You might think the Chinese are a conservative bunch, but a night out at a funky Japanese yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant off one of Beijing's trendiest hutong alleys, will make you kiss off that idea.
Kiss Kiss, run by a charismatic Taiwanese guy, offers great and inexpensive barbecue dishes in a fun-filled steamy atmosphere thanks to the restaurant's table-side grills and their unique offer: kiss someone for ten seconds and you'll receive a free plate of beef tongue. This might sound a little icky to wimpy Western palates, but dip the tasty morsels into the freshly ground sesame sauce provided and you'll be a cow convert.
When we were there, two couples who had had a few glasses of the potent local brew meijiu – one boyfriend and girlfriend combo and two guys who got it on to the amusement of their respective girlfriends – were egged on to kiss by a cheering crowd. Be warned: kissing couples are recorded for posterity as the restaurant owner takes a Polaroid picture and plasters it on the wall.
Aside from the entertainment factor, the restaurant more than holds its own food wise. The bilingual menu offers different meat and vegetable options which you order already marinated and ready for your table's personal grill. If the friendly staff isn't too busy they'll cook it all for you at your table, but even if you have to man the grill yourself, it's not too arduous a task. Don't miss the incredibly tender Australian beef dipped in garlic butter sauce which, as well as all the kissing, provokes more than its fair share of passion, too.
Kiss Kiss, 2 Heizhima Hutong, off Nanluoguxiang, Dongcheng District, Beijing, China; Open 5pm – 11.30pm; Tel: +86 10 6403 7626
