AM774 . Bruce in Beijing

A taste of Chicago in North Beijing

2015-09-18 10:57:24

 

Boardwalk at the Windy City Ballroom

Chair reminding of 1930's Chicago

Dining on boat at Hunan-style Jiayucun Restaurant
 
 
Dining room at The Windy City Ballroom
 
 
Jiayucun Hunan-themed restaurant
 
 
Landscaped garden at Wiindy City Ballroom
 

Dustin Merritt from Western Canada manages a Chicago-style restaurant, the Windy City Ballroom. This themed diner with outdoor tables on a boardwalk next to a large lotus filled lake is increasingly popular with locals and foreigners in Beijing. Although only 30 minutes north of Dongzhimen it feels like being well out of the city, even in the countryside.
Dust and Bruce are talking in a private dining room where the walls are decorated with movie posters reminding of Chicago in the 1930's. Groups of friends can relax there on padded leather sofas and feel they are actually back in carefree times of early 20th century Midwest America. One room is actually modeled on a small movie theatre.
The Windy City is the concept of a lady from Hunan, Zeng Jia, who studied and lived in Chicago for several years. She wanted to replicate the restaurant as a reminder of her days in the aptly named 'Windy City'.
The restaurant is part of a much larger garden hotel complex  which incorporates Jia Yu Cun - one of Beijing's top Hunan restaurants. There, diners can sit inside traditional covered wooden boats floating on a large indoor lake.