Let's Burger

The inside of Let’s Burger looks like it was lifted directly out of a diner in New York – high ceilings and comfortable chairs around small tables – but I have to say that I didn’t think the food or the service lived up to the expectations I had after seeing the restaurant.

The first thing that threw me for a loop was a sign featured prominently on their counter announcing that they did not provide free water, but they encouraged their patrons to try a smoothie or a soda instead. Not providing water at a restaurant has to be some sort of health hazard. Then I looked at the two water bottles they chose to stock and they were Evian (upwards of ¥20) and Azzurra (¥18) – highway robbery if you ask me. We ordered two cheeseburgers (¥58 each), a basket of herb fries, a Newcastle, and a bottle of their cheapest water, for a total of ¥197.

I have come to expect a certain quality from food in Beijing when restaurants start charging close to 100 kuai per head. At those prices restaurants should be able to buy high-quality ingredients and hire a chef to prepare them very well. However, the meal was very poorly timed – the waitress brought the basket of fries to the table almost a full 15 minutes before either of the burgers arrived – and the lack of ventilation was evident as pungent smoke from the grill filled the room with every order placed.

The food itself was also a little disappointing. The herb fries by the way were just French fries that had been sprinkled with dried parsley. By the time the burgers came out I was very hungry and ready to tear into the burger and all its cheesy goodness. It had been stacked high with a thick meat patty and the regular burger toppings, but after I crunched it down enough to get the first bite in my mouth, the meat itself started crumbling, and tasted more like a meatloaf than a burger.

The dry, overly seasoned meat definitely left something to be desired, and I ended up pushing aside half of my burger and chasing the taste away with my overly expensive water.

The restaurant is in concept set up as a diner, so you pay first and eat later, but the lack of a running tab on what you’ve ordered means that if you’d like another beer or another basket of fries that you pay when you order it, even if you’re in the middle of your meal. One of the cooler elements of Let’s Burger was a self-serve table of 12 different condiments, including everything in a bottle you could ever want to put on French fries, but it hardly made up for the bizarre atmosphere created by its nickel-and-diming.

On a Sunday afternoon, it was packed out, so if you go during peak times be ready for a wait, and try to offset some of the costs and the smoke by smuggling in enough of your own drinks.

Let’s Burger
Nali Patio, 81, North Sanlitun Street,
北京市朝阳区三里屯北街81号那里花园
5208-6036

Brunch at Chef Too

Chef Too has a separate menu for dinner, which I haven’t yet had the chance to taste, but their brunch menu offers a wide variety of egg dishes ranging from eggs with chili on top to omelets with sophisticated ingredients. They offer a few breakfast cocktails including a great mimosa – they also offer fresh squeezed orange juice for those who don’t like to imbibe before noon.

Though I hear they have the best steak in town, I decided to go for a slightly less heavy meal. I ordered a cheese omelet and asked to add avocado (another ingredient from an omelet with salmon if I recall correctly). The wait staff couldn’t have been more attentive or accommodating of my request to add and take away elements of a dish. As they were preparing the meal, they brought out a complimentary cinnamon roll, which was absolutely perfect. It was just the right size of cinnamon roll too – big enough to satisfy a morning sweet tooth but not big enough to put you into a sugar coma.

The omelet itself was a little lackluster, even after adding the avocado. I think I was expecting an omelet that was a little heavier on the spices, and so in my mind the dish was a little bland. A lot of the Chef Too menu is dedicated to very heavy egg dishes served in large portions, so definitely don’t go expecting to get a light breakfast. They also offer pancakes, which were fluffy and satisfying. Next time I go back (and those fabulous cinnamon rolls definitely ensure that I’ll be going back), I think I would stay away from my cheese omelet, with or without the avocado, in favor of a more flavorful dish.

Do remember to make a reservation though. When we arrived on a Saturday morning, at 9:30, every table in the restaurant had a reservation waiting. My lasting impression of Chef Too will be one of professionalism and simply but well executed food for brunch, and I can’t wait to go see what Chef Billy comes up with at dinner!

