lotus pond fringed with willows. Located in the north of Beijing near the Olympic Park, the name, décor, and cuisine are all inspired by Chicago, a city famous for its warm and welcoming nature. Opened in 2012, the restaurant offers a unique waterside setting where you can escape the summer heat and enjoy a relaxed dining experience.

With roots stemming from mid-western America, the restaurant takes pride in using quality and fresh ingredients. Head Chef Dustin Merrett, formerly of Home Plate, took over the kitchen last year and brought with him an authentic soul-food repertoire. Families can enjoy Chicago comfort food classics like deep-dish pizzas, grills, signature burgers, and some tasty fish dishes.

The six or four person BBQ board (RMB 598/328) is a great way to try a range of their foods. It includes wings, kebabs, sausages, ribs, steaks and chops, skewers, corn, and plenty of traditional sides. The popular brunch menu is available every weekend, from 11am to 3pm, with advance booking essential. Brunch dishes include house made cinnamon buns, French toast, breakfast wraps, eggs benedict, and a Hearty American full breakfast.

Our two hungry diners are WAB students Alice (age 8) and Jamie Mutter (age 5). The Mutters spent three years in Nanjing, before moving to Beijing in 2014, and are relocating back to the UK this summer. Alice’s favorite foods are chicken soup and hotdogs, whilst Jamie loves fried rice and pork dumplings. They tried a few dishes from the kids’ menu – the Meat Ball Mountain served with pasta, chicken pizza, breaded chicken and fries, and corn dog with fries. Prices range from RMB 20-42. They both agreed the chicken in a basket was great, and the meat balls were a big hit too. By far their favorites were the “delicious” blueberry, raspberry, and apple smoothie and the pineapple, mango and banana smoothie (both RMB 45). Prices are very reasonable across the menu, offering great value cuisine for all the family.

Facilities:
Windy City Ballroom is a big restaurant, with seating for 150 inside and over 60 on the terrace patio. There are three private rooms, with another one underway. Highchairs and kid’s utensils are available. The toilets are very clean, with both Chinese and western-style stalls, with paper and soap provided. The main restaurant is no smoking, but smoking is allowed in the outside area.

Windy City Ballroom 风渡嘉荷
Daily 11am-10pm. 9 Yongtaizhuang Bei Lu, Qinghe, Haidian District (6299 3777, WindyCityBallroom@mail.com) www.comfortfoodbeijing.com 北京市海淀区永泰庄北路9号

This article originally appeared on page 28 – 29 of the beijingkids July 2015 issue. Click here (http://issuu.com/beijingkids/docs/2015.07_beijingkids) to read the issue for free on Issuu.com. To find out how you can get your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com.

Family friendly hotspot, Lily’s American Diner has been known to be a go to for birthday hosting venues, special holidays lunch and dinner for that homemade meal. The American food purveyor has three locations Sanlitun, Sihui, and Shuangjing that will be offering free/complimentary mianfei cake to those who go to eat as they celebrate their fifth year on May 30.

The food is filling, inexpensive, and very yummy, definitely the best diner in my opinion! The menu offers an assortment of American classics, including pizzas, Tex Mex and all-day breakfast offer plenty of options for kids. Kids could try the grilled cheese (bacon or ham), as this is one true American classic. For the adults (kids can also try this) Joe’s pulled pork sandwich, which features slow-cooked pork and special barbecue sauce (mouthwatering indeed for the meat lovers).

There are vegetarian options on the menu such as the hummus and the Veggie Hero sandwich features eggplant, hummus, mint, and feta.

Photo: Sui & Lova Li