Burger King (Shanghai Pudong Airport)

Location: Shanghai Pudong Airport. Shanghai.

I yield to my Burger King craving -- and BK's alluring marketing.

Home: home-made fragrant pot

Location: home.

This was my first attempt at fragrant pot (麻辣香鍋). Originated from
Chongqing, fragrant pot is basically a cross between Chongqing hotpot
and mixed stir fry (i.e. chop suey). It involves stir-frying anything
one deems edible in oil infused with red chilis and spices. Spices
usually include: star anise, Sichuan peppercorns, fermented beans,
Sichuan amomum, cloves, fennel seeds, whole nutmeg, and cinnamon
bark. Stir-fry items usually include: shrimp, chicken wings, chicken heart,
fish balls, pork belly, bean products, and all sorts of veggies. After 1.5
hours of intense laboring, the end result was surprisingly good: the anise,
peppercorns and chili emboldened the natural flavors of the chicken and
fish balls, while their pungency cut through the fat of the pork belly and
chicken skin. The chili oils augmented the crispness of the vegetables
and the bean products -- the culmination was the interplay between the
spices and strips of beancurd sheets, which was especially heavenly.
A massive heap of parsley and an entire garlic bulb (papery coverings
peeled, of course) were added towards the end to add an extra layer of
countryside freshness. Without a sliver of a doubt, I was immensely
sated and satisfied by this fine effort.

Changzhou Hotel

Location: Changzhou Hotel. Beijing.
Eel stir-fry with garlic (炒膳糊), smoked fish (燻魚), lion's head (獅子頭),
tofu strips in chicken stock (高湯干絲), scrambled eggs with Chinese
chives (韭菜炒蛋), fish braised in soup (魚頭奶湯).

Grandma's Kitchen

Place: Grandma's Kitchen. Jianwai SOHO, Beijing.
Burger: Regular cheeseburger, ordered medium.
Architecture: bun, cheese, patty, bun. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions on the side.
I had high expectations for this burger, because various folks have
recommended it. To put it mildly, I was disappointed: the griddled
meat was stale, and tasted like it just hurried from the freezer to
the griddle (with perhaps a quick trip to the M-wave in between?). It
lacked any serious taste and was cooked way beyond my medium order.
The sesame bun was slightly better, though it was buttered just a
little too much but not toasted long enough to caramelize the butter's
sugars and crisp up the bread surface. The fries were soggy and had
zero character, and had to be saved with multiple squeezes of that red
bottle.

Lotus Thai

Location: Lotus Thai (荷花泰菜). Guomao, Beijing.
Tom Yum Soup, Chinese broccoli, sauteed pork neck and cheeks, steamed
fish with Thai lemongrass soup, lime slices, spring onion, fish sauce,
and chili.
The fish dish exhibited a well-balanced confluence of natural flavors,
with the spices and lemongrass mollified by the sweetness of the fish
sauce. The Tom Yum was delicious, with plenty of fresh shrimps bathing
idly in a robust, pungent soup base. Food-wise, Lotus Thai delivered,
but the experience was hampered by its flawed architectural design --
the restaurant opened to a bank of escalators in a less-than-perfectly
heated atrium. As chilly air circulated within the space, the dishes
-- except the heated steamed fish -- soon felt like they had been
sitting at the k counter for way too long.

Salt

Location: Salt. Beijing.

The chili-spiked citrus provides a feisty overtone to the ceviche's rich assortment of fish and crustaceans. The beef tenderloin, cooked perfectly to medium, is succulent with plenty of juices. The fruit salad, covered with a nice, light coconut foam, provides a refreshing counterpoint after the punch of the beef. What a great lunch treat!

Seafood ceviche with yellow pepper sauce, cilantro, chili, red onion, citrus radish leaves and crispy sweet potato chips.

Beef tenderloin with roasted sweet potatoes, Sichuan pepper sauce and sautéed veggies.

Fruit salad in coconut foam and crispy tulip (after a tornado of fork attack).

Bali Papaya

Location: Bali Papaya. Sanlitun, Beijing.
Dishes: Chicken satays, assorted appetizers, tom yum king prawn soup.
The food is reasonable but fails to impress. With the exception of
Thai chicken wrapped in pandanus leaves, which is simply too dry and
chewy, everything seems to be in order. But the food lacks character,
and does not have the kind of playful or motherly touch that I so
often associate with Thai/SE Asian cuisine. Service is minimal, and
the waitresses aren't familiar with the supersized menu. At their
prices (not expensive, but not cheap either), Bali Papaya may have a
rough time competing with the other well-oiled offerings in this
vibrant part of Sanlitun.