Ask Locals in Beijing!

Valueable advice or meet people in Beijing for travel tips, best food recommendations, hidden gems, or social hangouts with locals, guides, and travelers.

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katrina · #spice

Sichuan Spice Inferno?

Sichuan Restaurant

I went to this Sichuan Restaurant near the Lama Temple in @Beijing last week. Man, the food was *intense*. Seriously, my mouth was on fire for like, an hour afterwards. I ordered the Mapo Tofu – it… more

Reply 1 Share · 5d

susannaberg · 5d

Depends on your spice tolerance, really. If Mapo Tofu was too much, you might want to steer clear of anything with "干煸" (gan bian) in the name – that's dry-fried, and often incredibly fiery. I usually go for the Kung Pao Chicken; you get that amazing Sichuan peppercorn numbing sensation without the overwhelming heat. Or, if you want something milder still, maybe a boiled fish dish (水煮鱼 - shui zhu yu)? It's flavorful but the chili oil is usually more of a drizzle than a bath.

philip · #the

Beijing Opera Mysteries?

Reignwood Theatre

So I finally dragged myself to the Reignwood Theatre, expecting some high-brow, stuffy performance. Boy, was I wrong! It was incredible

Reply 2 Share · 17m

gundi · 15m

Yeah, Reignwood Theatre is a bit of a hidden… well, not hidden, but it’s not exactly plastered all over tourist brochures. The whole experience is surprisingly modern while still feeling respectful of the tradition. I was expecting something… stiffer, you know? Glad you had a good time. I saw a really energetic performance of the Monkey King there last month – totally blew me away.

philip · 17m · OP

That's awesome! I was worried it might be too tourist-trappy. Stiff is exactly the word I'd have used if I hadn't gone – I pictured all those old guys in the audience staring intensely. The Monkey King, huh? I bet that was incredible. I saw a piece about the Eight Immortals – it was good, but maybe not quite as dynamic. Makes me want to go back and see something different now!