That classic, gluttonous Monty Python restaurant scene has been playing on constant loop in my mind after the incredible amounts of eating I achieved this past May 1st weekend.

It all started on Thursday night with a visit to Sake Manzo. This little spot is one of my favorites, and we our ordered our favorite unagi (eel) over rice, a selection of sashimi, and some incredible fried tofu. The California rolls we chose were disappointingly topped with mayo, but overall an excellent dinner to kick off my gourmand dream weekend.

On Friday I skipped breakfast to save room for what I knew would be a huge lunch - a 1pm reservation at Maison Boulud. An order of chilled cucumber soup, DB Burger and the chocolate and coffee dessert put me squarely in a food coma as only a hamburger made with short ribs and foie gras will do. I paid for lunch because I had lost a bet (seriously, who can quit eating chocolate for a week?), but at 200RMB per person for three courses I wasn't too upset about it. Maison Boulud has got to be the best lunch value in China, if not the world. I find it completely delightful in every regard.

After my indulgent lunch I wasn't in a hurry to eat dinner until post-party munchies sent me scurrying to Nearby the Tree around 1am for a slice or 4 of pepperoni pizza. Not too much to report here as Tree pizza is uniformly satisfying, but a nice cap to a delicious day.

I woke up on Saturday morning with a headache and a need to feed. Feeling a bit guilty about my late-night snacking, I decided to go for a salad at Panino Giusto. Unfortunately, my efforts at healthy eating were thwarted when I picked the bacon-chicken-parmesan-tons of dressing-salad with a side of french fries, leaving only the lettuce in my bowl. Oh well, it was tasty.

After a silly and refreshing swim in the rainforest-themed pool of the Grand Hyatt I hopped over to My Humble House for dinner. Our lettuce roll appetizer was initially a letdown as it was actually just lettuce, but the sesame sauce was quite tasty. The wasabi and oatmeal prawns were by far the best thing we ordered, although a bit pricey at 60RMB for two. Salt-baked chicken was fragrantly moist, but the noodles we ordered were bland and greasy. I'll go back for another try, but only if someone else is picking up the check. A quick stop at the Wangfujing Haagen Dazs completed Saturday on a sweet note.

Sunday's Bubbalicious Brunch at the Westin hit a home run for Team Gluttony. This is by far the most decadently delicious brunch in town, and complete with clowns, balloons, and a jazz band, it's also endlessly entertaining. While the pasta, sushi, pizza, barbecue, curry and breakfast stations were excellent (yes, I tried them all), my favorites were the caviar blini bar and the room full of desserts. It's all very Willy Wonka-esque, and while far too indulgent for weekly consumption, a really fun treat for every now and then. This is definitely the best champagne brunch I've had in Beijing, and I'm looking forward to a good excuse to go back with a big group of friends. In my opinion, excessive eating experiences are best shared. Anyone for seconds?