Chinese Burger Chain Restaurant Brings Something New to Beijing
Beijing burger aficionado, 贾国龙汉堡 JiaGuoLong Burger is the new kid on the block if you’re looking to satisfy your cravings for an East Meets West style of burgers. The celestial orange and space grey décor pull you into this unique fast food experience and offers a refreshing departure from typical Western-style burger joints.
What sets JiaGuoLong Burger apart is their innovative approach to burger creations. They skillfully infuse traditional Chinese ingredients and flavors into their burgers, resulting in a harmonious fusion of East meets West. From their sumptuous "酒闷红烧肉堡" Braised Pork Burger (RMB 19) to their Hunan-style "小炒黄牛肉汉堡" Stir-fried Beef Burger (RMB 18), each bite is a delightful exploration of Chinese culinary heritage.
Modern Chinese Burger Chains
JiaGuoLong Burger’s biggest competitor, 塔斯汀 Tastien, was founded almost a decade ago and now has over 4,000 stores across China. Mapo tofu, Peking duck, and other sandwich varieties feature their signature freshly baked bread for RMB 18-25. There are other smaller chains besides Tastien with each having less than 40 stores. What’s unfortunate for Beijingers is that you’ll have to travel to another city, as there are currently no shops within city limits. Fear not, as within Beijing, there’s JieGuoLong Burger as the newest option in this modern Chinese burger category.
Self-Proclaimed Delicacy
JiaGuoLong Burger is actually named after the founder, Mr. Jia Guolong. Jia Guolong is a veteran in the restaurant business, having founded the wildly successful 西贝莜面村 Xibei, an Inner Mongolian-style noodle shop in 1993 which now has 355 shops, mostly in Beijing.
In addition to JiaGuoLong Burger being founded last year, with 30 Beijing locations listed in the APP but only a handful discovered so far on Baidu Maps, there’s a line of JiaGuoLong frozen entrees which can be found in grocers across China.
The Air Up There
The catchline “空气馍” is pervasive across JiaGuoLong Burger’s outer space-themed marketing materials, loosely translated to mean “airy membrane”, referring to a Hangzhou-style of fermented mantou used for their signature burger buns. The softness and flatness of the bun was neither sticky nor sweet and didn’t overpower the contents inside. Individual sandwiches range from only RMB 9-19.
Three-Item Combo
There’s a broad range of sides and drinks that complement the Chinese burger for those wanting a divergence from the traditional Western set of fries and a coke, and their three-set meal sets you back about RMB 35. Side options include spicy Sweet Potato Wedges (香煎薯快), Chicken Nuggets (香煎鸡块), or Spicy Stinky Tofu (爆汁臭豆腐), and drink options include ice cold Sour Plum Juice (古法酸梅汤), Hot and Sour Soup (酸辣汤), or Hot Fermented Rice Milk (酸米浆).
We’d recommend the Spicy Smelly Tofu as a side, which was firm and crisp, over the Chicken Nuggets with sweet and sour sauce, as they were just too chewy for our taste. Any Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor would highlight the benefits of sour plum juice on a hot summer day, and our drink came with plenty of ice and wasn’t overly sweet.
The End
If you still have room for dessert there are five varieties of frozen yogurt. We enjoyed the exotic notes of the Osmanthus Frozen Yogurt (桂花酒酿酸奶冰淇淋), which featured marshmallowy glutinous rice balls similar to what you’d eat during Chinese Lantern Festival.
If JiaGuoLong Burger isn’t you’re thing, you may still want to try a traditional Chinese hamburger (肉夹馍) at JiaGuoLong’s original parent company, Xi Bei 西贝莜面村 or elsewhere, or for those more adventurous there are donkey burgers available at other restaurants in Beijing.
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Images: Joshua Hiller
