‘Scuse me while I kiss the sky: Purple Haze Bistro

Purple Haze Bistro‘s move from China View buildling on the corner of Gongti (the same building as Hooters and Danger Doyle’s)  to a hutong courtyard on the corner of Dongsiliutiao 东四六条 and Chaoyangmen Beixiaojie 朝阳门北小街 is much, much better.

On the same street at Crescent Moon Muslim Restaurant, the new location is housed in a cozy, charming hutong courtyard with two indoor dining spaces, a tiki-style bar and a nicely covered center courtyard.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Purple Haze Bistro:

Other than the location, not much else has changed – you can expect the same furniture, decor, same menu and same live jazz entertainment every Wednesdays. Some standard favorites include their fresh spring rolls, papaya salad, red and green curries, etc.

LumDimSum Snapshots of Dishes:

Vegetarian Spring Rolls (RMB 35)/ Green Mango Salad (RMB 45)

Minced Beef Salad with Lettuce (RMB 45)/ Pad Thai with Prawns (RMB 40)

Red Curry Vegetables (RMB 40)/ Lime Soda (RMB 28)/Mixed Fruit Shake (RMB 30)

Review of Purple Haze Bistro: On the East end of Dongsiliu tiao, also the corner of chaoyangmen beixiaojie and dongsiliutiao,1 Dongsiliutiao, 东四六条1号, Tel: 6501-9345

Best Part:

• One of Beijing’s best Thai restaurants – food is consistently good and prices are very reasonable.
• Cozy, charming ambiance set in a hutong courtyard
• Stella beer and Beijing Beer on draft (RMB 15 for a big mug)
• Live jazz entertainment every Wednesday
• They have free wi-fi and a long hallway of books to enjoy on a lazy afternoon

Comments:

• At the end of our meal, the waitstaff handed us a dining survey to fill out and when we handed it back to him, he proceeded to not only look at our responses, he also questioned us on each point that did not receive a high score.  I think it’s great when restaurants care about customer feedback, but not great for the customer when they are grilled about their responses on the spot.  Awkward.
• A great venue during Beijing’s warmer months, but also cozy during the winter as the rooftop is covered.

Rating: (on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best)

• Food: 7
• Atmosphere: 8
• Service: 5
• Overall Experience: 7