Where can I find a decent Japanese restaurant in Beijing?

[Chinese Learner]

Does anyone know any really good Japanese restaurants in Beijing? As in good I mean with a good ambience and nice food (that is hopefully not to crazily priced!)

Thanks!

[gougou]

Try Yotsuba or Hatsune for sushi, or Kagen for teppanyaki (latter only if the "not crazily priced" is not too stringent a criterion)

[imcgraw]

Hatsune, yummmm. Try the butterfly roll if you like unagi!

[self-taught-mba]

I am guessing that you like the answers about where to go on a first date and that the speed dating question got you some results.

After being able to reach her via hotmail, her getting to know you from your personal website after making sure it will work in China (here too) and making sure you have enough money you seem good to go.

After finding out the movie you want is not showing maybe you can woo her with your newly learned/polished guitar skills.

You could also try to show off your kung fu skills assuming the chiropractor worked out.

Of course don't forget the gift from Australia after working out the visa thing.

It should be a great date.

But I really don't have a clue as to where a good Japanese restaurant might be.(That's Beijing Directory Maybe?).

But I'm sure you'll come back to this thread after finding the answer to thank people and give an update after you've been there to share your experience. Let us know how that Japanese restaurant is. Looking forward to your contibution.

[Chinese Learner]

Yes, thank you all it was a very nice date!

Hey, I contribute when I can but what can I say, I'm not as experienced as all you old China hands...

But, hey if we're gonna get all obssessive compulsive about my posts, here are some of my small contributions. Not all of us can write PhD theses about how we learnt to speak fluent Chinese with just as few cassettes and a palm pilot and then started a Mandarin teaching revolution by starting our own school:

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/17949-married-to-a-chinese-woman

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician4752

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/15822-fluenz-mandarin-or-other-beginners-resource

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician2966

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/16155-anyone-know-where-in-beijing-i-might-be-able-to-buy-these-hanzi-learning-episodes

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician2975

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician2631

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician2098

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/15229-breakthrough-in-learning-characters&page=4

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician1816

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician0335

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/2-favourite-chinese-musician0047

http://www.chinese-forums.com/index.php?/topic/187-chinese-architecture51&page=2

I didn't realize we had the posting secret police on this forum.

And not everyone on this forum always replies to their posts...so why are you making an issue out of mine in particular? Last time I checked, there were no hard and fast rules about how to behave on the forum. It's a free world isn't it?

Every question I ask on this forum has a 'Thanks!!' at the bottom. This translates to 'Thank you very much in advance for the help you will give me!'

So the question is ''Have you got a problem with me?" 'cos if you do, fine I'll just stop posting here and leave you to your own devices in your self-appointed fiefdom as you so obviously enjoy lording it over other posters who are not as prolific or verbose as you.

It's very simple, if you see my name, then don't read my posts. Easy as that. Then my contribution or non-contribution to the forum won't affect you in anyway whatsoever. Then you won't have to waste valuable time trawling through my past posts to try to make a point. Unless of course you actually enjoy wasting time just so you can make that point.

[self-taught-mba]

Well let's just consider it a friendly reminder that updates and followup and thank yous are always appreciated.

And this hasn't always happened in your case. In fact very rarely. Could post examples but it really isn't that hard to find. After going to the places recommended or asked about did you post an update to help others? And no you haven't always said thanks. You are right not everyone does. We are used to the person that asks a question (like in the post you provided) but never comes back. Also many don't bother to update and or say thanks. But many of them have high post counts. In this case you ask about one thing and before even following up on how it went or providing info on it you ask for another - hence my reply.

And not everyone on this forum always replies to their posts...so why are you making an issue out of mine in particular? Last time I checked, there were no hard and fast rules about how to behave on the forum. It's a free world isn't it?

But the reason I noticed is I started to reply to many of your posts before I realized - hey - it seems he asks a lot of questions. Answered several then several times I hit the reply button before even looking at the name (then backed out after I felt like I was being used to answer every possible question).

You see it is easy to click on a profile and see the # of postsand # of threads started. And what it shows is someone who posted 75 times and started 34 threads -- 32 of them asking questions and 2 that are sharing. And many of the other posts are simply replying to your own topic. So the ratio is important. I can't recall a higher ratio. (except the hit and run type question askers - but they only come back a couple times - not 30). And providing links to posts that include selling things doesn't really make the point.

Add to that that posting protocal which is explicitly spelled out has been broken (terms of use and stickies) in regards to not searching first, starting another thread when one exists, and posting in the wrong section.

Hey, I contribute when I can but what can I say, I'm not as experienced as all you old China hands...

Well you you've been here awhile and you have asked about places then presumably gone and not followed up so I think you do have value to add.

Not all of us can write PhD theses about how we learnt to speak fluent Chinese with just as few cassettes and a palm pilot and then started a Mandarin teaching revolution by starting our own school:

Well I have posted 13 threads from my 640 posts 5 of which might be considered personal and/ or related to our school. (still haven't even added a signature line link after 2+ years btw).

I didn't realize we had the posting secret police on this forum.

It's a free world isn't it?

... leave you to your own devices in your self-appointed fiefdom as you so obviously enjoy lording it over other posters who are not as prolific or verbose as you.

Then my contribution or non-contribution to the forum won't affect you in anyway whatsoever.

