Capital Bites: Wudaokou Cafes Branch Out, Haidian Indian and More On Obama Fried Chicken

Greetings and salutations, Beijingers! The extra-long seven-day work week is doing something of a number on my head. Is it Sunday? Or Friday? Or the second of three Mondays? In any case, whatever day it is in your head, here's some food news to soothe your workaday woes. And tell me what you ate during your holidays! I discovered the best youpo mian (oil-splashed noodles) ever ... OK, it was on the Russian border, but then again, I haven't tried this one. Onward!

We've found an off-the-radar Indian joint named Ramayana in Haidian, near Tsinghua University (address here). Situated in the Holiday Inn Haidian, it's apparently staffed by several Indian chefs (the hotel's GM is also Indian). We'll send someone to have a nose around there shortly.

Alba in Gulou has now added pizza to their menu. Pizza Wars, anyone?

The Obama Fried Chicken we mentioned a couple of weeks ago appears not to be a delicious PhotoShop hoax. Apparently located next to Beijing City University's Huanghoudian campus, it's been picked up by a number of overseas news sources. KFC China is understandably miffed, and is reported to be considering a lawsuit. We'd dismiss it out of hand as fake drama, but then again, we didn't think OFC actually existed at first. To be continued!

Two of Wudaokou's popular student cafes now have additional locations. Sculpting In Time can now be found in Gulou, while the new Bridge Cafe is situated next to the Beijing Institute of Technology. The latter isn't quite up to par with Cafe Zarah and the like, but I have a soft spot for their breakfasts (surprisingly acceptable.)

To round things off – and to remind you that there things just as bad as working seven days straight – the below photo is of the worst thing I ate during my October sojourns. That is a full pound of steamed cow knee, people. Los Angeles holes-in-the-wall serve Mexifood, Manzhouli shacks-in-the-dirt serve cow knee. Bon appetit.

Photos: Susan Sheng