street food – Beijing Kids

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

Michelle Zhang — Sun, 27 Jun 2021 03:00:20 +0000

I’m a foodie and there’s nothing I love more than street food. Every time I travel, I’m always on the lookout for the most unique local eats. Nothing puts me off more than a chain restaurant with a bilingual menu.

But I don’t judge those who’ve never experienced real local eats. Being in a completely new city and getting stuck behind the dreaded language barrier can make culinary explorations truly scary. You don’t know which stalls are safe to eat at, which streets boast the best options, or sometimes, what you’re even eating.

So we’ve made it easy for you and turned the idea of Beijing street food exploration into something of a local food scavenger hunt, with a little help from our friends at Lost Plate.

Lost Plate is the recipient of TripAdvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Award for Best Foodie Experience in the World. They take small groups to family-run shops off the beaten path, where you’ll not only find real locals tucking into an authentic meal but also learn all about the folks who are cooking it. We’ve drawn on their expertise to put together a tasty guide full of all their must-try recommendations.

Follow the map for a tasty day out in the hutongs. If you want to get in touch with Lost Plate for one of their guided tours, visit their website at www.lostplate.com. Lost Plate is currently running tours in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Suzhou, Yunnan, and Xi’an.

Thanks to this completely walkable snacking guide, your family can explore the lesser-known hutongs while discovering tasty new eats.

北城兄弟老北京铜锅涮肉

Hours: 11.30am-10.30pm (weekdays)/ 11am-11pm (weekends)
Address: 鼓楼东大街东公街胡同27号 (No.27 gǔ lóu dōng dàjiē dōng gōng jiē hútòng)
Recommendations: 清汤锅底配秘制麻酱和现炸辣椒油 Clear Broth with Sesame Paste and Fried Chili Oil Dipping, 高钙羊肉 Lamb, 精品肥牛1号 Beef

马氏门钉肉饼

Hours: 11am-11pm
Address: 车辇店胡同6号 (No. 6 chē niǎn diàn hútòng)
Recommendations: 门钉肉饼 Door Nail Meat Bun

大华煎饼

Hours: 6am-1pm
Address: 北剪子巷21号悠惠万家超市内 (No. 21 běi jiǎn zi xiàng yōu huì wàn jiā chāo shì nèi)
Recommendations: 招牌双蛋煎饼 Signature Double-Egg Jianbing

增盛魁小吃

Hours: 6am-9pm (Pro tip: Many of the breakfast items are sold out by 10am)
Address: 大佛寺东街26号 (No. 26 dà fó sì dōngjiē)
Recommendations: 糖油饼 Sugary Pancake, 豆腐脑 Jellied Bean Curd, 牛肉包子 Beef Baozi, 豆馅炸糕 Fried Red Bean Cake

Scan the QR code to come along with us on this food tour!

KEEP READING: Expat Kids Try: Nalouguxiang Hutong Food

Images: Uni You, Mina Yan

This article appeared in the jingkids 2021 May issue

WATCH | Expat Kids Try: Nalouguxiang Hutong Food

Cindy Marie Jenkins — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 03:00:51 +0000

We loved watching these two expat brothers try traditional Beijing breakfast street food last month, and so our Managing Editor Mina Yan couldn’t wait to bring us back to Nalouguxiang for some of her own favorite treats!

Some were no brainers, like White Rabbit candies, but the kids were game to try nearly anything! They even insisted that they get corn dogs at the end which, let’s just say, weren’t exactly what they’re used to (look at the bottom).

So maybe I can get these kids to try a greater variety of food if I’m filming it, or maybe they just need more outings that are all about trying something new. Either way, I’m sure the next time we order anything besides dumplings or bao, they’ll be more game to at least give it a shot!

Watch the video here and comment to let us know what we should try next!

KEEP READING: The Expat Mom: Repatriating When Your Child Doesn’t Remember Their Home Country

Images: Cindy Marie Jenkins

Too Late To Plan a Day Trip? The Only List You’ll Need for Golden Week

Cindy Marie Jenkins — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 05:00:43 +0000

We already covered special day trips and hotels perfect for any kind of overnight treat, but how about those special outings that only Beijing can offer? Those places you hear about but never have enough time to visit?

Here at beijingkids we make so many great lists of different places that it’s a shame to make you scroll through our posts to find the kinds of fun you need. So just bookmark this blog and we’ll link you to the coolest playdates within our city’s borders!

Dust off Those Swim Trunks at Twenty-First Century Hotel Swimming (二十一世纪饭店游泳馆)

If you want an Olympic size pool, then this indoor facility is right up your street. Should you decide to take your kids here, it might be advisable to watch them closely, but lifeguards are constantly on standby in case of any emergency. Open from 9am to 9pm every day of the week, it also comes in at the affordable price of RMB 73 per person.

