Let’s face it, as much as having babies completely changes our lives, we still want to be able to keep some things the same. Especially when it comes to having new experiences, going to restaurants, and just escaping the confines of home for a little bit.

When you have babies, however, you are constantly wondering where you can go that is relatively baby-friendly, where you won’t be concerned about spit-up on the pristine white tablecloths or the bouts of crying that are bound to disturb the refined diners that frequent high-end establishments. At the same time, we would like to enjoy dining experiences that are not limited to the gourmet cooking that is McDonald’s.

Recently, my family and I visited the Turkish Feast, JinShang branch. I had been wanting to try their food for the longest time, but was pretty sure that this wasn’t a chain particularly aimed at people with babies or kids. Boy, was I wrong!

Besides the very large variety of dishes that ensure there is definitely something that caters to all ages and levels of pickiness, they went out of their way to make our one-year-old a happy camper. The difference was in the small things, from the takeaway cup of water with a twirly straw (and a lid!) that my little one loved drinking out of to the complimentary bowl of popcorn she was given and the cute little car-shaped plate placed in her baby chair along with her baby cutlery. Everything just contributed to a seamless experience.

The waiters were especially attentive. Before I even had time to feel horrible about all the food she dropped on the floor, they had already swept it up. Each staff member who passed us gave her a smile and a wave, and while some of the handsome managers made her quite bashful, she loved interacting with everyone.

The bonus for us was the fun Turkish music that my little dancer loved grooving to! So, we got to have a few peaceful adult bites while she was entertaining the diners with her majestic moves.

Besides the many ways in which it was comfortable for such a young one, the experience was truly a feast for us as grown-ups as well. The food was incredibly delicious, well-cooked, and plentiful. The décor transports you right to the Anatolian Mediterranean, and the service is exemplary.

We had the small mezze platter and chose Turkish baba ganoush, muhammara and yogurt eggplant, which was packed full of smoky goodness. We also ordered the Turkish köfte, Adana kebab, traditional lentil soup, beef and cheese pide, and finished it off with the most delicious baklava. The Adana kebab is, so far, our favorite, and out of all the Middle Eastern eateries we’ve tried, Turkish Feast is the most authentic and flavorful. I am a huge fan of lentil soup, regardless of season, and theirs took me right back to the first time I had it in Istanbul with its tangy lemony and earthy flavors. I highly recommend ordering an extra helping of rice, especially if you are from a culture where rice is a staple, as the serving with the Adana kebab is a bit small for a rice lover.

My daughter loved chewing on chunks of kebab, trying to cram fistfuls of rice in her mouth (most of which landed on the floor), and she especially enjoyed the bread chunks she could suck and chew on. She even took a piece of pide for a spin on the dance floor for some sustenance during her energetic performance.

We enjoyed our experience so much that we decided to add this restaurant to our roster of monthly visits, and I am so excited to try not only their other locations but their remaining dishes. I’ve been daydreaming about the spinach and feta pide! All in all, it was a really nice experience with food you don’t have to feel guilty about having. I definitely recommend giving Turkish Feast a try if you haven’t already!

Find it:
115, 1/F, JinShang Yuan, 20 Xinyuan Xili, Chaoyang District
朝阳区新源西里20号金尚一层115号
Daily, 11am-10pm
Tel: 6468 8321

For more family-friendly dining recommendations, be sure to join our FamFriendlyEats group on WeChat. Add TBJButler to be added.

Images: Janita Shahsavari, Turkish Feast

In the bustling city of Beijing, finding a family friendly restaurant that caters to everyone’s tastes can be a delightful challenge. Fortunately, several establishments rise to the occasion. These restaurants offer menus with a little bit of everything, ensuring that every family member can find a dish they’ll love. From mouthwatering Asian dishes to international favorites, these family-friendly havens in Beijing are designed to create memorable dining experiences for the whole clan. Let’s take a look at our picks.