Certainly is a free world. Every board has more senior posters that help keep it on track (including people who have to remind me occasionally) and if you did this at thatsbj forum they would be merciless which is why this place is so great. But it does affect the whole board including me. There will always be people who come only to ask questions but if it turns habitual with no contribution then the board becomes very messy over time and it is more stuff to wade through. And the more posts like these the less inclined I am to be involved myself. (which to reiterate is why most boards have members that kind of "police" or are harsh on "noobs")

Most of the people here like to help out, but if you are going to come back again and again, but only when you have questions for the most part, then maybe some people will feel you need to become part of the community. That might be why some posts are getting fewer answers now. By all means welcome, but make a contribution also if we are going to be your go-to.

The fact that I met you in person made me bite my tongue for awhile since it is not like you are a bad guy, and I am not trying to make it too personal. You are fine but the board behavior seems usurious. If any poster had these habits, I would have said something much earlier. In fact if we ever met up for beer like we planned I would most likely say the same in person at the right time. Only several questions back to back spurred me to say something now. (Btw I edited it to try to make it humorous but give a strong hint - not start a flame war - insert peace symbol here )

The restaurant next to propaganda in wudaokou seems nice - but if you go or find a better one we still wanna know.

[Chinese Learner]

Fine, duly noted. I understand where you are coming from.

In the end I thought I would be clever and borrowed my housemate's Beijing guide. I found an 'all you can eat' nicely decorated (so the guide said) restaurant called 'Liu Ben Mu' which had a good review at 177 Dongzhimenwai nei da jie. It seemed perfect; not too expensive and centrally placed - and of course all you can eat. And she'd been there before as well...

Of course when we we got there...no restaurant. Tamen ban jia le, apparently. And it was really raining heavily, so eventually we found a Japanese restaurant in a shopping center nearby as I had not taken a note of any other addresses - this was of course after waiting in the pouring rain for 15-20 minutes with only one umbrella to get a cab. Not the most auspicious of starts to a date! I thought the lord had sent a second flood...

The restauarant was okay, more of a café than a restaurant, so I didn't make a note of it as i probably won't go back. The food was very good but quite expensive - I ended spending 288 yuan. The date went well...not amazingly..but well - I think. So we'll see....as I say I haven't had a date in ages so its hard to say! It was the first time I've dated since I've been here and also the first time I've dated a Chinese girl who is actually from China!...

So thanks everybody for the info, I will definitely go visit the above addresses the next time I want some Japanese food and a nice ambience!

[skylee]

But the reason I noticed is I started to reply to many of your posts before I realized - hey - it seems he asks a lot of questions. Answered several then several times I hit the reply button before even looking at the name (then backed out after I felt like I was being used to answer every possible question).

You see it is easy to click on a profile and see the # of postsand # of threads started. And what it shows is someone who posted 75 times and started 34 threads -- 32 of them asking questions and 2 that are sharing.

This is interesting. I've noticed a similar pattern of another member who usually posts on the "Grammar and Vocabulary" forum (171 posts and started 64 threads) ......

[self-taught-mba]

This is interesting. I've noticed a similar pattern of another member who usually posts on the "Grammar and Vocabulary" forum (171 posts and started 64 threads) ......

__________________

Go get him skylee! Don't hang out there much so I don't know - but I guess you noticed. G&V often can't be found out though a Google search, but maybe he needs to buy a grammar book. Can't speak to it since I didn't see it. Feel free to use my post as a template to induce guilt on him.

ML & I have made peace and he did a nice write-up about the Japanese restaurant. (appreciated) I suppose one of us can start a "Contribute or Die" thread before we face admin wrath if we continue. haha

[gougou]

restaurant called 'Liu Ben Mu'

I used to go there regularly; their staff was very attentive and in the beginning, the quality was good too. However, there never were any customers, so I was expecting them to close. After a while, quality went down, too, so I stopped going before they even closed. The all you can eat places fluctuate a lot, I believe - for a while I was quite happy with 天下一 in Xinyuanli, but that changed pretty quickly, too. Wasabiya was pretty good the two, three times I went (even though I haven't been for a while), but is a bit pricier than the previous two.

[cdn_in_bj]

I am guessing that you like the answers about where to go on a first date and that the speed dating question got you some results...

I must admit that I got a chuckle from reading your post. Of course I had to click every link to see for myself, and... wow you've been busy. But I understand the point you were trying to make.

I think that most people who reply to topics appreciate knowing if their advice has been helpful or not; I sure do, and I know if I find that my replies to certain posters are met with silence, I'll probably be less inclined to help them in the future (by the way, this has not happened yet on this forum). Not out of spite, mind you, it's just that there's less incentive to take them time to compose a reply, unless I feel the information might benefit others. You could argue that I just want to satisfy my own curiousity, and that's a fair point to make, but that's just human nature and you'd feel the same way if it was a friend calling you to ask for help.

To the OP, I remember that you did thank me in your speed dating post, so I've got nothing against you, but maybe it'll help you understand where self-taught-mba and the others are coming from.

[Chinese Learner]

Now all I gotta do is figure out what we can do for a second date!

[gougou]

Try the English-language magazines. Apart from the article on potential dates that badr linked to here, the current issue of I believe it was agenda also has a feature on Japanese restaurants. If you stack up on these magazines, you should have enough ideas to last for a while.

[phulinaa]

Are Gyros about the same to Greeks as Tacos are for Mexicans? Ok, so I am Mexican, some time ago a friend took me to a Greek restaurant (owned by Greeks), and he told me to have a Gyro. I was like, "What the hell is that?", but after seeing it and tasting it it became my second favorite food (after tacos al pastor).