Chef Too
West Chaoyang Park Street
朝阳公园西路
+86(10)6591-8676

Remembering the Details at Ginkgo

Looking into Ginkgo through its beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows at 7:30 on a Friday night, I was surprised to see it empty except for its staff. The downstairs of the restaurant has the decidedly chic and uptown feel with an open layout and modern furniture that surrounds a small stage where live music performs every Friday and Saturday night. The dining room admittedly does not match the clean lines of the décor down at the bar, though there are no expansive windows that give passersby an idea of what the restaurant might be like. However, the lack of cloth napkins, the cheap glassware and this discord between the bar and the restaurant left me with the distinct feeling that the restaurant itself, aside from its menu, was something of an afterthought and had not been given the attention that the bar, with its own menu, had received.

Their small but diverse Mediterranean menu is remarkably imaginative, with perhaps the sole exception being the combination of duck with orange seen across many different types of cuisine. Ginkgo also provides a few vegetarian options if you’re trying to avoid eating meat in Beijing. They have a wide range of drinks with prices that are about standard for Beijing – I’m used to paying 35 RMB for my Cosmopolitan. Maybe it’s because I’m picky over mixed drinks, but it was slightly off-putting when the Gin and Tonic we ordered was served in a glass you might find at any roadside diner with a straw and three ice cubes, rather than in a lowball glass filled to the brim with ice. The presentation of the Cosmo was quite cute though – they’d artfully splayed a slice of an apple over the rim of a martini glass.

We ordered a starter of fried brie with dipping sauces (about 60RMB), and the fettuccine in a cream sauce with sundried tomatoes and pesto (about 70RMB) and the filet of beef (about 90RMB). While the breaded and deep-fried brie drizzled in barely enough sauce to make a difference in the taste was a little disappointing, the entrees were beautifully executed. While men should be forewarned that Ginkgo does serve "girl-sized" portions, the filet was cooked to a perfect medium rare with caramelized onions and hints of rosemary and was served with potato gratin and a mix of roasted vegetables and the fettuccini would have kept any Italian from complaining that no one could ever make pasta like their grandmother.

The wait staff was very attentive, especially considering the hike up the sweeping stairs – beautiful but potentially dangerous when holding a few dishes – every time they go from the kitchen to the seating area. The prices are on par for this type of restaurant in Beijing – for two mixed drinks, an appetizer, and two entrees, the meal cost 298RMB – but the atmosphere wasn’t quite what you normally get at that price level.

On the whole, the food was fantastic, but there seemed to be a lot left to be desired in the details like the mismatched feel of the dining area, the very Chinese bathrooms, the paper napkins and the plasticy feel of the glassware. I’d like to go back in a few months when they’ve had a chance to pay more attention to the small elements that make dining out so enjoyable.

Ginkgo

199 Andingmen Nei Da Jie, Dong Cheng District

安定门内大街199号

+86 (10) 6402 7532

www.ginkgobeijing.com

The $25 Burger at 25 Degrees

Twice now in Beijing, while ordering a burger, I have been asked a disingenuous question: “How would you like your meat cooked?”

I like my steaks medium-rare, and I would probably eat my burgers the same way if the media didn’t go nuts every time some unsuspecting patron gets deathly ill from Jack-in-the-Box. So last weekend at 25 Degrees, a chic, South Beach-styled burger-joint just west of Gongti Xilu, I requested medium. In the US, this is typically the coldest that anyone dares to serve ground beef if they care to avoid legal liability.

As I feared it would, the burger came out well-done. Normally, this is no big deal. I am resigned to restaurants putting on a façade of personalized service (the worst is when they ask you “Is this really your first time here?” and then proceed to bullshit about how they offer a unique dining experience). But here is a restaurant that named itself, 25 Degrees, after the exact temperature difference between a medium-rare and well-done patty. I completely respect the whole "25 Degrees" marketing shtick, but at least get the fucking burger right.

It was still tasty. I managed to forget the slight and to enjoy my overcooked cow, side-order of fries (note: must order separately), and surprisingly smooth Guinness milkshake (its like a mix of Bailey’s, chocolate syrup, and vanilla ice cream). In terms of quality, 25 Degrees does raise the bar with a solid variety of fresh ingredients – a definite step-up from TTBQ or Rickshaw. And the customer-facing staff were all warm and professional.

The real problem though is that the check was not one but three steps up from the rest of the market. I left paying about RMB170 (25US$) for the set, thinking that the bold, minimalist décor probably doesn’t cover the price difference. I would definite go back – but only after they are forced to slash prices.

25 Degrees
Hotel G, No. A7 Gongti Xilu
工体西路甲7号
+86(10)6552-2880
www.hotel-g.com