Address: 40 Landmark Road, Chaoyang District, 亮马桥路40号

Hoop It up at Hongchang Junhuaxiang Basketball Stadium 宏昌竣花香篮球馆

There are two courts at this venue, which is covered by an air dome. Although the lighting is dim, the courts provide good feedback and aren’t slippery. You can book either a half or full court on Dianping, but the spots fill up very quickly. RMB 70 per person per session.

Inside the Hongchangjun Net Badminton Center, 88 Laiguangying East Road
来广营东路88号宏昌竣网羽中心内

Scavenger Hunt at Beihai Park

When one of our favorite local travel companies Bespoke Beijing announced that their First Ever DIY Beihai Park Scavenger Hunt was up and running, we were over the moon. Scavenger hunts boost observational skills, promote problem-solving and critical thinking, support team-work, as well as giving you an opportunity to learn new things. Oh, and you get to spend the day outdoors in a beautiful setting exercising your body as well. What’s not to love?

The iconic White Pagoda stands over the lakes of Beihai Park, the perfect spot to spend a day

Touring As Easy As… Riding a Bike

The company currently runs two regular tours: Old Beijing, which visits locations like Ghost Street, the Drum and Bell Towers, the Forbidden City, Fox Tower, and the Ming Dynasty City Wall; and Modern Beijing, which stops by locations like Galaxy Soho, CBD, CCTV Offices, China Zun, Phoenix Offices, and The Workers Stadium. They have also just officially re-opened their very popular Hutong tour, which can run as normal now that most of the COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted.

What a great way to see the hutongs

Try Some Beijing Street Food Like Baozi (包子 bāozi)

Finally, steamed buns or baozi are the Beijing street food which can be the most customizable in terms of filling. The base dough is often made using white flour, milk, water, yeast, and oil. Then, the seller will steam the buns after adding a filling inside.

Classic breakfast options are pork buns but when it comes to baozi, there are no limits to what you can fill them with. Any type of meat or vegetable baozi can be found at street stands around the city, and if you happen to venture into a local dessert shop, there are plenty of dessert buns filled with things like sweet custard or red bean paste that are just waiting for your to discover.

READ MORE: The Teenager’s Guide to Beijing Street Food

Photos: Uni You, Courtesy of Authors, Bespoke Beijing, and Venues

Mandarin Monday: How to Order a Jiānbing in Mandarin

Andy Penafuerte III — Mon, 24 Apr 2017 07:00:14 +0000

Ubiquitous. Delicious. Not entirely nutritious. You can find them on the street in Beijing and Brooklyn. They are a staple of both morning commuters and late night revelers, the apex snack, the Egg McMuffin of breakfast foods: The humble 煎饼 jiānbing.

Despite a massive increase in the price of a jiānbing in my time in Beijing, I’m still hooked after all these years.

I also remember the days when my mastery of Mandarin did not quite match my love of the crepe. It is a simple dish, but there are several key components, and I was no doubt a source of great amusement to my fellow snackers as they passed their time in the jiānbing line watching me pantomime equivalents to “chili sauce” and “can you cook the egg a little bit more?”

While I would hate to deprive our Beijing friends and neighbors from any form of spontaneous street entertainment, I thought I’d offer a quick primer on the easiest way to order the jiānbing of your dreams.

The Basics

First, the ordering formula where X equals your preferred number of jiānbing.

(You may think one jiānbing is enough, but what about your friends? What about for later? What about for those moments in life when you are blissfully stoned and ordering just one of any snack food is as incomprehensible as a Hozier song?)

“Sir, I’d like X jiānbing.” 师傅, 来【X】个煎饼。 Shīfu, lái X ge jiānbing.

Then ask the price. This is especially important for late-night jiānbing transactions (or, really, any late night transaction) in Sanlitun or Wudaokou.

How much is it? 多少钱? Duō shǎo qián?

Basic enough phrase, right? Right out of Chapter 3 from Chinese 101, but the classics are classics for a reason.

Adding Ingredients

Now it gets a little complicated. What do you want on your jiānbing? Some people just go with the standard one egg 鸡蛋 jīdàn, scallions 葱 cōng, cilantro 香菜 xiāngcài, fermented flour paste (tastes better than it translates, right?) 面酱 miànjiàng, chili paste 辣椒 làjiāo, and fried crispy fritter/”jiānbing cracker” 薄脆 báocuì. A few vendors also throw in lettuce 生菜 shēngcài or other veggies as part of the standard package. And this isn’t even getting into the regional varieties of the jiānbing.

There are also improvisations for the resolutely carnivorous. Some people add chicken 鸡肉 jīròu, sausage 肠儿 chángr (note the “er” on the pinyin), pork powder 肉松 ròusōng, or whatever other mystery meat the seller might have handy.