Commune Reserve 

It’s no secret that many of us in the jingkids editorial team love Commune Reserve. Situated behind the classy shopping district of SKP and sporting high ceilings with chic interiors, the restaurant offers one of the best burgers in town, amazing service, and also a pet-friendly patio. They’ve got craft beers on tap and a little liquor store area by the entrance where you get to purchase a bottle right before dinner.

But the place isn’t only for grownups. While they’ve got a mature vibe, their menu offers comfort food for patrons of all ages. From pizzas, lasagna, and juicy burgers to healthy salads, we had no trouble finding something that every member wanted to eat that fit all our dietary restrictions. One of their latest addition to their menu that we absolutely loved is the Wagyu beef pizza which tasted like a perfectly seasoned bolognese sauce topped with jalapeno peppers.

So for the kiddos who want juice with burgers, pizza, and chocolate cake to the ladies vibing Sex and the City with pink Cosmos to the boys who are in the mood for good beers, there’s something on the menu that’ll make everybody happy and enjoy the time together over some good comfort food.

Find it:
Commune Reserve:
101, 1F, Beijing Guanghua International, 6 Xidawang Road
西大望路6号光华国际大厦1层101
Tel: 6502 0115

Feast (Food by East)

This place is amazing for big group brunches with families. The kids’ playroom is one of the largest in the cit where kids can spend hours on end playing while the grown-ups enjoy the semi-buffet with free flow drinks.

For RMB 398 (or RMB 358 if you buy it from their WeChat mini program) you can spend a lazy morning there enjoying all your favorite bites. Go nuts and build your own charcuterie plate and grab a bottle of time. It’s truly one of the most relaxing places for a boozy family brunch in town.

If you’re a Beijing old timer you’ll remember what a hit Feast’s made to order Pavlovas were back in the day. Well, they’re still available and they still taste just as amazing! It has, and still is, a dessert that’s loved by patrons of all ages.

Find it:
2/F, EAST Beijing, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu
酒仙桥路22号东隅北京酒店2层
Tel: 8414 9820

The Cowfish

This one is a bit far from the city center just for a meal, but after a day playing at Universal, stopping by The Cowfish before heading home is a great way to unwind. Located on the Universal City Walk, this restaurant has a fun decor and offers fusion sushi as well as hearty comfort foods.

There are burgers and plates of pasta as well as a wide variety of sushi rolls to choose from and kids’ set meals for the little ones for RMB88.

What makes them perfect is that while the grown-ups unwind over a cocktail and food, the kids can play the restaurant’s interactive game that lets them create their own fun fish and then watch it come to life and swim across the giant screen.

Find it:
No. 1 Universal Avenue Beijing Universal Resort City Avenue
环球大道1号院北京环球度假区城市大道
Tel: 4008778899

If you’re looking for more family-friendly restaurants in the city, why not join our FamFriendlyEats WeChat group? It’s a group that’s created for foodies families in Beijing where members off real recommendations and reviews. To join, add TBJButler on WeChat and let him know!

Images: Pexels, Mina Yan, Commune Reserve, Dianping

Moms juggle numerous responsibilities, and finding a balance between socializing with friends and catering to their children’s needs can be a challenge. Now, imagine a place where moms can gather to enjoy drinks and conversation while their children are entertained in a safe, dedicated play area. These (well-thought-out) restaurants provide a haven for parents to connect, unwind, and share experiences, all while knowing that their kids are being entertained in a safe and enjoyable environment. Basically, they’re the kid-friendly girls’ night out restaurants in the city.

So, where can you find such a place? Check out our recommendations:

Haidilao

They’re not going to have the greatest selection of drinks, but the food is delicious, and like with everything else that the restaurant chain offers, their kids’ room goes above and beyond with teacher-led activities and even an iPad provided for parents so they can watch their kids while they eat. Haidilao mainly offers beer and baijiu on their menu, but they do allow diners to bring in outside drinks.

It’s worth noting that the kids’ room isn’t open 24 hours like their restaurants. Each location may have their own operating time, so it’s best to call in advance.

Click here to read more about why parents love Haidilao.

