Think you’re gourmet? Test yourself against City Weekend’s gourmatrix

Big Bucks

Name: Li Chen

Country: China

Profession: Owner, Cafe Europa

Gourmet? I can never get enough of belluga caviar and champagne.

Name: Zhou Shi Neng

Country: China

Profession: Chef at Intercontinental's Si Chou Lu

Gourmet? To me, good eats must be rich in flavor, great in aroma and accompanied by Chinese wine.

Name: Joshua Goetz

Country: America

Profession: Chef at Hilton’s One East Third

Gourmet? My last truly great meal was a local meal in Shanghai (I was in the mood for hairy crabs).

Gourmet

Name: Amanda Newman

Country: U.K.

Profession: Owner, Fish Nation(s)

Gourmet? A killer set menu (to take out the hassle of decision making) that combines a starter (perhaps warm scallops) and a main (I love baby lamb chops) with good wine.

Name: Rakrouki Adel

Country: Tunisian

Profession: Owner, Carthage Restaurant

Gourmet? My perfect meal is Merguez couscous with homemade sausage and a glass of pine nut mint tea, because I make all them myself and I can’t find them anywhere else in Beijing.

Gour-not

Name: Kris Ryan

Country: Australia

Profession: Owner, Cox Bar & Restaurant and The Saddle

Gourmet? Nothing beats a fresh seafood platter on the harbor in Sydney. Prawns, scallops, oysters, fish, crab. That combination with a good bottle of white wine is the killer cuisine.

Name: Jane Cohen

Country: American

Profession: Project Manager, UN Global Fund for AIDS, Malaria & Turberculosus

Gourmet? The meal my father made for us when we growing up; spaghetti with vegetable sauce, salad and fruit cocktail.

Loose Change

Name: Ann Melville

Country: American

Profession: Teacher

Gourmet? Hot pot is delicious. I love the meaty mushrooms you can put in it.

Name: Jeff Smith

Country: American

Profession: Computer Analyst

Gourmet? I love jiaozi. My favorite is jiaozi stuffed with roast duck.

Name: Claire Nelson

Country: American

Profession: Project Manager, Nokia

Gourmet? My perfect meal is at a Chinese home-style place with all my friends ordering a huge meal. I love stir fried peppers and beef.

City Weekend Gourmet Week

From April 16-23, you, too, can eat like a gourmet even if you don’t have big bucks. Top restaurants in Beijing have come together to offer special set menus at ¥99 and ¥199/person for City Weekend’s Gourmet Week. So gather up your loose kuais and get your stomachs ready; here’s the lineup:

Block House

Type: Steakhouse

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥199

Tasty Tidbit on the Gourmet Week Menu (GWM): Beef Carpaccio

Ching Pavilion

Type: Fusion

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Pan-fried king prawns with couscous

Comptoirs de France

Type: Bakery

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: 2 liters of homemade ice cream or sorbet

KISS Italian

Type: Italian

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥199

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Roasted stuffed peppers with mozzarella

Garden of Delights

Type: Latin American

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥199

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Mini Peruvian shrimp causa

Green Fish

Type: Cafe

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Apple almond crumble tart

Gold Barn

Type: Sichuan

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Stir-fried beef with fresh mushroom

Jing

Type: Fusion

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥199 (Lunch Only)

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Chicken breast slices poached in lemon and thyme with asparagus

Park Grill

Type: European

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Almond-crusted seabass

One East on Third

Type: American

From April 16-20 eat here for: ¥199 (Lunch Only)

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Caramelized strawberries and baked brie

Si Chou Lu

Type: Cantonese

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥199

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Double boiled marrow melon soup

Sorabol

Type: Korean

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99 (Lunch Only)

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Sauteed assorted mushrooms

The Horizon Chinese Restaurant

Type: Cantonese

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Deep fried beef with fried garlic

The Olive

Type: Mediterranean

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Beef fillets in green pepper sauce

Very Siam

Type: Thai

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥199/2 people

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Green papaya salad

W Dine & Wine

Type: European

From April 16-23 eat here for: ¥99

Tasty Tidbit on the GWM: Warm chocolate cake