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Beijing Baby
By Andrew Zimmern on March 3, 2008 12:26 PM | Permalink | 64 Comments
I love China ... the crowds, the smog, the food, the scenesters, the temples, the Forbidden City, the shopping, the growth, the confusion, the serenity, the people ... I love China.
Ten years ago, check that, even 5 years ago on my second visit there, I only saw the tourists China, but mostly that was because that's all there was to see. Not that there was only a tourists China that was extant, but because the real China was hard to access in Beijing. Today, with an explosively developed middle class, there are stores and hotels, restaurants and nightclubs, young scenesters in the parks and business men on lunch breaks. Beijing is a happening baby.Red Capitol Club and the Flying Red Flag restaurant are 2 great eateries embracing the kitsch of the Cultural Revolution. These are popular eatertainment venues that real Chinese go to for food and a fond nostalgic look back at Mao's China. The food is better at The RCC than the FRF. The RCC is also a great place to catch government ministers out on the town with their mistresses and bodyguards don't miss it.
Guo Li Zhuang is the world's first restaurant specializing in the male anatomy of over 30 different creatures. Business men go here to eat for sport and they sit in private rooms munching away on seal penis soup, which you can also try for 300$ a bowl. I go for the cheaper donkey or yak penis. Tastier and cheaper. Speaking of donkey, head out of the city to the Chaoyang district, site of the 2008 Olympics and check out the donkey restaurants there ... it's the other red meat. And it's really good.
But save your appetite for the Donghuamen night market. If you want some serious street eats, this is the place. Simmering beef balls, hand rolled fungus and roast pork pancakes, grilled squid skewers, sea urchins on the half shell...it's all here. I could eat on this street every night of the week, and it's the perfect diversion before a night out on the town and you must go to Philippe Starck's LAN club. Starck designed the place but the food is amazing, the crowd is A list and the bars, music and hostesses are off the hook. A night at LAN makes you feel like you are in Paris or London, and that speaks volumes about Beijing and where it's at these days.
See you at the Olympics!
64 Comments
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- nathalie : Your show ROCKS!! i watch reruns over and over and it still amazes me every time :) More power...
- Alma : Andrew I am a huge fan of Bizzare Foods and Bizzare World. I watch your show every chance I...
- Endang: Thanks Andrew for visiting and let people in America especially to see beautifulness of Bali....
- Charlie: Chalk me up as one of those who was instantly made ill by watching this episode. The...
Andrew - I love you. But I argue here strongly with eating companion animals, including donkeys, dogs, cats. No matter if it is a cultural difference, your acceptance of it with such zeal is not "appetizing" to me. It's not a matter of "when in Rome (or Beijing)", there's a moral issue, too.
hello, just wanted to say that I love your show! by the way, are your shows on dvd?
Your show ROCKS!! I would rather be shot than eat chicken balls! I don't know how you do it. My teacher would freak! You rock!
I am very much looking forward to the new season of your show. It is a delight. I am currently planning a trip to Trinidad because of your show!
i don't know if this is weird to u but i luv me some fried fish eggs
Dude, go to Canton and there are restaurants around that area that serves dog meat, try it, is some great stuff, better then chicken. Love to see the new show.
Andrew my husband and I love your show. You should come to Pittsburgh, PA some time. We have many wonderful foods for you to try.
Hey! I saw the episode tonight and I think that you might enjoy some of my videos of my travels and food I ate there. I had a 2-year stay in Osaka, Japan and also traveled to Thailand, Indonesia, and Korea. Comment if you enjoy something!
so, thanks for the help with my diet, when i feel like eating late nights i put your show on and i lose my appetite lol! thanks!
The first season came out a week ago I believe.
What was the name of the restaurant that specialized in penis dishes? Brave man.
I just finish viewing the premiere episode. Glad to see your back on your journey finding some of the world's weirdest cuisines. Looking forward to what you have in store for us in the near future! Take care. P.S. Are you gonna be around enjoying the Olympics? That should be alot of fun and excitement!
Andrew, I've been a fan of 'Bizarre Foods' from the start. You rock! The Beijing episode reminds me of our trip 2 years ago, back to my dad's village in China. I think we ate every variety of animal intestine known to man. Dad always says, "If it moves, it's edible". I'm taking notes from your show for our trip in the Fall!
Hey Andrew! Love this show. I'll watch and eat foods from the country you visit at home. Way cool bro. btw, the talent that was sent to escort you looks pretty fine. Press on my brother.
I'm literally watching this episode right now. Probably the best yet. China is so beautiful.
Bizarre Foods is my favorite show! Youre awesome!
