Beijing Boyce

Upscale Spanish restaurant Mare Nostrum will close as early as tonight. I talked to someone at the restaurant, which opened only last year, who cited problems with the landlord. It is unclear if the place will re-open elsewhere in Beijing.

(A hat tip to The Cellar Rat for the heads up.)

I obviously didn’t learn my lesson from Celebrity Pub Crawl I, which featured Miami Vice’s Crockett and Tubbs, because I’m going “old school” again - this time with Jack “It’s all in the reflexes” Burton from 1980s cult movie Big Trouble in Little China.

Before you close the window, give me a chance. This movie has it all. It’s funny and so are all of you. It includes “China” in the name and that’s where we live. Burton, played by Kurt Russell, is a durable, weathered vet who could handle a heavy night out in Beijing. And his love interest is a very young Kim Cattrall (Sex and the City). Here’s the trailer: the last bit, with the beer bottle, gives an idea of the kind of places Burton would patronize (and here’s the link in case the video doesn’t appear below):

As always, post a comment about where in Beijing you would take Jack “Pork Chop Express” Burton, and you’ll be entered in the weekly draw. The prizes:- A bottle of Grace Vineyard Tasya’s Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon from Torres

- A package of four books - Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2008, Mandarin Phrasebook, Healthy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide, and Spicy Chinese Cuisine: A Restaurant Ordering Guide - from Immersion Guides.

The deadline for entering the draw is Tuesday at noon. The winner will be announced the next day. (Note: I can only ship prizes to addresses in Beijing. One entry per week per person, please. To spread the wealth for this six-week contest, only one prize per person.)

Here’s another video that strings together clips of Burton.

Too bad the old Goose n’ Duck isn’t still open…