Date: Mar 4th 2014 11:28a.m.

Contributed by:
laurafitch

Meishuguan | Susu

You knew the best rolls were going to come from Susu. We knew it, too. With a small slice of pineapple sweetening up the insides, Susu’s shrimp and pork roll (RMB48) is the best in town. Also notable is the side sauce, a thick, peanut-y swirl that sticks to the roll when you dip it in, a delicious change from the more standard roll dips that taste like they came out of a Thai sweet chili sauce bottle. Just make sure to book ahead—Susu is one of the only restaurants in town where it’s almost impossible to get a walk-in table on a weekend day or night.  

Gongti | Lan Na Thai

Speaking of sauces, Lan Na Thai wins out for a thin, sweet sauce with a definite kick—much better than Purple Haze’s thick, overly sweet sauce. The Poa Pia Yuan rolls (RMB65) are capably made, and while vegans will rejoice at another dish to add to the handful of palatable plates available in Beijing, those who love a bit of shrimp or pork inside the wrap will be disappointed. Filled with wiggly vermicelli noodles and lettuce, these rolls serve mostly as a vehicle for that delectable sauce. Plan your dinner accordingly.  

Gongti | Pho La La

We often hear people giving this Vietnamese restaurant flack for not being “authentic” enough, and to that we say, Beijing is not Saigon. Get over it, and be pleased with the slightly surprising rolls on offer. The soft shell crab rolls (RMB45) here inexplicably come with a side sauce of spiced mayonnaise. While we weren’t fans of this, we were fans of the rolls themselves, which combine little crab legs with sprigs of dill and veg. There’s enough flavor in the rolls to forgo the sauce …