Man! That show was great! My 2 trips to Beijing were the most incredible, eye-opening experiences of my life. I, too, love to try bizarre new foods (which is why I love the show), and have horrified my friends and family with descriptions of what I ate over there. When I turned on the show and saw Andrew eating in places I ate (not the penis restaurant!) and walking places I visited, I was so excited! Great episode. Keep up the good work.
hi andrew ,if u go to nepal u should taste the sifalikad(which is rare to find grows on tree its a leaf and koiralo ko achar and khalpi grundruk ,masaura mas ko
hi andrew try newari dishes too ,and see parijat flower not found in us i donot know which month it exactly blooms and also taste the lapsi candy well the food is not bizzare and lakhamari coffee and bakery products
My Spanish Class loves when you go to spanish speaking countries. Believe it or not, they get really hungary before lunch. Love the show, keep up the good work. Look forward to your further exploits.
Andrew~ Love the show. Not only do you eat bizzare foods, but you show parts of a country that those of us unable to afford such a trip will never see. Normally, when one watches a food show on location, one sees vacation spots. Your show depicts how REAL people live. It's really educational for myself and my daughter...we have learned a lot about other countries. Plus, we tune in every week just to see what you'll eat next. Thanks for the bonding time!
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2006-02/17/content_521375.htm restaurant's website if you can read Chinese. http://www.glz.com.cn/bgbc2.htm
Dear Mr. Zimmern, We have been contacted by one of our activists who recently saw an episode of your show that featured you enjoying shark fin soup in Beijing. We ask you kindly not to broadcast or to consume any shark fin soup in your show, as this may encourage others to follow your example. Every year, in oceans around the world, tens of millions of sharks are hunted to meet the demand for shark fin soup. Sharks' fins are often removed when the animals are still alive. The sharks are then thrown back into the water to endure a painful death from suffocation, blood loss, or predation by other species. Sharks are apex predators who play an essential role in marine ecosystems. The cruel and ecologically devastating practice of shark finning endangers their survival—and that of the species that rely on them. For more information concerning sharks please visit our website: www.hsi.org/sharks Thank you. Sincerely, Shu Jen Chen
I love your show! I wish I could be one of your crew, that could be my dream job. I love to watch you eating bugs, warms and sea creatures, I love to eat them more than any other regular "food". Thanks again for your great show. By the way, is there a place I can find the detailed information about the name of the food, address of the restaurant or place, and travel advice for specific regions? One question always lingering in my mind, have you ever got sick causing by the blizzard food you have been eating?
Andrew, Love your show and what is funny is I have been to 30 Countries and experianced some of the same foods you show on your show. But, I'm not as Brave as you are .....lol
Andrew, when I visit China, I will certainly try the donkey and the food of Chaoyang. I love watching you enjoy the different foods on offer in the countries you visit!
Andrew, Thanks for doing your part for shark conservation! ...not...
Andrew, As a scuba diver and oceanic conservationist I find it absolutely sickening that you were so willing to indulge in shark fin soup. The fact that you not only ate this soup but took pleasure in it: speaking about how good it was shows a severe lack of responsibility on your part as a journalist. Not only is it sickening that you ate this food but also that a television network paid for and paid you to eat it. Shark finning and the practice of eating shark fin soup is devastating to oceanic eco-systems around the world. Literally promoting that practice on a TV show that is seen around the world is a practice that should be considered un-acceptable. I would suggest doing some research into the practices you are promoting before actually indulging in them. -jeremy
Andrew - I was hoping you might be so kind as to slice off one of your hands and prepare a soup from it? Mmmm, I can really taste the Minnesota.... Incidentally, aside from the ecological damage caused by severe overfishing of sharks, shark fins can have extremely high levels of mercury, so eat up!
Dear Andrew, we love you! We live in Italy and we never miss your program. Are you planning to make an italian trip? Please, let us know, and I'll be very happy to tell you something about Bizarre food in Piemonte (Turin). Ciao!
Andrew, My boyfriend hates me because when your show is on, that's it! We watch nothing else! I have seen your "Spain" episode about a dozen times and as I am typing this, my mouth is watering just remembering it, yum! I have been reading through the posts and I noticed people are angry with you for trying shark fin soup. Although the thought of torturing animals sickens me, I don't think that you are the one to blame. The entire basis for your show is that you eat the local dishes of each country, and if Bejing is serving shark fin, then the activists need to attack Bejing. I am more concerned about finding the root of the problem then attacking the bystanders. I remember an episode in which you ate an armadillo, and although my heart broke for the armadillo, I knew your point was to partake in the culture of the people. Anyway, rock on. You are so cute. U ps. I'm dying to try shark-n-bake.
