Capital Bites: Strewth, Beijing’s first Aussie Restaurant!

Flaming ‘ell if it isn't Australia Day today. So don those budgie smugglers, hock up a bush oyster and jackaroo down to Financial Street and Beijing’s first Australian restaurant. Yep, the newly opened Astral Bar & Restaurant serves imported emu, crocodile and kangaroo, alongside Aussie beef and seafood. And to ensure you won’t end up as dry as a dead dingo’s donger, there’s unlimited amber nectar (Australian beer) every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights for RMB 100.

For food of a longer pedigree, this Wednesday marks the start of the Indian Food Festival at Raffles Hotel, running until February 1st. Guest chef Ankit Sharma from New Delhi will be taking over East 33 for both lunch and dinner to deliver cutting edge contemporary Indian cuisine – think artful presentations, fine dining and delectable flavors.

The Bookworm will be hosting their Burns supper this Friday but tickets are almost out. Eee-excellent. No not that Mr. Burns. This one. On Saturday, the Beijing Caledonian Society are also throwing a Burns supper bash at China World Hotel. If you’ve never eaten haggis (lamb’s heart, liver, lungs, suet, onions and oatmeal cooked inside a sheep’s stomach) this could be your chance – email beijingcaledoniansociety@gmail.com for reservations.

In other news, Alameda is temporality closed for refurbishment and will reopen after the Spring Festival. Biteapitta have had a few building delays due to the recent bad weather but hope to be open in February before the Spring Festival. Also in Sanlitun, Double Coffee is currently closed for an unforeseen time, and French restaurant La Gauche has become a hot pot place. Fatburger, originally scheduled to open this month, is more likely to get going late February or March. Finally, Luga’s Pho Pho and Luga’s Baan Thai will be switching venues soon, just to keep you on your toes.