After a month of renovations, Bei has relaunched. There is now a sophisticated lounge area at the entrance, and part of what was before a long corridor leading into the dining room is now home to several tables, partially walled off for a little extra privacy. Some of the private ... Read more »

Casa Latina delivers authentic Mexican cuisine that truly puts Amigo and the Saddle Cantina to shame, bringing something new to Beijing that we’ve been craving. With great drinks, a fun atmosphere and a rocking Cuban band, this place shouldn’t have much of a problem overcoming its location at ... Read more »

You’ve worked all over the world—what’s your favorite place? There is no favorite place, since I’ve learned something different everywhere I’ve been. I first worked in fine hotels in Switzerland. Then in London I was exposed to very high-end luxury hotels and got to see ... Read more »

Fantasia’s young, innovative chef, formerly of the Park Hyatt, is attempting to bring new kinds of desserts to Beijing. We admire his creativity, but we’re not sure how the city will handle some of his flavor combinations. You’ll either love or hate the chocolate fonden (¥65), a ... Read more »

Tucked in a Sanlitun back alley famous for long-loved residents Alameda and Kiosk, Sushi Midorikawa doles out standard Japanese fare in a district redolent with competition. Our nicely presented 16-piece sushi platter (¥220) was a true assortment, though we would have preferred more of the salmon and scallop. The veggie ... Read more »

Long Wudaokou’s top vegetarian destination, Tianchu Miaoxiang has finally opened a sister branch in Chaoyang. The new eatery has all the hallmarks of the original: delicious vegetarian fare, quality ingredients and a staff committed to environmentalism and the vegetarian lifestyle.

On our visit, the two standouts were the iron-plate ... Read more »

Sanlitun | Union Bar & Grille

Union offers Sanlitun Villagers a unique spin on the classic golden shoestring fries. The Napa style garlic fries (¥22) resemble the McDonald’s staple with their skinny, julienned cut and crisp golden exterior. But this appetizer surpasses Micky D’s with the addition of fresh garlic ... Read more »

I consider myself pretty handy in the kitchen. With a couple of Henckels knives and a Calphalon, I can tackle a wide range of cuisines from the comfort of my own home. I see recipes as vague recommendations and feel confident in adding my own slant to any number of ... Read more »

There is nothing that puts a smile on my face like strawberry season. I usually buy a couple jin every time I make a trip to Sanyuanli Market and eat half fresh and freeze the other half for smoothies later in the summer. Though the price per jin (RMB12 at ... Read more »

Prego’s Chef Fabrizio Bigi has worked everywhere from the Middle East to the U.S., but it’s the taste of northern Italian home cooking that he’s brought to Beijing. The special menu, inspired by his family’s recipes, features filling dishes and flavors of the Italian countryside ... Read more »

When it comes to finding the best provincial food in Beijing, there’s no better bet than the restaurants where provincial officials comfort their own homesick bellies. While Xiyu Fanzhuang’s menu is similar to any street-corner Xinjiang joint, it puts the rest to the test. The yangrou chuan’r ... Read more »

You just came back from visiting sake factories in Japan—what did you learn? First I was in Fukui prefecture, at a sake maker called Hanagaki. They’re very exact in their sake production. For example, they first wash the rice they use and then they boil it for 50-60 ... Read more »

Beer-Marinated Chicken

From Sake Manzo owner Taka Yamamoto

Serves Two

Ingredients:

400g chicken legs

Beer

Light soy sauce

20g spring onion

Mashed garlic (to taste)

Mashed ginger (to taste)

Japanese seven spice seasoning (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Equal amounts of flour and starch

Instructions

1) First mix the beer ... Read more »

Given its location in a non-descript strip mall, we weren’t expecting much from New York, New York. But the vibe picked up as soon as we began tasting the freshly baked doughnuts. The chocolate cake doughnut hole (¥1.5) is crisp on the outside, soft in the center. The ... Read more »

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, or are quaintfully ignorant of the depressingly slow traffic around and inside of the second ring road, it’s obvious that the Third Session of the National People’s Congress opened on the 2nd of March. Over 2000 deputies flooded into the ... Read more »

Oh, what a difference 10 kuai makes. That’s how much less Uama (“Yama” in Chinese) charges for their all-you-can-eat-and-drink teppanyaki deal (¥159) versus Tairyo (¥169), which is practically right next door. For the money saved, though, the quality drops off considerably and you end up with a lackadaisical grill ... Read more »

The First Lady of Wine Jancis Robinson was just in town for the World Atlas of Wine Dinner at Shangri-la Beijing. We caught up with her via email, and she told us about wine in China, as well as selecting wines for the queen and British Airways.

City Weekend: This ... Read more »

A few days ago I heard the news that Chef Guillaume Gaillot from Juliette's had his goodbye party over the weekend and had left the country. Indeed--he's accepted another job and is now in Paris and has left China for good.

What does this mean for Juliette's ... Read more »

As many of my friends know, I enjoy dining out, but my real passion is entertaining. On special Saturday mornings, I'll make an epic trip to Sanyuanli market, and spend the better part of the day marinating veggies and filling casserole dishes with all sorts of love. The best ... Read more »

While conveniently located for many expats, Scott’s Family has some challenges to face: the place is a bit hard to find, and the Italian delivery market is already pretty saturated. That said, we were impressed with what Scott has done with the former Turay’s space and pleasantly surprised ... Read more »

Nali Patio, it seems, has ushered in a new era of coolness, with hot spots Niajo and Apothecary joining area stalwart Mosto and the newly remodeled The Mughal’s Restaurant in a new dining microcosm. I’m a huge cheerleader of new mini-districts, as it makes my dining and drinking ... Read more »

When we first stopped into Dalyan several weeks after it opened, the place was already packed. Not that it’s a particularly hard venue to fill—there are only about six tables. But between the comfortable atmosphere and decent Turkish food, it’s not surprising that there’s already a ... Read more »

A post-holiday stop at The Mughal’s Restaurant revealed the much needed remodel of The Mughals Restaurant has been completed. Admittedly, the old washed out walls, rather dated interior didn’t stop me from enjoying the delicious lunch buffet (RMB45), but the new environment has a decidedly warmer feel. The ... Read more »