New Restaurant: Flash Burritos and Tacos in Jianwai SOHO

Even though it was before my time, I mourn the death of the extended lunch hour like I would mourn a long-lost friend. Surely the world would be a happier place if we could all sit down for a glass of wine at lunchtime instead of wolfing a sad sandwich at our desk? Ill-founded romanticism aside, if you must lunch on the go, then at the very least it should be healthy and tasty. Denizens of Jianwai SOHO are lucky, then, to have Flash Burritos and Tacos.

Flash offers a customizable menu of burritos, tacos and quesadillas, which will be familiar to anyone who has visited a branch of Chipotle. Choose your meat (steak, chicken, carnitas, mutton or veggie), choose your rice and beans, add toppings such as salad or cheese and you are out of the door in five minutes. The steak burrito (RMB 39), filled with imported Australian beef, is hefty enough to stave off snack attacks for the rest of the afternoon. Add RMB 8 to make it a meal deal with tortilla chips and a soft drink. Admittedly the food won’t win any prizes for authenticity, but the flavors are clear and the ingredients are fresh.

Read more from the October issue of the Beijinger at Issuu.com.