Andrew My wife, daughter and I love your show. We watch it all the time. We particularly like the episode when you went to Ecuador and visited the medicine man. The ritual looked painful, but you were able to gut it out and go through the entire ordeal. Keep up the good work. P.S. How about doing an episode in Africa? That would be neat and interesting.
Conquering Durian, Hi Andrew I can't help but laugh with how you are struggeling with durian. Let me tell you how I conquered it. They make durian candy and ice cream. I started with the candy for a couple weeks then moved on to the ice cream. They both have durian flavor but not as strong as the real thing. It gets you used to the taste so when you graduate you're able to handel it. Ha, Good Luck.
i am embarresed to say this but i wish i had what andrew was having.
I love your show but it's on so late at night so I usually try to catch the encores.
I love your show Andrew I watch with my sweetheart all the time nd I too love the ocean and I dive ,,,,but I also love to eat and that is how we get fish to eat,By catching them and killing and eating them :) keep up the good work Rory
Can't wait to try some of that shark fin soup! Hooray!
I think your show is awesome. I dream of traveling and eating the things you do. I lived in Southern China and ate some of the strangest things ,like frog eggs harvested from the snowy mountains of the north while the frogs are sleeping and rice worms from Guangzhou . Very interesting.
im a follower of andrews show, but how come he cant eat the yummy durian hahaha
You are amazing and a great inspiration to me. I have been to China several times before, and just landed in beijing 2 days ago. Having watched your beijing episode a few days before my departure, I am about to head out to Donghuamen night market for some strange, fun, but tasty eats. Great show. Keep the it coming! Cheers -Derek M
Hi, Andrew, I love your show. I'm so glad you went to Beijing. Because that's where I'm from. If you go there again, contact me. I'll be your guide.
Hi Andrew, love your show. #1 on my list. Beijin was awsome, wish we went to the Donghuamen market when we were there 3 years ago. We did not get to try any good stuffs only the stuff the Travel Package promoted. But still great. No worried about the Shark lover.. They should take their fights to the source. I love Shark Fin soup, we did had turtle soup. That was great. Keep up the good work, please make more episode.. Thank you.. Bruce
SAY NO TO SHARK FIN SOUP!!!!
You stink for eating and basically endorsing eating shark fin soup.... boooo
So shark-fin soup is tasty? What's next - Manatee steaks? How about some dolphin souffle or snow leopard jerky? You should be ashamed of partaking and promoting a food which is produced in such an ecologically damaging and inhumane manner. I wonder if you'd be so ready to promote a food item prepared in the same way if it were produced from something cute and fuzzy - how 'bout next show you cut the legs off a calf, throw its still living body back on the field, make soup from the legs, and see if your viewers find it appropriate. It would be no different then what was done to the sharks.
Hey Andrew, You're awesome and I love your show!! I've been watching you ebver since you came out with Bizzarre foods!!! I'm very much in love with Asia and its cultures and watching you go there and eat, live, and enjoy yourself helps me kind of live in asia through watching your show (If that makes since)!! So write back if you can, you're great!!!
Last night was the first time I sat down and watched your show. I must say Andrew my mouth was open and on the floor the entire time while watching your show. One question- how can your stomach take all that exotic cuisine. God Bless you! I could not do what you do. Keep up the good work and eating!
Last night was the first time I sat down and watched your show. I must say Andrew my mouth was open and on the floor the entire time while watching your show. One question- how can your stomach take all that exotic cuisine. God Bless you! I could not do what you do. Keep up the good work and eating!
Too bad you didn't tell the real story about shark finning while you had the chance .. and this from a post on ScubaBoard ... "The sad thing is that shark fin is actually tasteless. You can substitute it with a type of rice vermicelli and not affect the taste or texture. The taste of the sea is from the spine part of the shark that was cut off still attached to the fin and that can easily be subsituted with fresh fish bones. The soup-base is where all the taste is, and where the chef's skill is needed not the fin. Shark fin soup is essentially a very elaborate Bouilbaisse. Part of the whole facination with shark fin is 1) it's expensive so the perception is prestige/luxury 2) getting one implies that someone had to wrestle a shark to get it - a macho type thing 3) folk-medicinal properties probably historically based on the machoism required to get one. Snake oil anyone? Quite disappointed that Andrew Z. didn't point this out in his show. He could have done so much to help with saving sharks and really setting the record straight."
