EAT: Sunday Brunch at Zarah, Dinner with Strangers, Chili Pepper Eating Competition

EAT: Your bite-sized guide to the best eats to be had in Beijing this week.

May 27: Dinner with strangers at Cheers

Want to make some need friends and enjoy some tasty food? Dinner with strangers has got you covered. Their events are meant to encourage a small group of people to make new friends and enjoy local food, this time with a menu of Beijing-style dumplings and snacks paired with four wines from Cheers, including a Primitivo and a Pinot Noir. Dinner is priced at RMB 200.

May 29: Murder on the 50s diner dancefloor

Prepare your hair grease and iron your poodle skirt, it's time for another murder mystery dinner. This time the theme is 1950s diner, and what better place to host than Beijing's very own favorite diner, Lily's American Diner, who will be serving up burgers, shakes, and more. Costumes are not required but are highly encouraged. Tickets are priced at RMB 360 including a three-course dinner. The proceeds from the dinner will be donated to Hello Baby, a non-profit organization that partners with doctors and hospitals to find and rescue children that have been abandoned due to having various medical conditions or disabilities. 

May 30: Zarah's Sunday brunch returns

Get ready hutong brunch lovers, because Zarah's popular all-you-can-eat Sunday brunch is back. The selection includes cold cuts and smoked salmon, an egg cooking station, a DIY jianbing station, freshly-baked breads, and much more. Apart from the food, one thing that makes the brunch popular is that it starts at 10am rather than the usual 11.30am, so it's a good option for early birds. Brunch is priced at RMB 198 or RMB 298 including three hours of free-flow drinks and will be held every other Sunday for the foreseeable future (May 30, June 13, June 27, and July 11).

May 30: the Beijinger's hot chili pepper eating competition

Join us from 3-5pm to witness 12 competitors from eight countries battle it out for the championship! An audience of witnesses will gather far and wide to watch our tribe of pepperheads snarf ten rounds of increasingly hot chili peppers, until but one champion remains. The winner walks away with bragging rights as well as booze from our sponsors KWV and swag galore from The Beijinger. All other victims participants will also take home surprises (aside from frequent visits to the toilet) to mark their gutsy attempt at glory. You can witness history (and maybe, just maybe, some projectile vomiting) for a mere RMB 100 – and your ticket will get you a free drink from KWV, snacks from Encuentro, and for the first 50 ticket buyers, a selection of Beijinger Blind Box goodies (hats, stickers, coupons, spicy sauces – you name it). Click here to purchase tickets.

READ: New in the Neighborhood: Beijing's Latest Euro Grub

Images: Rudy Issa (via Unsplash), Kelsey Chance (via Unsplash), R. Mac Wheeler (via Unsplash), courtesy of the restaurants, Uni You