To add an ingredient, go with the basics again:

Wǒ yào 我要 + [ingredient] and fill in the blank from above or point if they have something on offer that’s less common.

For example, eggs. How many eggs do you want. Usually it’s one, some people like two. For two eggs say:

要两个鸡蛋。Yào liǎnggè jīdàn.

Things You Don’t Want

Some people are also particular about what doesn’t go into their jiānbing. For example, I have a colleague who thinks cilantro tastes like soap.

In that case, we have to make cuts:

I don’t want chili sauce 不要辣椒, búyào làjiāo

I don’t want any (brown) sauce 不要面酱 búyào miànjiàng

I don’t want any scallions 不放葱, bú fàng cōng

I don’t want any cilantro 不放香菜, bú fàng xiāngcài

I don’t want any lettuce 不放生菜, bú fàng shēngcài

I don’t want the fritter [But come on? Who doesn’t love the fritter?] 不要薄脆, búyào báocuì

Note the two verbs yào 要 “want” and fàng 放 “put/place” are used interchangeably here although they mean different things. One simply expresses your preference, the other expresses a request for the maker of the jiānbing.

Of course, you may just want to go all-in and have your chef load up your bing with everything he or she has.

“Gimme the works!” 所有的佐料都要！Suǒyǒu de zuǒliào dōu yào!

Finally, I often find that the eggs aren’t cooked quite long enough and this gives the jiānbing a slightly gooey texture. If you are like me and prefer your jinbing well-done, you can ask the chef:

“Would you mind giving it a little bit more time on the griddle?” 煎饼多烤会？Jiānbing duō kǎo huì?

And of course, because you always want to be polite with those who handle your food:

“Thank you, sir!’ 谢谢师傅。Xièxiè shīfu.

Photo: seriouseats.com

Jeremiah Jenne is a writer, educator, and historian based in Beijing since 2002. He is also the founder of Beijing by Foot, which offers historical walks, tours, and workshops in Beijing. You can find him on Twitter @granitestudio.

This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger.

A Real Taste of Lao Beijing from E to H

beijingkids — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Editor’s Note: In this series, we present the first part of a list of some of the capital’s better known dishes along with places to try them out. Click here for the previous post.

Erguotou (二锅头): You’ve seen these little green bottles everywhere. Maybe you’ve even imbibed (and perhaps, suffered the consequences). What can be said for Beijing’s official baijiu (白酒, made from sorghum and 56 proof) is that you ought to try it, at least once, if not simply to know why you’ll never want to drink it again.

Fuling Jiabing (茯苓夹饼): This Beijing specialty (pictured above) is made from a batter of flour, poria (a type of fungus, also known as "tuckahoe"), honey and sweet osmanthus that is fried into paper-thin crispy wafers and filled with a "mixture of honey, granulated sugar, confect, pinecones and crushed kernels." It was originally concocted as a medicinal food for the Empress Dowager Cixi and is now sold in most specialty snack shops.

Gezihe (饹馇盒): Another typical Hui (Muslim) snack, Gezihe are made from pumpkin, carrot, radish, eggplant or potato-based starch that is then mixed with pepper, salt, soy sauce and green onion and fried into crispy little bits that resemble chopped up sections of youtiao (fried dough sticks) and served wrapped in bing (pancakes) or as a standalone snack that is often dipped in pepper-salt.

Hutazi (糊塌子): Made from zucchini (or cucumber), flour and salt, these pancakes are eaten with vinegar and is a typical lao Beijing homestyle dish. You can find recipes (in Chinese) here and here.

Stay tuned for the next installment, I to L soon. View the first installment, A to D, here.

A Real Taste of Lao Beijing from A to D

beijingkids — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Beijing Cai may not considered the most refined of Chinese cuisines, but it does have its highlights of down-home goodness. Essentially an amalgam of many regional styles (especially Shandong), the capital’s cuisine ranges from fabulously luxuriant imperial dishes made from exotic ingredients (bear paw, anyone?) to wheat-based staples (noodles, pancakes, steamed buns and the like) as well as Hui-style (China’s ethnic Muslim minority) street foods, sweets and snacks.

In this series, we present the first part of a list of some of the capital’s better known dishes along with places to try them out. If you have any additional suggestions for places to try these dishes, or other Beijing eats, please feel free to leave them in the comments below:

Ai Wo Wo (艾窝窝): This Hui-style sweet snack dates back to the Ming Dynasty and was a favorite of the Empress Cixi. It’s made of a sugar-filled ball of glutinous rice" and somewhat resembles Japanese and Taiwanese-style moichi (or moji). Sold in street stalls around town, it’s also available at lao Beijing eateries like Jiumen Xiaochi.

