jamaicaBlue (Beijing, China)

jamaicaBlue
Chaoyang Park, Beijing.

Roast beef sandwich, in an idyllic environment. The bread was lightly
pressed, but didn't heat up enough to melt the cheese underneath.

Nespresso Boutique Bar (New York, NY)

Nespresso Boutique Bar
761 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10021
http://www.nespresso.com/

Tiramisu, iced macchiato. Both ordered items were average, but the
ambiance was mellow, nice and hip (though this hipness seems to
primarily attract a post-retirement, Upper East Side crowd). The wait
staff was professional -- knowledgeable about the menu items and eager
to strike up a conversation without being intrusive.

Navena Cafe

Navena Cafe
Central Park, CBD, Beijing.
Burger: navena double.
Architecture: bun (sesame), bacon, peppers, cheese, two thin patties,
onions, tomatoes, lettuce, bun.
Bun was soft, slightly buttered, and surprisingly yeasty (in a good
way). The sesame on the bun was heated just enough to yield a hint of
floral flavors. The rest was a disaster -- the patties had little but
a manufactured, fresh-out-of-the-plastic-wrap taste, and were devoid
of any meaningful juices and taste. The myriad of stack options was a
tad too superfluous and didn't come together as a coherent whole.

Gourmet Cafe (Shanghai)

Gourmet Cafe
Shanghai Centre
1367 Nanjing Xi Lu, Suite 111
Shanghai
(021) 6289-5733
www.gourmet-cafe.com

Burger: beef burger, with Cheddar cheese.
Architecture: bun (sesame), tomatoes, cheese, patty, onions, lettuce,
bun. Pickles, BBQ sauce, and salad on the side.

Tucked in a corner of the posh Shanghai Centre, Gourmet Cafe cooks up
good burgers with Australian beef in an unpretentious, friendly
environment. The menu is surprisingly extensive: beyond the burger
section there are sections for steaks, soups, salads, and plenty of
caffeine options. On my visit, I challenged myself to the basic beef
burger, with the optional aged Cheddar. The sesame bun, lightly
toasted and buttered, was spongy and soft, thereby providing a
welcoming amount of fluff to the stack. The beef was cooked to order
(medium), and came out perfectly pink and warm at the center. The
cheese, gently hugging the patty, wasn't as sharp and pungent as I
would expect from a good, aged Cheddar, but nevertheless provided a
rounded, sapid taste. The onions as expected lent a saccharine, almost
honeyed taste to the mix. On the side was a pile of fresh watercress
lightly dressed with a zesty mustard emulsion --this was clearly one
of the best side salads next to a burger I've had.

Gourmet Cafe is, in my opinion, as good as burger gets in
China...certainly better than the options available in Beijing and on
par with the best in Hong Kong. I hope Gourmet Cafe will open a
sibling in Beijing some day.