Zhi Zi BBQ Offers UIBE Students a Meaty Alternative
Despite opening not long ago, Zhizi BBQ has already become a hit with the students at and around UIBE. The restaurant is located in a back alley right outside the west gate of the University, and is a great place for those looking to sit down and have a meal with friends.
The interior of the restaurant is modern, with purple lighting and wooden tables. Each group gets their own table with their own barbecue grill.
Though the menu was all in Chinese, the staff were helpful in recommending dishes. We decided to go with all the choices that had a "thumbs up" icon by them, which were designated as restaurant specialties.
As a snack they give you sugary kettle corn, which is freshly popped and particularly addictive. They also provide every guest with a sweet dipping sauce, accompanied by crushed up peanuts.
The food is cooked dish by dish by an attendant on a small grill in the middle of the table. They also provide a cute apron with sleeves to protect you from oil any spillage.
The meat itself is very tender and although it isn't spiced much, all the flavors run together as more things are added onto the grill; onions, spinach, garlic etc. The dipping sauce that comes with the meat is tangy and light, the perfect accompaniment to the morsels of juicy meat beef and lamb.
Below is a breakdown of what we ordered:
- 黑椒牛肉 black pepper beef
- 羊腿肉 lamb leg
- 五花肉拼酸菜 streaky pork with Chinese pickled cabbage
- 胗心相伴 chicken hearts and gizzards
- 金针菇 enoki mushrooms
- 茄子 eggplant
- 炙子摊鸡蛋 fried eggs
- 紫皮洋葱 onions
- 生菜 lettuce
- 鲜蔬大咖 fresh vegetables (the Chinese word is more than vague)
- 北京山楂糕 hawthorn cake
- 鲜果沙拉咯吱 fruit salad
The favorite among us was the tender black pepper beef, which paired well with the onions. If I had to change something next time it would be to order less vegetables and more meat, since Zhizi is great value for money, coming to around RMB 50 per person, and on the whole makes for a very hearty and satisfying meal.
Zhizi BBQ
Daily 11.30am- 11pm. Bldg 7, Hui Xin Li, Huixin Dongjie (6491 6012)
炙子花开北京烤肉: 北京朝阳区惠新东街对外经贸大学西门往北，惠新里7号楼旁小筑主题酒店旁边
Photos: Heather Cigas
