Tim Hilbert may not have actually invented Texas BBQ but he was the first to put it in Beijing, and when you are there for an extended trip you don’t care about the difference. For those of you traveling to Beijing for the Olympics or corresponding with friends or family who are there, this is a must-have survival resource.
I first met Tim last January when I was in Beijing with a client and I literally stumbled across his restaurant. I always love to eat the local culture’s food in whatever country I find myself, but I spent about a month in China over a six month period and those long trips left me really wanting something from home.
I was circling the block around my hotel in the cold of January (Beijing’s weather is about like Chicago’s at that time of year) and I was just passing Silk Road, a giant multi-story indoor market that has to be experienced in order to be believed. I noticed a giant Texas longhorn symbol and gravitated to it like it was an oasis in the desert. When I walked in, I was greeted with a huge warm welcome by local Chinese college-age wait staff wearing shirts made out of our Texas flag design. In broken English but with Texas enthusiasm they exclaim, “Howdy pardner, you wanna margarita?”
I was home.
The place is decked out just like any Texas BBQ stop you may ever see. Tim is a Texan who spent 16 years as an ex-pat employee, and when given the notice to go home decided he would bring home to Beijing. He traveled Texas and photographed over two dozen authentic BBQ restaurants. He hired a special chef, selected special suppliers, had butchers cut the meat to fit the recipes, etc. And he cut no corners on the atmosphere. The wood plank walls, memorabilia from every major university in Texas and all the pro sports teams instantly help transport you out of Beijing.
My client and I made the stop a couple of times during our trip. We met up with Tim at an all night sports bar at 5:30 local time on a Monday morning so we could watch the NY Giants play the Dallas Cowboys on satellite TV. There are compromising photos of me drinking beer at 5:30 a.m., but if you are a Cowboy fan and you remember that game you understand why beer was essential regardless of the time. Besides, it was late in the day back in Texas!
So if you find yourself in Beijing and hungry for something a little closer to home, I highly recommend Tim’s Texas BBQ. He has since opened a second location and both are shown on a map on his website, www.timsbbq.com.
Thanks, Tim for staying in Beijing so the rest of us can have a little Texas while we are there!
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