The reign of the humble dumpling at Din Tai Fung

January 27, 2010

BEIJING, CHINA – There’s just something about dumplings. The Italians have their raviolis, the Polish have their pierogies, and the Chinese have xiao long bao. These Shanghainese soup dumplings are a hit worldwide, and one thing is clear: Beijing is nuts for the yummy bites. Luckily for Beijing, Din Tai Fung,… (more)

Christmas a la Chinois: Yuletide cheer in Beijing

December 29, 2009

BEIJING, CHINA – While Christmas isn’t a traditional Chinese holiday, that doesn’t stop Beijingers from trying to get in on the yuletide action. The city is awash with the kind of decorations that induce gimme-gimme tantrums in otherwise mild-mannered children when they glimpse them in a CVS bargain bin: LED… (more)

The best churros in China (and more) at crowded Nan Luo Gu Xiang

October 26, 2009

BEIJING, CHINA – Since I live just around the corner and since I’ve been bombarded with tales of its fabulousness, this weekend I decided it was time: I needed to check out Nan Luo Gu Xiang. (It’s a narrow, 700-year old hutong alleyway which has recently been converted into an… (more)

Snack scene Beijing: autumn edition

October 20, 2009

BEIJING, CHINA – Ah, Beijing in the autumn. The air temperature suddenly drops from “steamy” to “crisp” and, on cue, the entire city shifts gears. The bus attendants start wearing their winter uniforms now, sock vendors on the streets redouble their efforts (you can never have enough socks in the… (more)

Rekindling an “old flame”: Beijing, post-Olympic torch

August 22, 2009

BEIJING, CHINA – In the middle of the newly renovated Sanlitun Road / Sanlitun Bar Street (Sanlitun Lu / Sanlitun Jiuba Jie) stands the Opposite House. A green, glass cube sitting between Dongzhimen and Gongti Bei Lu, the Maseratis and Mercedes parked out front seem more than a little out… (more)

Choose-your-own-adventure dumplings in Beijing

August 21, 2009

BEIJING, CHINA – Dumplings (jiao zi/shui jiao) are typically meant to be a home-cooked affair, with families making them within the comforts of their own homes and to their exact specifications. Recipes range from ones like my mother’s (pork, shiitake mushrooms, chives, dried shrimps, and sesame oil) to ones like… (more)

Colossal complexes of glass, but still a heart of gold in Beijing

August 18, 2008

BEIJING, CHINA – Beijing. It’s an interesting place for me – I lived here for a year, studying Mandarin from 2004-5. During that time, I made relationships with not only my classmates but also with a professional expat crowd (predominantly Americans), and with these groups of friends, I explored and… (more)