FEAST at EAST Hotel

They’ve got the crème de la crème of free kids play areas in town. The restaurant renovated its entire private dining room and turned it into the coolest play area that is filled with ball pits, slides, swings, climbing things, and toys.

Prices (all include free-flow drinks):
Weekday lunch (Mon-Fri) for RMB 248
Weekday dinner (Mon-Thu) for RMB 268
Weekend brunch (Sat-Sun) RMB 398|
Weekend dinner (Fri-Sun) RMB 328
*free for kids aged 6 and under; half price for kids aged 7-12

FEAST is a semi-buffet, which means your starters, desserts, and drinks are laid out buffet style and you order your main course a-la-carte. Personally, by the time your main course comes, you’re probably going to be full, so the FEAST team will pack it (*ahem* your perfect hangover food) for you to take home for an additional RMB 60.

Find it:
2/F, EAST Beijing, 22 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区酒仙桥路22号东隅北京酒店2层
Tel: 8414 9820

The Rug at Chaoyang Park

I’ll be frank, it’s not the nicest play room, but it’s big. There’s a climbing wall and a few toys that kids can play with while you enjoy some wines, cocktails, and tasty dishes. We end up going to The Rug time and time again because of the comfort food and laid-back vibe. And even though the play room is pretty much the bare minimum, it does have enough things to keep toddlers busy while you sit down and enjoy a few hours with your girlfriends.

Find it:
Bldg 4, Lishui Jiayuan, Chaoyang Gongyuan Nanlu (opposite South Gate of Chaoyang Park), Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园南路丽水嘉园4号楼(朝阳公园南门对面)
Tel: 131 6174 2511

Looking for more restaurants with play areas? Add TBJHelper to join the jingkids FamFriendlyEats WeChat group and get first-hand feedback from other parents in Beijing.

Images: Romee

If you have any Singaporean, Malaysian, or Indonesian friends and have ever celebrated Chinese New Year with them, then you probably had the good fortune to taste a pineapple tart. If you haven’t, well you’re in for a treat!

Firstly, forget the image of canned pineapples with a custard cream filling in a tart base, the southeast Asian pineapple tart is a thing of beauty in the form of an open-faced flower-shaped pastry, topped with a dollop of pineapple jam purée. Its origins are as rich and convoluted as the race credited with its creation – the Nyonya, the interracial descendants of Hokkien immigrants who raised their families in Southeast Asia.

To add to the confusion of pineapple-related pastries, there exists a Taiwanese version, 凤梨酥 ((Fèng Lí Sū) which should be more accurately called pineapple cake, while the Southeast Asian version translates into 黄梨饼 (Huáng Lí Bǐng). Both do use pineapple jam purée but the main telling difference is that the original Taiwanese Pineapple Cake filling was not purely pineapple but mixed with a considerable amount of cooked winter melon purée. This resulted in the Pineapple Cake becoming sweeter, softer, and less chewy compared to its Southeast Asian counterpart. Another difference in the pineapple filling is that it is cooked together with maltose and does not contain any spices in the filling, so it lacks that tangy taste that the Southeast Asian pineapple tarts offer.

According to food writer Chloee Lee, “The tart finds its origins far back in the 1500s when the Portuguese Empire conquered the Malay Peninsula, notably Malacca during their 130-year colonization period. Incorporating salt into dough, by rubbing butter into flour, was a unique Portuguese way of making pastries, which was adopted by the Peranakan Nyonyas in their dough-making process. Eventually, they incorporated this method into their homemade pineapple jam which was made due to an abundance of domestic pineapple production under the hot tropical climate in the Straits of Malacca, and thus the original pineapple tarts were first invented. As a result of this technology transfer, our tarts have become buttery and crumbly in texture, with undertones of savoriness due to the addition of salted butter into the dough.

Today, pineapple tarts are almost exclusively found during the Chinese New Year as people tend to consume it for its symbolism of auspiciousness and prosperity in the new year ahead. This is also because the Hokkien word for pineapple is ‘Ong Lai’ (huáng lí, 黄梨) which is a homophone for  (wàng lái, 旺来), roughly translated to “the arrival of wealth and luck”.”

