Aria (Aliya)

Frommer's Review

This is one of the most thoroughly satisfying dining experiences in Beijing, from amuse-bouche to dessert. The dining room, reached by a spiral staircase from a bustling bar, has a comforting clubby atmosphere, full of woody alcoves and hung with green velvet curtains. All courses come with suggestions for accompanying wines, the bottles creatively stored in wooden slots that run the length of the staircase. Highly recommended specialties include a melt-in-the-mouth seafood tapas and pan-fried wild halibut served on pistou whipped potato, clam and fennel escabeche, and olive tapenade, perfectly paired with a nicely chilled Chateau Timberlay Bordeaux Superior Blanc. Don't skip dessert: "Rhubarb three ways" takes the humble laxative vegetable well beyond apple and rhubarb pie. An excellent selection of wines is offered by the glass, and under the new Australian management, requests to open a new bottle are not demurred. More than one visit may be necessary, and the business lunch for ¥128 ($16) is an unbeatable value.

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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