Burger Cup Dark Horse Cannon's Debuts Retro Digs on Xingfucun

原创 Kyle M. theBeijinger

Where there’s a will, there’s a way. More specifically, now there’s Will Cannon giving inner-city burger fans a way to eat his much-hyped burgers. And boy, does he have fans. Cannon’s wares had until recently only been available at his outlying Gaobeidian restaurant, a decent trek for anyone who had an initial taste at this past summer’s Burger Cup. That showing landed him way up in second place, an incredible feat for the relatively unknown fast-food purveyor.

The exterior of this excellent retro fast food joint's new Xingfucun location

Now, far more customers will have access to his classic American diner-style eats courtesy of his new venue on Xingfucun Zhonglu. Chief among those options: the RMB 46 double deluxe cheeseburger that gave them face – and drew a huge lineup – at this year’s Burger Cup festival at Galaxy Soho. What made that burger a winner is Cannon’s affinity for thin, greasy grilled patties (“I’m not big a fan of outdoor barbecue-style burgers,” he tells us during a sneak peek visit a few days before their August 20 opening). The atmosphere aptly suits that throwback, diner-grilled burger – what with the vintage, picture-free menu behind the register, a counter with stools, the plush booths upstairs, the black-and-white checkered tile floor, and the adorable paper hats donned by the staff.

This meaty treat helped Cannon's snag second place at this year's Burger Cup

However, the menu items are of a much higher quality than what you’d find at a typical fast-food spot. Just about everything is made in-house, from the buns to the sauces and the soft-serve ice cream. A new, must-try option is the RMB 55 fried chicken plate that comes with a side of greens, red beans, potato salad and a hearty yet fluffy biscuit, all of which stem from Cannon’s Charleston, South Carolina roots. The chicken (available in breast, thigh or leg cuts) has a sumptuously crispy batter that coats, and contrasts with, the juicy underlying poultry meat perfectly. He brines the chicken in sweet tea (a mainstay Deep South beverage) which gives the skin a darker color and unique flavor.

The owner draws on the downhome Deep South eats he grew up with

The Gaobeidian branch’s greatest hits are also on hand: RMB 44 pulled pork sandwiches, RMB 37 Buffalo chicken sandwiches laced with an uncommonly subtle blue cheese sauce, RMB 35 cauliflower veggie burgers, the spicy RMB 37 Sinophile Burger and savory sloppy Joes that will remind North Americans of yesteryear’s family dinners. The RMB 30 milkshakes are also true winners, especially the orange variety, tailored to match the Creamsicles Cannon gobbled up as a boy. Alternatively, wash it down with a pint of Vedett Blonde (RMB 35) or Boulevard Tank 7 (RMB 38).

By incorporating elements of both handmade gourmet and low-key fast food, Cannon’s hits an elusive target, and it’ll be sure to have an explosive impact on the Sanlitun dining scene.

Cannon's (Xingfucun)
Daily, 8am-2am. 55 Xingfucun Zhonglu, Chaoyang District (WeChat: moop83)
朝阳区幸福村中路55号

Photos: Uni You

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