Bibigo

My Beijing flatmates Nik and Michealle found this amazing Korean place in Beijing called Bibigo. The restaurant is positioning themselves as the healthy version of McDonalds. Bibigo simplifies the way one orders in 4 steps (after the break):

My hot stone black pearl rice with beef bulgogi, topped with sesame sauce for RMB 38

榆乐轩餐厅 Yuyuexuan Restaurant

One weekend, I decided to check out the East Orthodox Church inside the Russian Embassy in Dongzhimen. After an hour of walking and explaining myself in Mandarin, I faced a Russian security guard who could not speak Mandarin or English so it was the end of the line for me.

I rewarded myself with a meal in some random 胡同 hutong, revisiting some of my recent discoveries.

酸辣蕨棍粉 Spicy sour fern noodles for RMB 12. I remember trying this out in another restaurant so when I saw this again I knew I was in for a treat.

Bellagio (the real Cafe Lugang!)

It was the third week in Beijing of my good friends Anton and Ralvin, and we finally got together for our first winter night out together. We strolled along 新中关 and ended up in another version of Bellagio. In Manila, this is famously known as Lugang Cafe. The interiors are more or less the same. Some of what we had:

油淋鸡 Chicken and garlic in ginger oil for RMB 42

Happy Lemon in Beijing

Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese (my favourite!), and Caramel Milk Tea with Brown Sugar Jelly both for RMB 9

We've been drinking Happy Lemon in Beijing for a while but it's only back in their Manila franchise that I discovered their best flavor for me, as suggested by one of their owners (who was my former classmate in the Ateneo). Thanks to the influence of my foodie friend Bianca, government girl Ishy and I went through a Happy Lemon phase during Ishy's trip to Beijing. Otherwise, their flavours are of ordinary mix, but yummy just the same.

Happy Lemon
All over Beijing!
China

Charlie Brown Cafe in Wudaokou

Props to Charlie Brown Cafe for staying true to their positioning. Their titles refer to the Charlie Brown characters, and their coffee has CB cartoon illustrations.

Hot Chocolate for RMB 22 (热巧克力 - 二十二块）

本店特色 "Bendian Tese"

本店特色 literally translates to "root store characteristic." All translations here (and the rest of my blog) are my own, so if you think they are incorrect, they most likely are.

It was one of those evenings when I ran errands around Wangfujing and ate as locals do 入国问俗 - enter a random place with lots of people, order two dishes, eat quietly, pay and then leave. I picked my familiar favourites.

宫 爆 鸡丁 ("gong bao jiding") Palace Stir-Fried Chicken cubes for RMB 15