Guijie Oasis
At this quaint courtyard restaurant, attendants lead you away from the ruckus of Guijie into a well-lit garden. The well-illustrated bilingual menu gives traditional Chinese dishes an elegant twist. We tried the Yiyuan Famous Chicken, a cold dish smothered in a spicy sesame sauce. A half order (￥24) was plenty for two, but our chopsticks kept returning for the taro fries hidden among the chicken. The Abalone with Shark's Fin and Fish Maw in Chicken Soup (￥38) has the literal translation, “Wall-Scaling Buddha,” hinting that even the enlightened one can't resist this soup's delicious allure. Hua’s Cabbage (￥18) will make you look twice at this simple vegetable. Beverage options range from house-made sour plum juice (￥18 for 500 mL) and 30-year-old Mao Tai (￥12,800/bottle) to German beer and full-bodied red wines. Elegant, traditional, well-serviced, Huajia Yiyuan’s a quiet spot to enjoy an unhurried meal.

Larissa Zhou

Contact: 235 Dongzhimen Neidajie, 东城区东直门内大街235号, 8407-8288. See online for other locations around town.