Nice Restaurant to celebrate Birthday?

[vanwilder331]

Hi there!

I'm new to Beijing and i would like to organise a surprise birthday dinner for a friend of mine who's coming to Beijing in 10 days.

Can anybody recommend a nice and original restaurant to celebrate it?

It will be a group of 15-20 people.

Chinese food preferred but if there's an original suggestion where they serve other kind of food i will consider it too.

All suggestions are more than welcome!

Thanks in advance!

[roddy]

Location, price range?

[Jamoldo]

Although it might get expensive, traditional wisdom would say Beijing Kao Ya (Duck). I'm also a big fan of Xinjiang food...

[FSO]

If you're looking for something original, you might try one of the Cultural Revolution-themed restaurants that are around. My teacher has said that Beijing has a couple, and I can ask about specifics if you're interested. Some friends and I ate at one in Harbin a few months ago, and it was the highlight of the trip, even if a very drunk Shanghaiese did have the musical group play a song glorifying the struggle against the "American Pirates." The food was very good, and the atmosphere was . . . uniquely Chinese. Lots of fun, and something I won't forget.

Let me know if you want me to find out where Beijing's revolutionary restaurants are located. . . .

[adrianlondon]

I want to know!

[teachinator]

I can't imagine anything less "fun" than the Cultural Revolution! What the heck goes on and what kind of food is served in a "Cultural Revolution themed restauant"?

[vanwilder331]

Price: 200-300 per person. Location doesn't matter...taxis can drive you anywhere!

As someone wrote before..i would also like to know what kind of food they serve at this revolution themed restaurant. Please do ask for more info about it!

Thanks a lot!!

[vanwilder331]

If the price is cheaper than 200-300 it's also good. But i'm looking for an original place. A nice hidden hutong would be great too. Any other suggestions??

[zhwj]

For that price you could go to a Sichuan fusion restaurant like South Beauty (俏江南). There's a couple of them around town - the food's good and the decor is eclectic. A nice place to entertain.

I haven't been to a CR restaurant in Beijing, but the ones in the northeast usually have their walls papered with old newspapers from the sixties, the servers all wear red armbands, and the food is sort of country-style. It's a fun atmosphere, mostly directed at people who didn't go through the CR or who are nostalgic for the period, "In the heat of the sun"-style. It'd do well for a birthday.

Hidden-hutong-wise, there's a place on Cuihua Hutong a few blocks north of Wangfujing that is famous for a few dishes that caught the eye of some ambassadors once. Clinton was apparently supposed to go there on one of his trips - it got scoped out the day before by the PSB - but his itinerary changed. It's excellent homestyle cuisine by a chef who they say was somehow connected to the Chairman. It's rather less than your price range, though, and decor is just a simple hole-in-the-wall, but clean.

[FSO]

I can't imagine anything less "fun" than the Cultural Revolution! What the heck goes on and what kind of food is served in a "Cultural Revolution themed restauant"?

Lots of patriotic songs, recitations of Mao Zedong Thought, and plenty of "poses" on stage by performers dressed as PLA soldiers from various time periods.

The food is hearty country fare, based mostly on meats and potatoes, with some rich noodle dishes thrown in. Of course, I'm not sure what the Beijing places are like, though I suspect they would be similar to the one in Harbin. In fact, the one here sounds a lot like the place we went to:

"Visitors to the Hongse Jindian restaurant are met by waitresses in army gear who call out the contents of the menu in shrill voices. One can enjoy a fish-dish served up in a large pot which feeds eight people, and provides a chance to 'taste' the atmosphere of the communal kitchens. Or there's marinated pork, prepared 'a la Mao Zedong'. And while you're enjoying a meal you can listen to revolutionary songs and imagine you're back in the days of the Cultural Revolution."

I'll try to get a chance to ask my teacher tomorrow for an address.

[trevelyan]

The tough thing about eating with 15-20 people is that most Chinese restaurants will want to stuff you into a private dining room somewhere in the back. Which can be fun, but if you are looking to give people a good atmosphere this can defeat the point of going to a flashy and atmospheric restaurant in the first place.

If you're set on Chinese food, I'd suggest someplace like 花家怡园 on 簋街 (Guijie). There are two of these restaurants -- you will want the westernmost one with the lengthy corridor. The advantage of this place is that it is right in the middle of the lantern-lit Sichuan restaurant street in Beijing. The food is almost always good, and you can get a huge variety of dishes. That being said, you have to make sure you get seated either in the main courtyard, or in one of the rooms looking out at it so that you can enjoy the music and atmosphere. Don't let them stuff you in the back or in a private dining room.

Alternately, you could always try renting out a local hutong bar and ordering take-out from a variety of nearby restaurants. Food shouldn't run you more than 50 RMB per person on average, which leaves a considerable amount for drinks and rent. That way you aren't stuck with fixed seating, have a place to spend the entire evening, as opposed to just dinner, and have more flexibility in inviting people and accommodating their timetables

[Jin Jiang 金江]

I would heartily recommend Yunnan Yinxiang 云南印象 just off the eastern 3rd ring road not too far from Chang Hong Qiao (长虹桥）.

It boasts fabulous Yunnanese food and a wonderfully decorated interior. The staff are great and the menu includes everything from insects, ethnic Thai cuisine to the delightfully subtle flavour of Yunnanese goat cheese and it is all exceptional value. The atmosphere is exquisite and this is easily my favourite restaurant in Beijing.

The address is No. 16 East 3rd Ring Rd. Phone 85951277, Web www.yynyx.com

[vanwilder331]

Thanks a lot for all your input.

I'm really curious about the Cultural Revolution themed restaurant... It looks very cool and original!! Was your teacher able to provide you the address??

[redmini]

there's a great restaurant called Afunti.. serves xinjiang food, and it has live music and traditional dance performances every night. patrons really get into it too, last time i went, we ended up dancing on the tables and everything lol. good for the cultural experience and not too expensive.. dont think it cost me more than 90RMB

2A Hou Guai Bang Alley, Chaonei Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing ph:65272288

[babygodzilla]

how bout some NAKED SUSHI?! where can we find naked sushi in beijing?

[adrianlondon]

Nyataimori? Just invite friends over to your apartment, lie naked on the dining table, and cover yourself in bits of salmon.

Doesn't sound very appealing to be honest. I think I'd stick with eating through a revolution.

[vanwilder331]

I also heard about the naked sushi...but lets keep it clean for this time and try something else!