When I first started writing this article, I wanted to share my cousin’s recipe for incredible homemade pineapple tarts, which is one of the core products in her baking business.

But after discovering how tedious and painstaking the entire process of making pineapple tarts from scratch is, plus the fact that she wouldn’t reveal her secret ingredient, I managed instead to find a source of equally amazing pineapple tarts right here in Beijing. That is none other than fusion restaurant Mulu, owned and operated by a Malaysian family. When the fruit is in season, they can offer a jar of the Southeast Asian pineapple tarts, about 25 pieces, at RMB 168 before shipping. Contact ilovemulu or ilovemulu2 on WeChat to place an order!

For more family-friendly dining recommendations, add TBJButler on WeChat and request to join the FamFriendlyEats WeChat group.

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Images: Pexels, Mulu

Love Korean food but quite sure where to go for some authentic good stuff? Here are my recommendations for a tasty time.

1.坦坦大炉 (tan tan da lu)

坦坦大炉 is a Korean BBQ place in Solana. They not only offer different types of meats but also many side dishes. For people who might be overwhelmed with the numerous menus of Tan Tan Da Lu, I’ll recommend you one main dish and side dish, which are 金砖五花, pork belly, and 炒泡菜豆腐, tofu with fried kimchi. Trust me, you’re welcome.

If you really, really don’t know what to order, Dianping has an option of a 2-3 people set menu for RMB 388 that includes a variety of meats, veggies, and rice and noodles dishes that are pre-selected by the restaurant.

Find it:
Solana No. 6 Chaoyang Park Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区朝阳公园路6号SOLANA蓝色港湾F2
Tel: 59051819

2. 顺天屋 (shun tian wu)

顺天屋 is a Korean restaurant in Wangjing that is famous for sundaeguk, a sundae soup, and suyuk, boiled pork. You will be curious what sundae is. Do not surprise… It’s called blood sausage in English. It is actually a pork intestine that includes glass noodles, and vegetables. I know, it sounds a bit weird; I won’t force you to try it but if you enjoy trying new foods or want to try Korean traditional food, go for it!

Find it:
Guangshun North Avenue Wangjing New Town District 4 Building 420 outside Xiong Jiacheng 2nd floor, Chaoyang District
朝阳区广顺北大街望京新城四区420号楼外熊家诚2层
Tel: 64741988

3.HAO 炸鸡店 (Hao zha ji dian)

In HAO Chicken (HAO 炸鸡店) you can have Korean-style fried chicken. It’s nothing like KFC. It’s 100% times better! I’ll recommend some good fried chickens that you should order here: an original fried chicken (原味炸鸡腿), which never fails, and a fried chicken with sweet and spicy sauce (甜辣酱炸鸡). The sweet & spicy chicken might be spicy to those who are bad at eating spicy foods so be careful. On another note, do not be confused between swee t& spicy chicken (甜辣酱炸鸡), and spicy chicken (辣味炸鸡) because they look the same in the picture!

Find it:
No. 420 Wangjing West Park, Hongchang Road, Chaoyang District (opposite Exit C of Wangjing Station of Metro Line 15)
朝阳区宏昌路望京西园420号(地铁15号线望京站C出口对面)
Tel: 84782541

4. 安东鸡 (an dong ji)

This is a Korean braised chicken place that I order waimai from a lot. My menu recommendation here is a braised chicken (炖鸡双人套餐). It’s intended for two people to share, and you can also choose the spicy level you want. It also has potatoes, carrots, and glass noodles with the chicken, which make the dish more diverse and yummy.

Find it:
No. 12 Sun Palace Road, Chaoyang District, CapitaMall (Sun Palace Store) F4
朝阳区太阳宫中路12号凯德MALL(太阳宫店)F4
131 6994 4567

5. 东宝城 (dong bao cheng)

You can try Korean-style Chinese foods in 东宝城, which are completely different from authentic Chinese dishes. The most typical menus here are black bean noodles (炸酱面) and spicy seafood noodles (辣海鲜面). If you have tried Chinese black bean noodles, it will be fun to compare them to the Korean black bean noodle and choose what you prefer more!