Bao Du (爆肚): Tripe isn’t for everyone – it’s a take-it-or-leave-it kind of dish. But if you’re an adventurous eater, you’ll find it to be exquisite when properly prepared. The best tripe dish I’ve ever had was a Roman specialty called "Trippa alla Romana" – served in a delectable tomato and parmeggiano sauce and cooked so tender it tastes like chewy pasta – but bao du, when it’s boiled to perfection and served with fresh cilantro and sesame sauce, is right up there. Most lao Beijing restaurants serve this quintessential dish, but the best Bao Du I’ve had was at Bao Du Feng (爆肚冯, inside Jiumen Xiaochi, 1 Xiaoyou Hutong) on Deshengmen Nei Dajie near Gulou.

Beijing Duck (北京烤鸭 ): Of course no list of Beijing specialties would be complete without the capital’s most famous dish and there certainly is no shortage of places that do divine duck. There are many, many places I would recommend (not least of which is the perennially popular Da Dong), but my personal favorite is Bian Yi Fang, another well-known laozihao (time-honored brand) that dates back to the Ming Dynasty and purportedly still slow-roasts their ducks in the traditional way. I can’t vouch for the veracity of this marketing claim, but their duck is undeniably delicious (albeit getting pricier and served in somewhat more pretentious settings, no doubt to keep up with Da Dong).

Chun Bing (春饼): Essentially a Chinese-style burrito, chun bing are as healthy as they are delicious. The bing (resembling thin, chewy crepes) can be made from millet, mung bean, corn, spinach and even carrot with even more varieties for the fillings, which typically consist of a combination of stir-fried vegetables, fried eggs and assorted meats. My favorite chun bing joint (aptly named Chun Bing Jing Wei Cai) is just south of Fangjia Hutong on Yonghegong Dajie near the Lama Temple – order the "Jing Dian Chun Bing" ("Classic" Chun Bing, pictured above), which comes with a steaming basket of assorted bing made from different ingredients and your choice of fillings (we love the egg and shrimp). This restaurant also does a damn fine bowl of za jiang mian (see below).

Da Lu Mian (打卤面): Beijing cuisine has noodles galore and this dish, which literally means "noodles with gravy," is probably its most "down-home" variety. It may not always look advertising (said gravy often resembles hot and sour soup at best, or gooey brown mush at worst), but it’s usually stick-to-your-ribs tasty and perfectly filling on a blustery day. Noodle joints across the city, including Jing Wei Mian Da Wang by Qianhai, serve this homestyle favorite.

Stay tuned for part two of this series coming soon.

street food – Beijing Kids

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

北城兄弟老北京铜锅涮肉

马氏门钉肉饼

大华煎饼

增盛魁小吃

WATCH | Expat Kids Try: Nalouguxiang Hutong Food

Too Late To Plan a Day Trip? The Only List You’ll Need for Golden Week

Dust off Those Swim Trunks at Twenty-First Century Hotel Swimming (二十一世纪饭店游泳馆)

Hoop It up at Hongchang Junhuaxiang Basketball Stadium 宏昌竣花香篮球馆

Scavenger Hunt at Beihai Park

READ MORE: Beihai Park Scavenger Hunt Is the Perfect Weekend Family Activity

Touring As Easy As… Riding a Bike

READ MORE: Kids Under 12 Explore Beijing for Free With B-Electric Bike Tours

Try Some Beijing Street Food Like Baozi (包子 bāozi)

Mandarin Monday: How to Order a Jiānbing in Mandarin

The Basics

Adding Ingredients

Things You Don’t Want

A Real Taste of Lao Beijing from E to H

A Real Taste of Lao Beijing from A to D

street food – Beijing Kids

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

北城兄弟 老北京铜锅涮肉

马氏门钉肉饼

大华煎饼

增盛魁小吃

WATCH | Expat Kids Try: Nalouguxiang Hutong Food

Too Late To Plan a Day Trip? The Only List You’ll Need for Golden Week

Dust off Those Swim Trunks at Twenty-First Century Hotel Swimming (二十一世纪饭店游泳馆)

Hoop It up at Hongchang Junhuaxiang Basketball Stadium 宏昌竣花香篮球馆

Scavenger Hunt at Beihai Park

READ MORE: Beihai Park Scavenger Hunt Is the Perfect Weekend Family Activity

Touring As Easy As… Riding a Bike

READ MORE: Kids Under 12 Explore Beijing for Free With B-Electric Bike Tours

Try Some Beijing Street Food Like Baozi (包子 bāozi)

Mandarin Monday: How to Order a Jiānbing in Mandarin

The Basics

Adding Ingredients

Things You Don’t Want

A Real Taste of Lao Beijing from E to H

A Real Taste of Lao Beijing from A to D

北城兄弟老北京铜锅涮肉