Recently I was in New York's Chinatown. I had seen Andrew revolted by Durian fruit and as I am with everything he eats was really tempted to try it. I bought a fruit and went down to a pizza place in Little Italy to try it. (making sure I had pizza and a beer to wash the taste down with if it was really awful). I grabbed a piece and the texture felt like biscuit dough in my hand (cold too since it was 33 outside, which made it kind feel gross). Anyway, I steeled myself with my husband and son looking on and tasted it. It was really good! It had a fruity cake batter taste/texture and was amazingly tasty. The smell is a little overpowering, (kind of like overripe fruit in your trash can, but it has a great taste! I couldn't eat a whole lot of it since it is very rich...certainly not the whole fruit (which is what i bought). I guess I'll have to take opinions with a grain of salt from now on! Still love ya Andrew though!!!
you eat loud.
Andrew...you're awesome! I applaud and thank you for bringing not only cultural food to the forefront, but also for bringing such appreciation and respect for each of the countries you visit. Keep up the good work (and don't let the narrow-minded critics get you down). Power to food! Nancy
I have reduced my TV watching to 2 hours a week... but I'd never, ever missing your show -- tuesday 10pm sharp!! I enjoy it to the fullest and plan on travel to the same places (hopefully) one day. The twist is, I stopped eating meat since some PETA videos i watched about 3 years ago... so i occasionally have to cover my eyes during your show (fluffy, the guinea pig!). But nevertheless, I respect everyone's life style and embrace your moto: "if it looks good, then eat it!"
I just got back home after a clown gig in Huangguoshu, China...along with a quick 2 day trip to Beijing to "play tourist". I spent both nights in Beijing eating my way through Wang Fu Jing Street and the Donghuamen Night Market. Besides noodles, dumplings, and other foods considered "normal" by US standards, I also ate snake, centipede, sea horse, scorpion, and some sort of lizard/salamander type thing called a "sea dog". What is a "sea dog"??? I cannot find any info on it. HELP!
Andrew, I'll be in Beijing in a few weeks. What is the name of the restaurant serving donkey meat featured in your show? I'm eager to check it out after watching it on your show. Thanks.
Hi Andrew, on your recent show on Beijing, you've mispronounced the city's name using a soft "J" (like the "s" in "Asia".) Beijing is actually pronounced with a hard "J" (as in "jingle") Check out the entry for "j" in "Pronunciation of Initials" in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinyin#Pronunciation_of_initials Love your show, and I love many of the strange foods you partake, such as durian!
Andrew, I just caught your show for the first time. Interesting and educational topic, "bizarre foods". I appreciate your willingness to broaden the horizons of the travel channel's viewers, but I have a bone to pick...I happened to start watching this show just as you were exclaiming how delicious and good shark fin soup is for you. Really? Do you think that this is responsible given that sharks are critically threatened throughout the world due to the demand for shark fin soup? It is a wasteful and overly-exploitive practice that we need to start curbing now in order to sustain the species and the ecosystems that sharks support. Sorry, but this really was in bad taste. I hope you aren't encouraging more people to try other endangered species, but I won't be watching anymore to find out. I'll probably tell a few friends about it too.
Please someone tell Andrew to close his mouth while eating..its actually starting to get annoying the slurping and sloshing of food. I love the show, but am starting to get disgusted by him making so much noise. You can see everyone is Mic'd but you only ever hear him slapping his lips..its quite gross.
I really enjoy your show. But i think you must be mad eating some of the things that you do.
Andrew i love the show come to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania some day we have good food here.
I would like to travel!!
Andrew, You have contributed more to the understanding of the world cultures than governments and NGO's. Thank you.
For good selection of chinese food and of the extreme type, try Hong Kong
Mr.Zimmerman,
I don't believe I have seen this episode yet but I look forward to watching it. I just returned from China(Beijing,Xi'an,Qu'fu,and Qingdao). If your looking for bizzare eats, you should really check out Qingdao. It is a generally uperclass and beautiful city, which was very different to see comming from Beijing. Beijing is such a mix of everything! I love it there. But yes, Qingdao, So much seafood variety! I wouldn't be suprised if it is the seafood capital of China and I think it might be! Also if you ever get the chance to travel there or film, climb Mountain Laoshan. Not only beautiful but on the middle of the mountain you can stop to grab a bite to eat of a food only served on this mountain! Grab a seat in your foot tall hand made chair and grab a bite of this clear gelliten substance with little dabs of spices. Best way for me to describe it...JELLO pasta salad and delicious. I hope you get a chance to travel there or film. It would be great to get an email reply from you. Perhaps in the future I could show you some things in China as I do plan to teach english there.Regardless I would love to hear more about your experiance in China! Hope to hear from you at some point!
Take care and safe travels,
Korey Cleaver