Find it:
No. 122 Nanhu East Park, Chaoyang District, PATEO International Commercial Plaza F3
朝阳区南湖东园122号博泰国际商业广场F3
Tel: 84763039

Images: Dianping

“Hey did you guys open in Shunyi?” I asked. “Damn straight we did! It’s go time!”, replied foodie dadpreneur Henry Timberlake, founder of Slider Nation.

They’ve got a cult-like following in Beijing. Their juicy sliders on Hawaiian buns are addictively good and not to mention, the hearty portions of duck fat fries with fancy dips along with a very limited selection of down-to-earth cocktails have made loyal fans of foodies all over the city.

Well, following in the trend of every downtown favorite restaurant, Slider Nation has officially opened up in Pinnacle Plaza, giving Shunyi residents convenient access to their mouth-watering juicy sliders.

“Shunyi has been on my radar for some time now, so many great communities there, all the schools. Also to relieve pressure of orders from our original location, expansion was the only way. And what better place than Shunyi for our second location.” he tells Jingkids.

The new Shunyi location offers the exact same menu in the exact same concept as their downtown location.

Open daily from 11am-2pm then 5pm-9pm on weekdays and 11am-9pm on weekends, they new Pinnacle Plaza location will have seats for 4-6 people inside along with outdoor seating on the patio as well.

The new Pinnacle Plaza location officially soft opens today (Jun 16) at 5pm and for the next three days, Henry and his team will be focusing on getting their new Shunyi location up and running. So for that downtown, their Xiaoyuanlu location will be on hold for now and will most likely resume operations on Sunday.

The entire menu will be available on all major food delivery apps so if you’re craving a good meal at home, they’ll be at your door in a matter of minutes. Enjoy!

Find it:
Shunyi Villas and Pinnacle Plaza, 99 Yuxiang Lu, Tianzhu, Shunyi District
顺义区天竺开发区裕翔路99号
The New Slider Nation is located behind Lee’s Bar, where Avocado Tree is.

Images: Henry Timberlake

For the past month we all have been cooped up inside. While most of us were not officially on lockdown, our social lives definitely were.

There was extra time in our days because we didn’t have to spend hours commuting and dropping off kids at school we couldn’t congregate and socialize either. Home delivery apps made getting our favorite comfort foods easy and convenient but it’s just not the same as sitting at your usual table. That’s because restaurants aren’t just about the food, they are about community. They are where we gather to share the highs and lows of everyday life. Where we celebrate and console each other. They are the places we make memories and often the setting for the nights we don’t remember with the friends we never forget.

It’s also about our local economy. Beijing’s Foodie Emperor Preston Thomas told me, “We all got really used to ordering in… Waimai is well and fine but let’s be honest, delivery companies take 20-30% of the costs, and Waimai only makes up about 25% of a restaurant’s business. If we don’t go out and support our local restaurants … THEY WILL CLOSE. It is that simple, and trust me this will impact EVERYONE because it’s a trickle-down effect. Once the domino falls, it’s only a matter of time before other industries are hit.”

So I asked him to share which local haunts he is most excited to get back to support in person.

Have a date night at… TRB Hutong or Forbidden City. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. TRB is the gold standard for date night. The kids have been online for ages and trust me a night without the kids is LONG overdue.

Take the kids to… O’steak. We took full advantage of O’steak’s 30% discount during the indoor restaurant ban. The kids love the food. The service is excellent. If you don’t want a steak order the duck confit (also on the set lunch menu). Delicious.

A beer with friends at… Dastaan. Order a King Fisher beer and some of Chef Rabiul’s signature butter chicken. Some of the most authentic Indian food in town.

