For one thing, there's the question of effectiveness. Motor vehicles and nearby factories are far greater contributors of dangerous air pollutants, as Vance Wagner, a researcher at the International Council on Clean Transportation, told China Realtime Report . Despite government assurances of imminent action to clean up the air, conflicting interests among politicians and state-owned enterprises have so far prevented any serious attempts. The problem is worsening: March was the smoggiest in 52 years, according to official figures.

Then there's the question of proportion -- whether the relatively small air-quality impact of a barbecue ban would be worth the sacrifice to Beijing street life. "To have [barbecue] while shooting the breeze with friends in the summer is a must for us, and nothing can replace it," Lu Shuze, a 27-year-old primary school sports teacher told the China Daily. "This has been a part of my life since college."

ICCT's Wagner agrees. "The idea that street vendors or regular consumers need to share that burden [of cleaning up the city] is just not fair, and it diverts attention from the real culprits," he said. "It's such a shame, because outdoor barbecues are such a wonderful part of Beijing."

They aren't the only one who thinks so. In his press briefing on the crackdown, city administrator Dang Xuefeng perhaps unwittingly romanticized Beijing's barbecuing culture. "As the weather warms up, the streets gradually fill up with roadside barbecue spots, sizzling kebabs on the grill and cold beer," Dang told the China Daily, adding that these "also create serious air pollution and undesired noise for the neighborhoods."