Chicago - the Windy City - in Beijing

Bar counter at the Windy City

Boardwalk to the restaurant

 Chicago movie poster

Dining area at the Windy City Ballroom

Private dining at the Windy City

Wine and dine in lakeside pavilion

Midwest US city Chicago sits on the southwest shore of Lake Michigan - one of North America’s Great Lakes. With the water freezing over in winter that closeness to the urban core can result in strong winds, hence the nickname ‘Windy City’. Chicago is home to many examples of iconic ‘skyscraper’ architecture. Some of these outstanding structures date from the 1920’s/1930’s and remain as monuments to some leading and innovative architects of that period. Chicago is also renowned for its cuisine - the city is famed for giant pizzas, steaks and much more representing the diverse background of its population.

Dustin Merritt manages the Chicago themed ‘Windy City Ballroom’ on Yongtaizhuang Bei Lu north of the Olympic Forest Park. Dust, as he is more affectionately known, comes from Canada’s British Columbia and has a long experience in catering, including the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Before moving to the ‘Windy City’ Dust worked in several go-ahead venues around Beijing including ‘Home Plate’ - famed for its American smoked barbecues.

‘Windy City’ is part of a larger resort including Hunan-themed ‘Jia Yu Cun’ restaurant and the ‘Lotus Garden Hotel’. Bruce and Dust are talking in a small room decorated with many reminders of American movies from the 1930’s and later. The restaurant itself sits next to a lotus-covered lake where a boardwalk offers great outdoor dining. Indoors it is the feeling of Chicago with its great food and vibrant atmosphere that has been attracting a growing number of domestic and international fans wanting the ‘Windy City’ experience.