A cocktail with friends at… two options if you want inside go to Trio. The ladies were killing it with wine specials and promotions. Let’s go support them. Outside: head down to Shuangjing and hit up Plan B for outside drinks. The Bloody Caesar is a great Canadian cocktail. If you want live music then walk to their sister bar Confidential and have a drink.

Grab a burger at… SliderNation. This place speaks for itself, if you don’t know Henry and his sliders do you even live in Beijing? Also, his DIY Bloody Marys are AMAZING and STRONG! The perfect hangover cure.

Healthy lunch at… Pickles Deli. This new vegan deli is fantastic, even though everything is vegan. Don’t let the word vegan put you off, Chef Manuel does an incredible job. You truly will be saying “I can’t believe its not meat or dairy”. Oh, you must try some of their vegan cheeses.

Get dessert at… Cocktail Dessert Bar. Chef Olivia does some of the most innovative desserts in town. And the cocktails, these are great. Great selection of wines that pair well with the California cuisine. This is one of those off-the-radar hidden gems. Date night, cocktails, or desserts. Ticks the boxes and won’t break the bank.

Go to brunch at… Bee Brunch at Char in the InterContinental. The only place that has brunch on a Monday. Just go Ajit will take care of you! And try the Swiss whisky if you get a chance.

Spend a lazy Saturday at… Maizidianis a perfect place to bar hop or just chill out with friends. Head to Vinvino, Toratori-ya, or White Tiger Village. If you want lazy luxury then head over to Il Ristorante Niko Romito in the Bvlgari hotel. Sit outside on the grass and have a picnic and cocktails.

Take out place that saved you during lock down….Pebbles for sure! I’ve been a fan for years. Taco Tuesday was something my complex always looked forward too. Can’t wait to drink some mezcal, in person on the terrace and have some tacos. Chef Ray kept us well fed.

Staycation at…. I’m also looking forward to having a staycation at Nuo either in Lido (without the kids) or Universal Studios (with the kids).

It’s important to remember that the owners and operators of our favorite watering holes took a big financial hit even as they worked extra hard to keep our meitaun deliveries coming. This reopening is a pivotal time for them and their families. So as our city begins to reopen lets get back out and help our local business refill their registers while we refill our emotional and literal cups.

Your turn, where is your first gastronomic stop in the Jing? Tell us in the comments.

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Images: Canva

I love the Beijing food scene. It’s eclectic and always memorable with lots of options from all over the world. But sometimes I just need to feel like I’m back home. That’s what Commune Reserve did for me. The warm but modern gastropub ambiance was elevated but unpretentious, and the second I set foot inside it felt like I was back in New York. This was a grown-up place that still felt relaxed and family-friendly.

There were countless craft beers on tap but I made a beeline for the cocktail menu and was not disappointed. I started with a Lychee Martini that was well balanced and not too sweet. Then my friends and I started in on the appetizers. We had the fried chicken which was juicy and crispy, a cheese plate, and by far the best breadsticks I have had in Beijing spread with mashed avocado.

I could have stopped there but gluttony is absolutely my preferred sin, and I will happily do penance at the gym for what came next. My new undeniable craving is a braised oxtail grilled cheese on marbled rye bread. I had no idea that this was missing from my life until now. My friends were all extremely happy with their burgers and pizzas and the salad that arrived looked beautiful as well.

But I couldn’t leave without trying one more cocktail. The Godfather that was served was the perfect nightcap and I strongly encourage it as a way to put the punctuation on a great evening out.

However, the best part is that this is a place I can definitely see myself enjoying brunch with friends who have kids, and not feeling as if I’m sacrificing food quality or environment to keep the little ones happy. There is a children’s menu, high-chairs, and if the weather is nice a lovely rooftop that the children will be happy to explore while the grown-ups chat. I am very happy to say I will be returning soon!

Find it:
Commune Reserve
101, 1F, Beijing Guanghua International, 6 Xidawang Road, Chaoyang District
朝阳区西大望路6号光华国际大厦1层101

KEEP READING: Recommendations for 2022’s First Edition of Restaurant Week

Photos: The Beijinger, Commune Reserve