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Best Dining Bets
Made in China (Dong Chang'an Jie 1 [inside Grand Hyatt]; 010/8518-1234): It's not just the Peking duck that's fantastic -- it's nearly everything on the menu, from spicy Sichuan-style string beans to the passion fruit and pear champagne sorbet. We visit this lively restaurant regularly, sharing the experience with out-of-town guests or simply enjoying it selfishly on our own.
Chuan Jing Ban Canting (Gongyuan Tou Tiao 5; tel. 010/6512-2277): Sichuan food has conquered the capital, and this ubiquitous cuisine, loved by Beijingers and Sichuanese alike, is best enjoyed in this chaotic, crowded restaurant owned by the Sichuan Provincial Government. It will also be one of the cheapest meals you can have in Beijing, with the price of an entire meal averaging no more than Y40 ($5.35/#2.65) per person.
Cepe (Jincheengfang Dong Jie 1 [inside Ritz Carlton Financial Street] tel. 010/6601-6666): Unexpectedly, there is flawless northern Italian cuisine in the Middle Kingdom. This lovely restaurant, in the Ritz Carlton, Financial Street, has its own mushroom humidor for its imported Italian fungi and makes its pasta fresh daily.
Whampoa Club Beijing (Jin Rong Jie Jia 23; 010/8808-8828): Ambitious Hong Kong-born chef Jereme Leung brings his inventive cuisine to the capital after opening a successful first branch of the restaurant in Shanghai. Leung has tamed Northern cuisine to a level of refinement never tasted before.
Best Peking Duck: Restaurants serving this dish are multiplying around the city, but you should go no further than the Grand Hyatt's Made in China, which has been doing the best version of this classic for years.
Best Sichuan: Chaotic and crowded, Chuan Jing Ban Canting, a restaurant owned by the Sichuan Provincial Government, is the most authentic place for spicy, numbing Sichuanese cuisine in the capital. There's usually a 30-minute wait for dinner, so come either early or late and be sure to order plenty of beer with your meal to cool your tongue.
Best Inventive Cuisine: Blu Lobster, the showcase restaurant of the Shangri-La, brings the modern, inventive dishes of young Irish-born chef Brian McKenna. It's one of the few daring, experimental restaurants in Beijing that rivals those of London and New York. Whampoa Club Beijing, opened by ambitious Hong Kong-born chef Jereme Leung, does haute-Northern Chinese cuisine in a sublime dining room that sits under a glass-bottomed goldfish pond.
Best Hot Pot: Classy hot pot can be found at Ding Ding Xiang, where the Chinese fondue comes in individual-serving pots for diners who'd rather not take the family-style route. Fresh vegetables, an addictive dipping sauce, and yummy steamed buns make this the best hot pot place in town.
Best Noodles: Available in dozens of shapes and sauces, Shanxi-style noodles at the fashionable and aptly named Noodle Loft are among the most satisfying in Beijing, and without the crimes of hygiene perpetrated by the more typical noodle joints.
Best Karma (Vegetarian): Pure Lotus offers delicious veggie fare in a stylish environment -- visit the Holiday Inn Lido location for a particularly meditative, dimmed atmosphere that's perfect for dinner.
Best European: Cepe serves tasty Italian fare in stylish surroundings It's not exactly in a central location, but still attracts devoted diners with its fresh pasta (made daily) and outstanding wine.
Best Asian (non-Chinese): Stylish decor and creative rolls make Hatsune the best Japanese option in Beijing. Overpriced but superbly decorated, Nuage in the Back Lakes offers a lovely view, with lakeside, rooftop dining.
Best Wine List: High import duties and poor selection make life in Beijing tough on wine drinkers. But The CourtYard, one of the city's most celebrated restaurants, both for its excellent menu and for its location in a courtyard house overlooking the Forbidden City moat, offers an astonishingly sophisticated wine selection you'd have to go to Hong Kong to equal, with many top wines available by the glass.
Best Quintessential Beijing Setting: Built inside the prayer hall of an old Daoist temple in a sea of crumbling residences near the Back Lakes, Sansheng Wanwu eschews the polished gardens and pavilions of the city's other atmospheric restaurants in favor of something far more appropriate: the fast-fading intimacy of one of Beijing's last hutong neighborhoods.
Best Decor: The Taiwanese-owned People 8 gets our vote for best Chinese fusion dishes, with a sublime atmosphere that is romantic, spooky, and stylish. If you're a fan of designer Philippe Starck, head over to Lan for a meal in the city's most splashy, nouveau riche Chinese atmosphere.
Best Brunch: Vineyard is a top choice for their weekend brunch. It's bright and airy with a relaxed vibe -- a perfect start to the day. The menu carries a good selection of both healthy and calorie-loaded options. For those seeking an indulgent Sunday brunch, head over to the St. Regis for their over-the-top buffet featuring champagne, caviar, and oysters. For a buffet extravaganza, visit the Westin Hotel for their Sunday champagne brunch, which at Y298 ($40/#20) is a great deal for its numerous stations offering everything from foie gras and sashimi to chocolate fondue and creative pastries.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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