Beijing Culinary Map (Includes a complimentary meal voucher worth 320 yuan)

Author: Beijing International Food Festival Organizing Committee
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: Food is an important part of tourism. The memory of food will never fade with the end of the trip. In 2008, visitors from all over the world gathered in Beijing. Their perception of Beijing might start with cuisine, and their memories of Beijing might be memories of food. To welcome the Beijing Olympics, build a digital dining culture in Beijing, and provide tourists with a guiding food guide using modern technology and communication equipment, we have been working on this for many years. This year, we launched this book together with Beijing News. It is an update and adjustment based on last year's edition, incorporating digital techniques. The book includes a newly developed two-dimensional digital technology in China, which allows readers to scan with smartphones to access more information and connect to mobile websites. This publishing technology has been used abroad, but in China, it is the first time and the first book. China is a food culture powerhouse, so there are many books about food, but most are recipe-based. There are also information and cultural books, but not many are enjoyable. Beijing Food Geography shares similarities with them but also has differences. First and foremost, it is a book about food: how to eat, what to eat, where to eat, with whom to eat, and how much to eat. These questions together form the original intention of editing Beijing Food Geography. Since talking about eating, especially about eating in Beijing, is not an easy task, there are over 20,000 restaurants in Beijing's urban areas, plus nearly 40,000 in suburban counties. So many restaurants on the streets, so many options—really, it's hard to know where to eat. According to the book, Beijing's food can be described in one sentence: "The wind of fortune turns, next year it's my home." Since it's Beijing Food Geography, it naturally divides Beijing's food "warring states" into different regions. The book's general principle is to divide it by districts, covering the food hotspots of the old city's eight districts—Dongcheng, Xicheng, Chaoyang, Xuanwu, Haidian, and others. For example, Dongcheng's food charm is concentrated in the popular, mainstream, and down-to-earth Guijie street, stretching from the Beixinqiao intersection to the Dongzhimen intersection on the second ring road. The most representative dish here is spicy crayfish. Xicheng's food hotspots are focused on Houhai, and dining there is a cultural symbol. Chaoyang's food geography is rich and diverse, starting with the Dantun Road and Huizhong Road in the Yuyuantun area, the food street at the west gate of Chaoyang Park, and the Laitai Women's Street. Of course, Wangjing is also included. The book also "measures" the food geography of other districts, such as Chang'an Avenue, Ping'an Street, Guang'anmen Avenue, and Sanlitun.
Besides talking about food, Beijing Food Geography also discusses food culture. The biggest function of Beijing Food Geography should be its practicality, which first reflects the desire to eat. Just flip through the book, and you can find what you want, such as the ever-popular Sichuan cuisine. The book not only includes dedicated reviews but also a quick reference list of major Sichuan restaurants in each district. The same applies to other cuisines—just think of it, and you can find it, including Beijing's local snacks and time-honored brands. Just as running a restaurant is like running a person, restaurants also have their own souls and thoughts, which are the signature dishes of each restaurant. For example, Quanjude's roast duck, Fangshan's official banquet, Donglaishun's hot pot, Jinbaibai's home-style dishes, Sichuan cuisine's water-boiled fish, and Min cuisine's Buddha jumps over the wall, and so on. Even in lesser-known small restaurants, there are things that leave diners unforgettable, like a bowl of noodles or a small dish. The biggest achievement of Beijing Food Geography is summarizing these souls of restaurants that we are familiar with yet often overlook. It includes 10 aspects of special banquets, such as cultural banquets, hometown banquets, and longevity banquets.
Dividing Beijing's food geography on such a large scale, this book is unique. How to eat elegantly? How to eat to your heart's content? How to eat with style? How to eat with taste? With whom to eat where? What price range of restaurants? How to eat nutritiously, in line with health principles? How to eat peacefully? What kind of places are suitable for dates? What kind of places are suitable for banquets? What kind of places are suitable for small gatherings with friends? You can find some clues in this book. To make the book more engaging and distinguish it from a simple reference manual, it includes some content about the humanities of dining, such as the specialty snacks of old Beijing, the nine methods of eating, and office dining etiquette, truly connecting food and culture. Additionally, it includes photos of the signature dishes of restaurants and restaurants, adding visual impact. It is an invaluable guide to dining in Beijing.